If you’re already studying Health Economics and would like to find out more about specific details of your bachelor programme, you’ll find what you’re looking for on the Bachelor in Health Economics Programme Structure pages.
Health economics is an interdisciplinary science that is situated between economic sciences and medicine.
Starting point is the assumption, that the factors of production (like workforce, assets and materials), which are necessary to provide services in the health sector are not available in unlimited quantities. It is the goal of health economists, to use these resources effectively and efficiently and to apply them to their purpose in an optimal way. Obtaining a basic medical knowledge helps to understand health economic and medical aspects.
The bachelor programme in health economics prepares students to comprehend the complexity of health-care specific problems and to solve them in the best way possible.
There are very few universities in Germany that offer programmes in Health Economics and Cologne is quite simply the one with the best reputation.
Some examples of the questions Health Economics students look at
How are hospitals financed?
What does “evidence-based medicine” mean?
How much does treatment cost?
How is quality of treatment measured?
Who are the key players in the healthcare system?
What are the special features of healthcare providers’ accounting systems?
How many doctors need to be recruited to ensure that there is always a doctor available?
What are the most significant medical conditions and how can they be treated?
Perspectives
Being able to set an individual emphasis opens various career prospects in Germany and abroad. The faculty supports students in their ambitions e.g. via the WiSo Career Service.
Over the course of the programme, students develop competencies regarding the arrangement of economic and organisational processes in the health sector. Graduates usually find employment in the consulting sector of private and public corporations like clinics, large medical practices, health insurers, institutions, organisations and corporations of the health industry and the sport-, preventive-, and rehabilitation sector.
The aim of health economics is to use resources effectively and economically and thus to ensure that they are used in the best possible way. The acquisition of basic medical knowledge enables people to combine and understand health economic and medical aspects. The bachelor's programme in health economics prepares students to understand the complexity of subject-specific questions and to be able to solve them in the best possible way.
Cologne is an amazingly open and diverse city – and you can see that in the Faculty too.
Multidisciplinarity
The B.Sc. Health Economics at the University of Cologne is the only programme in Germany that offers modules at a faculty for economics and social sciences as well as at a faculty for medicine.
The Alumni Network as a career jump
By enrolling in the programme you are already part of a large network of current and former students, our alumni. This gives you exclusive access to the practical and business world during and after your studies. Series of events and special coaching programmes establish contact with companies and other potential employers. To give you a better idea of your individual study time at the WiSo-Faculty, our alumni from business, science and society report about their experiences during their studies as well as their professional careers and challenges: www.ukoeln.de/SGVY1 or Google "WiSo Alumni".
Programme structure Health Economics
The degree programme is divided into the core and advanced section, the supplementary section, the specialisation section and a bachelor thesis. The standard period of study covers 6 semesters and 180 ECTS points.
The core and advanced section teaches basics of health economics and its methods as well as of economic sciences. In the supplementary section, modules from economic sciences or methods of economic sciences can be selected, depending on interest, whereas in the specialisation section, students can choose to take either one or two seminars as well as further modules in health economics.
Detailed information on the order and structure of the programme can be found on our homepage in the area of programme structure.
Expectations and Requirements
The following skills and personal competencies pave the way for successful studies:
Commitment to achievement and capacity for teamwork
Independent, target- and performance-oriented learning
High level of motivation to deal with health and economic issues
Mathematical skills and a good command of German and English
By taking the online math test, prospective students can compare their knowledge and skills against the requirements of most of the degree programmes at the WiSo-Faculty here (only German introduction).
Application Deadlines and Online Application
15 July for the start of studies in winter semester.
