Title:	Health Systems and Policy
Keywords:	Health systems Health Policy Governance Financing
Country:	United Kingdom
Institution:	UK - Institute for Global Health and Development, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
Course coordinator:	Paul Kadetz
Date start:	2026-01-19
Date end:	2026-04-17
About duration and dates:	Application deadline: Apply any time prior to 1 December 2025 Onsite or Online (synchronous) over 13 weeks (with a reading week) Exact Dates and Times TBD Assignment deadline: 2026/4/27
Classification:	advanced optional
Mode of delivery:	Blended-learning
Course location: Offered Onsite (Main building) and Online from IGHD, Edinburgh
ECTS credit points:	7 ECTS credits
SIT: 200 SIT: Scheduled (live/synchronous) recap sessions: 25 hours Self-directed individual study of online materials and readings: 125 hours Participation on moderated discussion boards: 50 hours
Language:	English
Description: On successful completion of the module the student will be able to: LO1 Critically analyse health systems as dynamic, political, and social formal and informal systems. LO2 Assess system performance (including effectiveness, efficiency, equity, accountability, and responsiveness towards communities). LO3 Evaluate governance structures, policy processes, and stakeholder dynamics in health systems. LO4 Apply health policy and research frameworks and tools as part of meeting the above outcomes, and for critiquing existing evidence.
Focus or specific features: Students can enroll as either Onsite or Online students. Both onsite and online students will need to attend (synchronously for online students) 8 three-hour seminar sessions held across the 13 week semester.
Assessment Procedures: The reviewers need to be able to review the level of expected (cognitive) performance, as well as appropriateness of the assessment method in relation to the learning outcome(s) formulated above. Please indicate assessment method(s) and relative weight(s). For example, “3,000-word essay (60%), peer-assessment of oral presentations (10%) and 2-hour open book examination using essay questions and case studies (30%)”. Indicate how students are given feedback and what options students have when they fail (re-sit?). For on-line assessment please describe how it is guaranteed that the product is the student’s personal work. Please provide an example of the assessment task (preferably as communicated to students), including evaluation criteria and/or standards, at least for the main learning outcome/objective (in annex to this form). There are two assessments: The first (40% of total grade) is based on a simulation and reflection (group presentation and individual reflective report). In groups, students role-play stakeholders in a simulated health system scenario (e.g. budget cuts, re-form planning, pandemic response) -that can be chosen from a group of sample scenarios- and identify a strategy of action which they present to the whole class. After the group presentation, students individually write a critical reflection (1000 word max.) of the experience and what can be applied from this experience to their own work. The final assessment (60% of the total grade) is a Policy brief. Students select a real-world health systems issue (ideally linked to a pertinent case study) and produce a policy brief for decision-makers (1500 words max.). The brief should include background, analysis, options, and recommendations. Regular formative feedback will be provided both in weekly seminar sessions and in online feedback to students. Both onsite and online students are expected to participate in the 8 (synchronous) seminar sessions that are planned throughout the module and that will provide students opportunities to ask questions and clarification. Assessments will be identified by matriculation number only and will be marked anonymously. To pass each module a student must achieve an overall mark of 50% with a minimum mark of 40% in each individual assessment component. Resitting the same assessment (within the following semester) is allowed though capped at 50% as per QMU regulations. NOTE: Plagiarism: The process or practice of using another person’s ideas or work and pretending it is your own. This includes E-cheating, specifically the unauthorized and unattributed use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in written assignments, and essay banks.
Content: This module presents a broad overview of health systems and policy, that affords a comparison of different health systems in different contexts with a focus on the following topics: - Health systems as complex, political, and social systems - Foundations of health policy and systems research (HPSR) - Governance, policy processes, and accountability - Service delivery and implementation challenges - Health financing, equity, and system performance - Community engagement, ownership, and social accountability - Ethics, rights, and power in health systems - Health system reform, strengthening, and resilience
Methods: The Learning Methods summarised in the table below are identical for onsite and online students. A majority of time will be independent with directed learning activities including brief lecture presentations, readings, youtube videos, online discussions and exercises. The remaining 25 hours are reserved for synchronous (onsite and online) seminar sessions to discuss and work on case studies that apply the material covered independently. Type of activity Brief description Number of hours Scheduled Seminars 25 Independent Directed learning activities including micro-lectures, set readings, group (canvas) discussion, digital content and formative / summative assignments 125 Independent Self-directed study in preparation for assessments 50 Total 200
Prerequisites: Describe here the expected level of academic/professional experience required including whether experience in developing countries is relevant. For language, indicate the level of proficiency expected along with how students should prove proficiency, e.g. English TOEFL test 550 or 213 computer-based or 79/80 internet-based or IELTS band 6.0. This is also the place to indicate subject areas that should be completed before the module can be started. For example, “a successfully completed two-week introduction to qualitative research methods”. In case of online course, please indicate the computer and internet, software requirements. Proven proficiency in spoken and written English to IELTS level of an overall score of 6.5 with no component less than 5.5; or for the TOEFL iBT an overall score of 80 with no component less than 17. Regular access to a computer and the internet (broadband) for the duration of the module. Basic computer skills, including using the world-wide web
Attendance: Incl. min. number of students below which the course would not take place (if applicable); incl. max. number of students; max. number of tropEd students (if limited). Maximum number of students is 30 (no limit on number of TropEd students). Min number of students = 6
Selection: No specific selection criteria apply – first come first served principle.
Fees: Home students (On Campus): £1,145 per 7 credit ECTS module International students (On Campus): £2,540 per 7 credit ECTS module Distant learners (Online): £1,145 per 7 credit per ECTS module
Scholarships: QMU Bursary and Commonwealth Scholarships offered to full-time QMU students. There are no scholarships for visiting TropEd students nor for individual modules.
tropEd accreditation: Accredited in Amsterdam, Sept. 2025. This accreditation is valid until Sept. 2030
Remarks: Main textbooks: 1. Lee, K., Buse, K., & Fustukian, S. (Eds.) (2002). Health Policy in a Globalising World. Cambridge University Press. 2. SIDDIQI, S., MATARIA, A., ROULEAU, K. D., & IQBAL, M., eds. 2022. Making Health Systems Work in Low and Middle Income Countries: Textbook for Public Health Practitioners. Cambridge University Press. 3. SHROFF, Z.C., MARTEN, R., HANSON, K., editors. 2022. Systems for health: everyone has a role. Flagship report of the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research. Geneva: World Health Organization. 4. Walt, G. 1994. Health Policy. An Introduction to Process and Power. Bloomsbury. 5. WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION. 2017. Community Engagement Framework for Quality, People-Centred and Resilient Health Services. Geneva
Email Address:	pkadetz @qmu.ac.uk
Date Of Record Creation:	2025-11-06 09:08:53 (W3C-DTF)
Date Of Record Release:	2025-11-06 09:17:58 (W3C-DTF)
Date Record Checked:	2025-11-06 (W3C-DTF)
Date Last Modified:	2025-11-06 09:17:58 (W3C-DTF)