Enrolments for 2019 have closed.
Health Policy and Decision Making
Postgraduate | CUR-HTHM801 | 2019
Course information for 2019 intake View information for 2024 course intake
Examine health policy and process in national healthcare settings. Develop capacity through research, teaching and sharing knowledge. Compare key health topics.Explore the social causes, values and trends shaping Australia’s national health policy.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- Subject may require attendance
- Entry requirements
- Part of a degree
- Duration
- 14 weeks
FEE-HELP available
Health Policy and Decision Making
About this subject
At the completion of this subject students will be able to:
- understand how government policies are initiated, developed, get implemented and evolve over time using appropriate policy theories
- discuss factors that influence government policies and decisions to improve population’s health, using policy analysis approaches and tools
- analyze government policy responses to a selected priority health issues and develop alternative policy strategies, taking equity into consideration
- critique policy implementation and coordination theories and practices
- develop strategies for influencing policy change that take account of actor power, politics and evidence-based practice.
- Health, society and the role of government
- The policy process and the policy cycle
- Identifying issues for policy
- Health policy design
- Health policy implementation
- Health care as a system
- The Australian health care system
- Globalisation and health care systems
- Privatisation, politics
- Power and professionalism
- Development and aid and equity in health care
This subject was previously known as HTHM801 Health Policy.
This subject provides a comprehensive understanding of the government's roles of policy development and decision making related to improving population's health. The subject introduces students to explore factors that influence policy and decision-making processes and their implications for the health sector. It covers the theoretical frameworks for understanding and analyzing how health policies and decisions develop, change and get implemented. It explores the technical nature of health policy and decision-making processes (agenda setting, policy formulation, decision making, implementation, evaluation and policy change) and the political nature of understanding the power and influence of policy actors. The subject also helps students to develop skills in engaging stakeholders, coordinating the development and implementation of government policies and decisions; and managing policy evaluation and change. The subject does not cover analytical skills of assessing cost-effectiveness of government policies, policy outcomes and impact at population level. In addition, it does not cover research methods for that could be used for evaluating government policies.
Please Note: If it’s your first time studying a Curtin University subject you’ll need to complete their compulsory ‘Academic Integrity Program’. It only takes two hours to complete online, and provides you with vital information about studying with Curtin University. The Academic Integrity Program is compulsory, so if it’s not completed your subject grades will be withheld.
Find out more about the Academic Integrity module.
- Developing and presenting a policy brief (20%)
- Invigilated Exam (40%)
- Case analysis report and a plan of how to influence policy change (40%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
To enrol in this subject, you must be admitted into a degree.
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.