Requirements for Degree Completion
The USC Mann Master’s Program in Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy aims to prepare graduates to execute original research in health economics, comparative effectiveness research, cost-effectiveness analysis, patient-reported outcomes, and health policy analysis.
Grade Requirements
A grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0) must have been achieved on all graduate work, as required by the USC Graduate School.
Unit Requirements
The MS in Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy requires 36 units of graduate-level courses. This program has been designed to allow a full-time student to complete the degree within two years. Normally, a full-time graduate student course load is three full courses or equivalent per semester, with a four-course maximum.
Recommended Courses
In order to satisfy the econometrics requirement, students should pass ECON 414 or a more advanced course in econometrics, depending on their background in econometrics.
Economics:
- ECON 414 Introduction to Econometrics (4 units)
- ECON 500 Microeconomics Analysis of Policy or PPD 501 Public Sector Economics (4 units)
Epidemiology:
- PM 512 (elective) Introduction to Epidemiology, and
- Demographic Methods (4 units)
Research and Methods Policy Analysis:
- PMEP 509 Research Design (4 units)
- PM 511A Data Analysis (4 units)
Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy:
- PMEP 519 Survey Research and Quality of Life (4 units)
- PMEP 529 Probability and Preferences (4 units)
- PMEP 538 Pharmaceutical Economics (4 units)
- PMEP 539 Economic Assessment of Medical Care (4 units)
Master's Thesis
The student is required to complete a research paper that demonstrates the candidate’s ability to apply pharmaceutical economics and policy analysis skills in a challenging topic area. The topic for the paper will be negotiated with the student’s faculty advisor during the first year of study.
