Undergraduate Health Economics
Course Outline: This introductory course delves into the compelling field of health economics, exploring how economic principles shape healthcare systems and individual health decisions. We’ll examine the unique characteristics of healthcare markets, including uncertainty, information asymmetry, and substantial government involvement, and apply economic concepts to analyze the complex tradeoffs faced by stakeholders. Key topics include healthcare demand, insurance market dynamics (adverse selection and moral hazard), and the role of government interventions. The course also addresses global health policy challenges and emerging areas such as the economics of mental health and well-being. As an SMU-X course, students will engage in a real-world project with industry partners, bridging theory and practice in this vital economic sector.
Graduate Health Economics (PhD)
Course Outline: Health Economics is a dynamic field examining how economic forces shape health and healthcare. This graduate seminar surveys recent empirical research in health economics, emphasizing modern causal inference tools (e.g. regression discontinuity, randomized controlled trials) and their application to policy-relevant questions. We will explore the demand and supply of healthcare services, health insurance markets and reforms, early-life health and long-run outcomes, socioeconomic and geographic health disparities, healthcare provider markets, digital health and AI in healthcare delivery, mental health economics, and global health challenges. The course highlights actionable policy implications drawn from credible empirical findings. Students will also present research articles or preliminary research ideas, fostering skills for independent research in health economics.
Tech Economics (Master's)
Course Outline: This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the economics of technology. Students will examine how economic analysis applies to real-world challenges in e-commerce, social networks, ride-hailing, streaming services, and other technology-driven industries. The course emphasizes the growing role of economists in tech companies, where expertise in market design, causal inference, and data analysis has become increasingly valuable. Through industry case studies and hands-on applications, students will explore pricing strategies in digital markets, measurement of advertising effectiveness, personalization algorithms and their economic implications, platform economics and network effects, A/B testing design and interpretation, and logistics optimization strategies. This is an SMU-X format course offering students opportunities to directly interact with industry partners and solve their business problems. In the last week of the course, students will present their business solutions to the industry partners.