PBHL 385 International Health Policy and Delivery (3 credits, GEP: Culture): The US healthcare system is a complex puzzle of government, free-market, and hybrid delivery and financing. This can lead to inefficiency, waste, and high costs. Other countries deliver healthcare through very different frameworks than the US. Many of these systems are called universal healthcare, but there is significant variation between each system. This course examines the frameworks that describe healthcare systems in other countries, compares those systems to the US system, and looks in depth at several countries' healthcare policies and delivery systems. This class includes several opportunities for guest speakers and field visits to gain first-hand knowledge of the healthcare system.
Students will complete the course on campus in spring 2026 and travel to Geneva, Switzerland, during spring break for the study abroad portion. Applications are due by September 22 on the UMBC Education Abroad website. Scholarships and financial assistance are available.
Contact Professor Birger for more information, and meet us at the UMBC G.O. Fair on Commons Mainstreet, Thursday, September 4, from 11-2.