A practical methods course with applications across policy, social science, and applied economics.
Date: 6 July to 17 July 2026
Venue: Amathuba Online Learning Platform
Time: Refer to programme
Course fee is: R 9,450 per person
Only one discount will be applied per individual
| Category | Discount | Eligibility |
| Early-bird registration | 25% | Register + pay 12 weeks before start |
| Africa-based students | 15% | Enrolled in an African university |
| International students | 5% | Enrolled outside Africa |
| LMIC professionals | 15% | Based in LMIC African institutions |
| Group or institutional registrations: 3+ | 15% | Same institution |
This course aims to foster students' understanding of the concepts and mechanisms of the Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) research method and its applications in health economics, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
While the course is grounded in health economics and health policy applications, the methods taught are transferable to other sectors where decisions involve trade-offs, preferences, and constrained choices. These include public policy, environmental regulation, transport, education, and development research.
Who Should Attend?
This course is suitable for researchers, professionals, and postgraduate students who wish to apply Discrete Choice Experiments to evaluate preferences, trade-offs, and policy options.
The course is relevant for:
- Health economists and public health professionals working in policy evaluation and service design
- Researchers in economics, development studies, environmental policy, transport, or education
- Policy analysts and consultants evaluating interventions where market data are limited
- Social scientists seeking quantitative stated-preference methods
Participants are encouraged to adapt the methods taught to their own disciplinary or sectoral contexts throughout the course.
Entry Requirements: Applicants should hold a degree in health sciences, economics, social sciences, environmental health, or a related field. Familiarity with basic quantitative concepts is recommended. All teaching is conducted in English.
Course Content:
The course is structured as a progression from foundational concepts to applied modelling and policy interpretation. By the end of the two weeks, participants will have completed the full Discrete Choice Experiment process and be able to apply it independently in their own research or policy work.
Specifically, the following ten sessions are covered:
- Session 1: Introduction to Discrete Choice Experiments in Health
- Session 2: Economic Theory and Model Assumptions
- Session 3: Experimental Design for Health DCEs
- Session 4: Advanced Experimental Design Techniques
- Session 5: Data Collection and Data Management for DCEs
- Session 6: Data Formats and Sample Size Determination
- Session 7: Discrete Choice Models in Health Economics
- Session 8: Behavioural Insights and Health Policy Applications
- Session 9: Practical Applications of DCEs in Health Policy
- Session 10: Applied DCE Design and Participant Presentations
What You Will Be Able to Do
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Design a Discrete Choice Experiment tailored to a sector-specific research or policy question
- Identify and structure attributes and trade-offs relevant to their field
- Prepare and manage DCE datasets for econometric analysis
- Estimate and interpret Multinomial Logit, Random Parameter Logit, and Latent Class models
- Derive and communicate preference and welfare measures to technical and non-technical audiences
- Critically assess the suitability of DCEs across different policy domains
A digital certificate of attendance will be issued to participants on completion of the course.