Program Overview

Program Overview

The M.S. in Healthcare Informatics prepares students for positions within the field of healthcare that apply and assess healthcare data. The mission of the Healthcare Informatics degree program is to provide students with the knowledge and skills to enhance healthcare quality and operations through the assessment and application of healthcare data and information in decision-making and strategic planning.

Program Details

• The program is offered in an executive low residency model, combining low residency and online 7-week courses each traditional semester.
• Students will complete a total of 36 credits and complete the degree in 16 months.
• The program provides a graduate degree opportunity for individuals in the healthcare field interested in administration of healthcare data.

Admission Requirements

• Applicants for master's programs must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or institution.
• Normally, an undergraduate GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale is required, although other factors may be considered in the decision for admission.
• Ideally, applicants should have suitable preparation in the behavioral sciences.
• Consideration will be given for teaching experience and for other applicable experience.
• Applicants who possess a bachelor's degree but do not have relevant background experience may be required to take prerequisite courses for admission.
• Other factors will be considered for admission, such as years of professional experience, a high average in your major field, scores on required standardized tests, or academic development beyond the baccalaureate degree.

Program Requirements

Students in the 36-credit program seeking a M.S. in Healthcare Informatics must take all the required courses, including:

• Foundations of Healthcare Informatics
• Statistical Computing for Healthcare Informatics
• Clinical Information Systems
• Principles and Applications of Databases
• Project Design and Management for Healthcare Systems
• Legal, Regulatory, and Ethical Aspects of Healthcare Informatics
• Healthcare Informatics Capstone Consulting I
• Healthcare Informatics Capstone Consulting II
• Data Security and Privacy
• Fundamentals of Programming
• Emerging Technologies in Healthcare Informatics
• Evidence-based Patient Care

Career Opportunities

• Median hourly earnings for computer and information scientists, medical and healthcare service managers, computer systems analysts and database managers fall between $47.62 to $61.01 regionally and $43.71 to $59.06 nationally.
• Annual salaries in these markets range between $61,1140 through $119,840.
• Career job titles in this track include:
  • Health Administrator
  • Health Information Manager
  • Project Admin Manager
  • Insurance Underwriter
  • Ambulatory Care Center Manager
  • Clinical Director/Manager
  • Hospital Administrator
  • Managed Care Manager

Program Format

• The M.S. in Healthcare Informatics program is offered in a Low-Residency format with most courses online with asynchronous content and weekly "live" virtual sessions.
• It is ideal for anyone looking to obtain their Master's while working full-time.
• The program can be completed in one year, with classes taken full time in the fall, spring and summer semesters.