Program Overview

---

Biomedical Informatics and Data Science, MS

Program Description

The Master of Science program in biomedical informatics and data science offers students the opportunity to become professionals who use biomedical data, information, and knowledge to improve human health. Students in this program learn problem-solving, theory, and the methodologies underlying the field of biomedical informatics, taking courses in areas such as knowledge representation, clinical environments, imaging, bioinformatics, and data science.

At a Glance

• College/school: College of Health Solutions
• Location: Tempe
• STEM-OPT extension eligible: Yes

Accelerated Program Options

This program allows students to obtain both a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years. Accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree programs are designed for high-achieving students who want the opportunity to share undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of their master's degree.

Degree Requirements

• 32 credit hours including the required applied project course (BMI 593)
• Required Core (17 credit hours)
  • BMI 502 Foundations of Biomedical Informatics Methods I (3)
  • BMI 505 Foundations of Biomedical Informatics Methods II (3)
  • BMI 515 Applied Biostatistics in Medicine and Informatics (3)
  • BMI 540 Problem Solving in Biomedical Informatics (3)
  • BMI 570 BMI Symposium (2)
  • BMI 601 Fundamentals of Health Informatics (3)
• Other Requirements (3 credit hours)
  • BMI 404 Clinical Environments (3) or
  • BMI 504 Introduction to Clinical Environments (3)
• Electives (9 credit hours)
• Culminating Experience (3 credit hours)
  • BMI 593 Applied Project (3)

Admission Requirements

• General university admission requirements
• Applicants must have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in biology, computer science, engineering, nursing, or statistics from a regionally accredited institution
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program
• All applicants must submit:
  • Graduate admission application and application fee
  • Official transcripts
  • Statement of purpose
  • Resume or curriculum vitae
  • Three references (academic or professional)
  • Proof of English proficiency

Tuition Information

When it comes to paying for higher education, everyone’s situation is different. Students can learn about ASU tuition and financial aid options to find out which will work best for them.

Application Deadlines

• Fall: Priority deadline 02/15 for Session A/C

Program Learning Outcomes

Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program’s learning outcomes include the following:

• Synthesize the history and values of biomedical informatics and its relationship to other fields while demonstrating an ability to read, interpret, and critique the core literature and be prepared to be successful in the biomedical informatics workforce
• Apply and evaluate approaches in the context of biomedical problems, including imaging and signal analysis; information documentation, storage, and retrieval; machine learning and data mining; networking, security, and databases; natural language processing and semantic technologies; representation of logical and probabilistic knowledge and reasoning; simulation and modeling; and software engineering
• Apply knowledge in design, evaluation, behavioral and organizational sciences, ethical and legal issues, and economic and social context of biomedical research, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, medical instrumentation, health care, and public health

Career Opportunities

Professionals with advanced training in biomedical informatics and data science are in high demand across a variety of sectors and industries, including academic institutions, not-for-profit research institutes, government and public health agencies, and health care organizations, as well as information technology, biotech, and pharmaceutical industries. Graduates can also pursue admission to medical school. Career examples include:

• Account manager
• Analyst
• Data scientist
• Product manager
• Research scientist

Additional Information

Biomedical informatics fosters collaborations among academic researchers, clinical practitioners, and regional health care providers to apply new developments in informatics theory to clinical practice. Students gain the informatics knowledge and skills that enable them to detect disease early, improve the patient hospital experience, improve the precision of diagnosis, improve the quality of patient health care and reduce its cost, and minimize hospital visits. Biomedical informatics has a key role to play in the transition to more effective and efficient health care through the use of knowledge and information technology.