Program Overview
Applied Health Informatics, MS
Department Chair: Rajiv Lajmi
The School of Health Professions offers a Master of Science degree in Applied Health Informatics (MS/AHI). The MS/AHI is a 48 credit degree program. The program can be completed full-time or part-time. Full-time students complete two traditional 15 week fall and spring semesters and four 6-7-week summer sessions. Full-time students are expected to complete the degree program within 15 months, and part-time students are expected to complete the program within 27 months.
Program Formats
The MS/AHI program is delivered in two formats (students must select one at the beginning of the program):
- HyFlex: This is a hybrid mode whereby select core classes are offered as a traditional in-person experience and simultaneously as an online synchronous experience. Students can choose to attend some or all classes online or in person.
- Online: The fully online option allows students to complete the program exclusively through online synchronous instruction. Students who select this option are not allowed to be on campus.
Program Curriculum
The MS/AHI curriculum:
- Fosters critical thinking, evidence-based practice, leadership and professionalism with an emphasis on the development of professional knowledge, skills and competencies that are valued and needed by healthcare organizations.
- Utilizes problem-based learning, case studies, and student presentations as instructional methodologies.
- Focuses on the application of health informatics with the primary purpose of responding to the high demand workforce needs.
- Includes 12 credits of Capstone experiential learning pathway. Options available:
- A 360-hour practicum internship that provides the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the curriculum and build hands-on skills and competencies that will enhance students’ ability to find gainful employment.
- A quality improvement project that is available to students with well-developed health information technology (HIT) experience, and allows for flexibility to focus on a specific problem within HIT.
Program Requirements
The MS/AHI curriculum includes a core sequence of courses (24 credits), as a foundational base of knowledge, skills, and competencies in Health Informatics put forth by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics Education (CAHIIM), taken during the summer I, II and fall semesters. Students then select a specialization of study (12 credits) taken during the spring semester in Clinical Systems Lifecycle Management or Data Analytics. Each specialization requires students to choose between a traditional experiential practicum OR a quality-improvement project that is completed during summer sessions I and II.
Admissions Requirements
The MS in Applied Health Informatics accepts applicants for admission each summer. The program admission requirements are as follows:
- A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university
- An overall 3.0 undergraduate GPA
- A CV/resume
- Three letters of recommendation
- Essay demonstrating an in-depth understanding of, and commitment to, this dynamic profession
- For additional international applicant information, visit
For applicants with an overall GPA of less than 3.0, but substantive coursework (minimum of 14 credits) that is directly applicable to the study of health informatics, applications will be evaluated by faculty based on the GPA of this applicable coursework to be considered for conditional admission. The student will be required to achieve a minimum 3.0 GPA by the end of the first enrolled term.
Required Core Curriculum
The core curriculum is common to all students regardless of specialization. The core curriculum is taken during summer sessions and fall semester.
- HHA 500 - Health Care Delivery Systems 3 credits
- HHA 501 - Hlth Info Esstls: Standards and Interoperability 3 credits
- HHA 502 - Digital Health and AI-Enablement 3 credits
- HHA 503 - HC Cybersec: Regulations, Confidentiality, Privacy 3 credits
- HHA 504 - Cloud Computing Health Informatic Professionals 3 credits
- HHA 505 - Healthcare Leadership and Management Essentials 3 credits
- HHA 506 - Research Design and Methodology for the Health Informatics Professionals 3 credits
- HHA 507 - Data Science for Health Care: Python and R 3 credits
Specialization Curriculum
Students select a specialization of study in one of the two specialty areas below.
Clinical Systems Lifecycle Management
The goal of this specialization is to develop the knowledge, skills, and competencies required of clinical informatics personnel.
- HHA 530 - Clinical Decision Making and Process Improvement 4 credits
- HHA 531 - Health Information Systems 4 credits
- HHA 532 - Leading and Managing Clinical Information Systems Change 4 credits
Data Analytics
The goal of this specialization is to develop the knowledge, skills, and competencies required to manipulate, analyze, interpret and present healthcare data using application software.
- HHA 550 - Applied Healthcare Analytics 4 credits
- HHA 551 - Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies in Healthcare 4 credits
- HHA 552 - Healthcare Data Visualization 4 credits
Experiential Learning
Students select one Experiential Capstone Pathway from the options below.
Capstone Pathway: Practicum
Practicum I and Practicum II are offered during the summer sessions.
- HHA 586 - Specialization Practicum I 6 credits
- HHA 588 - Specialization Practicum II 6 credits
Capstone Pathway: Quality Improvement Project
Quality Improvement Project I and Quality Improvement Project II are offered during the summer sessions.
- HHA 590 - Quality Improvement Project I 6 credits
- HHA 592 - Quality Improvement Project II 6 credits
