Program Overview

Introduction to the MS in Health Data Science Program

Dartmouth’s Master of Science degree in Health Data Science positions students to be biomedical data scientists who are at the forefront of innovative solutions to complex challenges within the biomedical, biobehavioral, public health, and clinical care sectors.

Program Overview

The MS in Health Data Science program is offered in two formats:

• On-campus: A full-time, immersive experience in Hanover, New Hampshire, featuring in-person learning, direct faculty interaction, and access to campus resources.
• Online: Designed for working professionals, this format provides flexibility with asynchronous coursework, allowing students to complete the program remotely over 2–3 years. Both formats lead to the same degree and cover the same rigorous curriculum.

Program Details

Curriculum

The program emphasizes real-world applications, offering opportunities to collaborate with faculty on current research projects, connect with industry experts through guest lectures and workshops, and participate in a capstone course designed to tackle real-world challenges or research gaps within the health sciences.

Capstone

The capstone is a classroom-based, team project guided by faculty. Industry and academic partners pitch "big challenges" to the class, and students form teams to attack one of the challenges. Students are mentored through the process of researching the problem, formulating an approach, and justifying their approach, building project management and division of labor plans, building and testing data management and statistical analysis plans, compiling the results, and reporting back to the class with the project findings. Students will present a poster of their work at a ceremony at the end of the class.

Admission Criteria

While prior health data science experience is not necessary, competitive applicants typically demonstrate proficiency in data science concepts and analytical techniques. Calculus, computer programming, and statistics coursework is recommended.

Career Paths

Dartmouth MS in Health Data Science alumni work in biotech, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, public health, and government. Common roles include:

• Data Scientist
• Biostatistician
• Health Informatics Specialist
• Machine Learning Engineer
• Clinical Data Manager
• Public Health Analyst Graduates use data-driven insights to improve patient outcomes, optimize healthcare operations, and inform policy decisions.

Program Structure

• The on-campus cohort size is 30–40 students.
• The program requires approximately 55 hours per week of coursework and class time.
• It is possible to work while enrolled, but the program’s full-time nature requires a significant time commitment. Some students manage part-time work with flexible or remote hours, but many focus on research assistantships or internships that align with their academic goals.

Ideal Candidates

This program is ideal for individuals with backgrounds in mathematics, statistics, or computer science who want to apply data science to healthcare. It suits recent graduates, working professionals, and researchers passionate about using data to solve healthcare challenges and improve patient outcomes.

Average Cohort

The MS in Health Data Science cohort includes students from diverse fields, such as mathematics, computer science, healthcare, engineering, and public health. Many have professional experience in healthcare, data analytics, or tech, while others are transitioning into the field.