Two students inspect imaging results displayed on desktop monitors.

Tomorrow Needs You. Are You Ready?

Receive a graduate education from an accredited institution.

Health Informatics MS Program

Better healthcare decisions begin with information people can trust and use. Health informatics combines healthcare, information technology, and data analysis to improve how health information is collected, managed, shared, and interpreted. In Michigan Tech’s MS in Health Informatics, you’ll examine how data and digital systems support patient care and research while addressing privacy, security, and the context behind the information.

Our Accelerated Master's Program is available for current Michigan Tech students. Explore our Online Master's Program.

Who Is This Program For?

This degree may suit you if you want to work at the intersection of health, information, and computing. It offers avenues for students interested in healthcare information systems and interoperability; health data analysis, imaging informatics, or decision support; privacy, security, and ethics in the management of health information.

What You'll Study

You'll examine the multidisciplinary field of informatics, decision support systems, telemedicine, ethics, security and privacy of data, consumer health informatics, interoperability, health development, international health care systems, and translational research informatics with a master's degree in heath Informatics. Design and implement innovative applications and promote new technologies to improve health care. Choose one of three specializations in addition to core courses in healthcare information, security, and privacy; imaging informatics; healthcare data informatics.

Where You'll Apply Your Knowledge and Skills

You can apply your knowledge to analyzing patient-care datasets, improving how electronic health records support clinical workflows, evaluating clinical decision-support tools, and helping health information move securely between systems.

Depending on your background and experience, relevant roles include health data analyst, clinical informatics analyst, clinical informatics specialist, and clinical systems analyst. In these positions, you might identify trends in healthcare data, help clinicians use information systems effectively, or evaluate whether those systems provide accurate, accessible information. Possible career environments include health-care systems, research laboratories, insurance companies, government organizations, and many others.

Delivery Options
- Online: MS
- Accelerated: MS
- On-Campus: MS

Health Informatics at Michigan Tech

Health Informatics Program Details

Choose a specific degree option or delivery type to learn more about the health informatics program at Michigan Tech. For international students, Health Informatics is a designated STEM program.

On-Campus Programs

MS, Health Informatics: Thesis Option

This option requires a research thesis prepared under the supervision of the advisor. The thesis describes a research investigation and its results. The scope of the research topic for the thesis should be defined in such a way that a full-time student could complete the requirements for a master’s degree in 12 months or three semesters following the completion of coursework by regularly scheduling graduate research credits.

The minimum requirements are as follows:

Total Credit Requirements
Option Parts	Credits
Coursework (minimum)	20 Credits
Thesis research	6-10 Credits
Total (minimum)	30 Credits

Distribution of Coursework Credit
Distribution	Credits
5000-6000 series (minimum)	12 Credits
3000-4000 (maximum)	12 Credits

Programs may have stricter requirements and may require more than the minimum number of credits listed here.

MS, Health Informatics: Report Option

This option requires a report describing the results of an independent study project. The scope of the research topic should be defined in such a way that a full-time student could complete the requirements for a master’s degree in 12 months or three semesters following the completion of coursework by regularly scheduling graduate research credits.

Of the minimum total of 30 credits, at least 24 must be earned in coursework other than the project:

Total Credit Requirements
Option Parts	Credits
Coursework (minimum)	24 Credits
Report	2-6 Credits
Total (minimum)	30 Credits

Distribution of Coursework Credit
Distribution	Credits
5000-6000 series (minimum)	12 Credits
3000-4000 (maximum)	12 Credits

Programs may have stricter requirements and may require more than the minimum number of credits listed here.

MS, Health Informatics: Coursework Option

This option requires a minimum of 30 credits be earned through coursework. A limited number of research credits may be used with the approval of the advisor, department, and Graduate Admissions. See degree requirements for more information.

A graduate program may require an oral or written examination before conferring the degree and may require more than the minimum credits listed here:

Distribution of Coursework Credit
Distribution	Credits
5000-6000 series (minimum)	18 Credits
3000-4000 (maximum)	12 Credits

Accelerated MS, Health Informatics

Bachelor's + 1 Year = Master's Degree

Our accelerated master's degree program is a faster, easier way for Michigan Tech students to earn a master's degree. Up to nine approved credits from your bachelor's degree can be applied towards your accelerated master's degree. Consult your graduate program director for your individualized plan. If you're thinking about pursuing a master's following your bachelor's this option may be the right choice for you.

Online Programs

MS, Health Informatics (Online)

Realize your career goal in health information management, imaging informatics, e-Health, or one of the many other facets of the health informatics discipline. Students in the Master of Science in Health Informatics program can choose from a broad spectrum of health informatics applications. 30 credits (10 courses) can be completed in as few as five semesters.

See the Online Health Informatics MS.

Accelerated MS, Health Informatics (Online)

For Michigan Tech students with a Bachelor's degree, fast-track your career or speed progress toward advanced studies through an online Accelerated Master's Program. The program allows you to earn both a Bachelor's and Master's in as few as five years.

This online Accelerated Master’s program allows you to count up to 9 approved credits towards both degrees. It is designed for highly motivated students who wish to enter a mid-level position in their career after graduation or pursue doctoral studies. Set yourself up for success in an increasingly demanding job market with an online Accelerated Master’s from Michigan Tech.

Additional Program Information

Want to learn more about health informatics at Michigan Tech? Visit the department for more information:

Contact

Graduate Director

Guy Hembroff

Graduate Assistant

Sherry Wyeth

Sample Areas of Interest

Select areas of interest to help customize your health informatics MS. Sample areas include:

Electronic Health Records
Health Information Systems
Health Information Management
Imaging Informatics

View the full listing for this program.

Application Process and Admissions Requirements

Using a holistic approach, our graduate admissions team reviews applications on an individual and ongoing basis. Fill out our free graduate application online to apply to any of our programs. Official transcripts and scores are not required for the initial application, but you will need to upload them later.

Graduate Admissions Process

Applying to your graduate program is free (no application fees) and fast (no official transcripts or test scores are needed to start). The application process involves three easy steps. Please note that international applicants are required to pay a non-refundable $10 processing fee per application.

See Admissions Steps.

Graduate Admissions Options

Michigan Tech offers several admissions options in order to meet the educational needs of students from a variety of backgrounds. Students should review the options available to them and apply for the program that will best help them achieve their personal educational goals.

See Admissions Options

Graduate Admissions Requirements

To be considered for admission to your program as either a degree- or certificate-seeking student, you need to:

have a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution, and
be prepared for advanced study in your chosen field, as demonstrated by your previous degree and your scholastic record.

See additional application requirements, including required materials:

Student Statements

Official Transcripts

Program-Specific Requirements

Program Specific

3 Letters of Recommendation
Résumé / Curriculum vitae
Admitted applicants typically have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale
No GRE Required

International Students

TOEFL: Recommended Score of 79 iBT
IELTS: Recommended Overall Band Score of 6.5

Michigan Tech requires a minimum 79 overall TOEFL or 6.5 overall IELTS score.

Admissions Decisions

Made on a rolling basis.

Recommended Deadline

Apply at least a semester in advance of projected admission to improve your chances of receiving funding.

International Student Requirements

International Students must apply and be accepted into a degree-granting program in order to earn a graduate certificate. A non-refundable $10 processing fee per application is required.

See International Applicants

Accelerated Master's Requirements

Our Accelerated Master's Program is available for current Michigan Tech students.

Program Specific

3 Letters of Recommendation
Overall GPA of 3.0 or greater
No GRE required

Eligible Undergraduate Majors

Computer Network and System Administration

Accredited by HLC

Michigan Tech has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1928. We offer over 125 graduate certificates, master's degrees, and PhD programs to provide our students and the world with what tomorrow needs.

Who You'll Learn From and Work With

Learn from faculty with expertise in cybersecurity, healthcare systems design and analysis, and intelligent approaches to medical diagnosis.

Network with students across the country and world working in healthcare; in fact, 27 percent of our students are online and hold positions such as emergency physicians and nurse practitioners. You'll also learn from local physicians at regional health care centers.

Where You'll Study and Do Research

Access research centers and laboratories that serve as critical resources, incubators, and testing grounds for innovation in health informatics.

You'll also get experience in one of nine community clinics for exposure to a variety of health care settings, such as primary, in-patient, ambulatory, behavioral health, community, and regional initiatives.

Faculty Spotlight

Guy Hembroff

Guy Hembroff
Associate Professor,
College of Computing

"By developing solutions that educate people in health care, we can offer self-management and self-efficacy to people."

What's missing is the integration of personal, behavioral, and clinical data we already track with wearable technology, and sharing it securely to run different algorithms–both for the clinical/behavioral side and for the individual. The goal is to give patients and consumers knowledge to receive effective medical care and an improved quality of life.

Program Faculty