Health Informatics
The Master of Science in Health Informatics prepares students to successfully address the combined clinical, technical, and business needs of health-related professions.
Part-Time
Northeastern’s interdisciplinary Master of Science in Health Informatics program was the first master’s program in the field. Our students graduate with the knowledge of how technology, people, health, and the healthcare system interrelate; the ability to use technology and information management to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes; and the skills to communicate effectively among healthcare practitioners, administrators, and information technology professionals.
The MS in Health Informatics program is a collaboration between the Bouvé College of Health Sciences and the College of Computer and Information Science. The program offers a flexibly-designed curriculum for both part-time and full-time students, combining core courses in healthcare systems and management with elective courses that span vital topics across the industry. Students are able to choose classes based on their interests and backgrounds; students from the healthcare industry are introduced to new technologies. An advisory board of industry professionals provides expert guidance in the program’s development and ongoing curricular advancements—the program remains at the leading edge of advances in the industry.
This interdisciplinary master’s degree program is designed for healthcare professionals with limited computing and information technology experience, as well as IT professionals with little knowledge of healthcare environments.
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Unique Features
- This MS program is designed for students with clinical or technical experience
- Flexible course schedules and formats meet the needs of both working professionals and full-time students
- Advanced Standing MS program is available for students with relevant healthcare experience
- Faculty from CCIS and Bouvé College of Health Sciences are senior leaders in the field
- Coursework provides an academic pathway to the Personal Health Informatics PhD
- Research capstone project allows students to make an active contribution to the field
- Health Informatics program has had nearly 100% job placement within 3 months of graduation
Program Objectives
- Understand how information technology, people, health, and the healthcare system interrelate
- Use information technology and information management concepts and methods to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes
- Communicate effectively among healthcare practitioners, administrators, and IT professionals, and understand each group’s needs and constraints
Career Outlook
Health informatics is a rapidly-evolving field—one in which jobs are projected to grow by 23% into 2020. As the healthcare system evolves, the ability to integrate technology into patient care is becoming increasingly imperative, creating great demand for professionals with knowledge of health sciences, computer science, and information technology. Northeastern’s MS in Health Informatics graduates have gone on to hold positions as clinical, data, business, technical, application, and security analysts, as project managers, and as CIOs, CMIOs, and directors of many prominent companies. Recent graduates hold positions at Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare, Partners Healthcare, Beth Israel, Tufts Medical Center, Lawrence General Hospital, Humedica, and Verisk Analytics.
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Admissions Dates
Applicants must submit the online application and all required admission materials no later than the stated deadlines to be considered for admission. Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis.
Fall Term:
February 1: Priority deadline
June 15: International applicants
August 15: Non-international applicants
August 25: Special Student applicants (non-international only)
Spring Term:
October 1: International applicants
December 1: Non-international applicants
December 15: Special Student applicants (non-international only)
Program Costs
Requirements
- Online application and fee
- Unofficial undergraduate/graduate transcripts (you can submit official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended at the time of admission)
- Statement of purpose that should include career goals and expected outcomes and benefits from the program
- Recent professional resume listing detailed position responsibilities
- Three confidential letters of recommendation
- Official GRE General Test scores
- Official TOEFL examination scores (international students only)
General Requirements
A grade of B- or higher is required in each course.
Core Requirements
Business Management Core
Complete two courses from the following:
Health Informatics Core
Complete two courses from the following:
Technical Core
Complete two courses from the following:
One course from the following may count toward the technical core requirement:
Electives
Complete two courses from the following. Any course not taken to complete a core requirement may be taken as an elective.
Co-op makes the Northeastern graduate education richer and more meaningful. It provides Master’s students with up to twelve months of professional experience that helps them develop the knowledge, awareness, perspective, and confidence to develop rich careers. In addition to the esteemed faculty, many students enroll in the Master’s programs largely because of the successful Co-op Program.
Graduate students typically have an experiential work opportunity following their second semester. This could be a 6-8 month co-op or a 3-4 month summer internship. Those who initially experience co-op may have the opportunity to seek an internship for the following summer, or vice versa.
Student participation in experiential education provides enhanced:
- Learning
- Maturity, responsibility, and self-knowledge
- Technical expertise
- Occupational information
- Job seeking and job success skills
- Networking opportunities with those in desired career paths
Northeastern’s Co-op Program is based on a unique educational strategy which recognizes that classroom learning only provides some of the skills students will need to succeed in their professional lives. Our administration, faculty and staff are dedicated to the university’s mission to “educate students for a life of fulfillment and accomplishment.” Co-op is closely integrated with our course curriculum and our advising system. The team of Graduate Co-op Faculty within the College of Computer and Information Science provides support for students in preparing for and succeeding on their co-ops.
These multiple connections make co-op at Northeastern an avenue to intellectual and personal growth: adding depth to classroom studies, providing exposure to career paths and opportunities, and developing in students a deeper understanding that leads to success in today’s world.
Our Faculty
Our faculty represents a wide cross-section of professional practices and in fields ranging from finance to education to biomedical science to management to the U.S. military. They serve as mentors and advisors, and collaborate alongside students to solve the most pressing global challenges facing established and emerging markets.
By enrolling in Northeastern, you gain access to a network of more than 230,000 alumni and 3,000 employer partners, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and global NGOs. Our current students and faculty across strategically located regional campuses further foster that lifelong global community of learning and mentoring.
Below is a look at where our Computing & IT alumni work, the positions they hold, and the skills they bring to their organization.
Where They Work
- Dell EMC
- IBM
- Amazon
- Oracle
- Microsoft
What They Do
- Engineering
- Information Technology
- Business Development
- Entrepreneurship
- Program and Project Management
What They're Skilled At
- Java
- SQL
- Software Development
- JavaScript
- HTML
Learn more about Northeastern Alumni on Linkedin.