Khoury College of Computer Sciences

Health Informatics

Master's: Boston
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The Master of Science in Health Informatics prepares students to successfully address the combined clinical, technical, and business needs of health-related professions.

Boston
Location
Full-Time
Part-Time
Commitment
2-3 Years
Duration of Program
Yes
Meets F1 Visa Requirements
Overview

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 Khoury College of Computer Sciences. 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.

 

More Details

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
  • Faculty from Khoury College and Bouvé College of Health Sciences are senior leaders in the field
  • Coursework provides an academic pathway to the PhD in Personal Health Informatics
  • Research capstone project allows students to make an active contribution to the field
  • Health Informatics program has had nearly 100% job placement within three 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.

 

Looking for something different?

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Admissions

A graduate degree or certificate from Northeastern—a top-50 university—can accelerate your career through rigorous academic coursework and hands-on professional experience in the area of your interest. Apply now—and take your career to the next level.

Program Costs

$42.6K *
Tuition
$3.1K
Avg Institutional Aid
6%
% Receiving Aid

Finance Your Education We offer a variety of resources, including scholarships and assistantships.

How to Apply Learn more about the application process and requirements.

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 resumé listing detailed position responsibilities
  • Three confidential letters of recommendation
  • Official TOEFL examination scores (international students only)

Note:

International students are required to submit official transcripts to World Education Services for credentialing. Once you have received verification of your degree and transcript from WES, please forward to the address below.

Send all supplemental application materials to:

Graduate Admissions & Student Services
Bouvé College of Health Sciences
123 Behrakis Health Sciences Center
Northeastern University
360 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
Phone: 617.373.2708
Fax: 617.373.4701

Are You an International Student? Find out what additional documents are required to apply.

Global Engagement Learn how our teaching and research benefit from a worldwide network of students, faculty, and industry partners.

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 Admissions
Spring Admissions
Deadline for International Students: June 1
Deadline for Domestic Students: August 1
Deadline for International Students: November 1
Deadline for Domestic Students: December 1
Curriculum

Core Requirements

Master of Science in Health Informatics General Requirements

A grade of B– or higher is required in each course.

Required Core

HINF 5101 - Introduction to Health Informatics and Health Information Systems 
3.00 
HINF 5105 - The American Healthcare System 
3.00 
HINF 7701 - Health Informatics Capstone Project 
3.00 

Business Management

Complete two courses from the following:

HINF 6201 - Organizational Behavior, Work Flow Design, and Change Management 
3.00 
HINF 6202 - Business of Healthcare Informatics 
3.00 
HINF 6215 - Project Management 
3.00 
HINF 6335 - Management Issues in Healthcare Information Technology 
3.00 
HINF 6240 - Improving the Patient Experience through Informatics 
3.00 
PHTH 5226 - Strategic Management and Leadership in Healthcare 
3.00 

Health Informatics

Complete two courses from the following:

HINF 5102 - Data Management in Healthcare 
3.00 
HINF 5110 - Global Health Information Management 
3.00 
HINF 5200 - Theoretical Foundations in Personal Health Informatics 
4.00 
HINF 5300 - Personal Health Interface Design and Development 
4.00 
HINF 6205 - Creation and Application of Medical Knowledge 
3.00 
HINF 6350 - Public Health Surveillance and Informatics 
3.00 
HINF 6404 - Patient Engagement Informatics and Analytics 
3.00 
HINF 6405 - Quantifying the Value of Informatics 
3.00 
PHTH 5232 - Evaluating Healthcare Quality 
3.00 

Technical

Complete two courses from the following:

HINF 6220 - Database Design, Access, Modeling, and Security 
3.00 
HINF 6355 - Interoperability Key Standards in Health Informatics 
3.00 
HINF 6400 - Introduction to Health Data Analytics 
3.00 
PHTH 5202 - Introduction to Epidemiology 
3.00 
PHTH 5210 - Biostatistics in Public Health 
3.00 
PHTH 6210 - Applied Regression Analysis 
3.00 
PHTH 6400 - Principles of Population Health 1 
3.00 
PHTH 6440 - Advanced Methods in Biostatistics 
3.00 

One course from the following may count toward the technical core requirement:

DA 5020 - Collecting, Storing, and Retrieving Data 
4.00 
DA 5030 - Introduction to Data Mining/Machine Learning 
4.00 
INSH 5301 - Introduction to Computational Statistics 
4.00 
INSH 5302 - Information Design and Visual Analytics 
4.00 

Electives

Complete two courses from the following. Any course not taken to complete a core requirement may be taken as an elective.

HINF 6345 - Design for Usability in Healthcare 
3.00 
DA 5020 - Collecting, Storing, and Retrieving Data 
4.00 
DA 5030 - Introduction to Data Mining/Machine Learning 
4.00 
INSH 5301 - Introduction to Computational Statistics 
4.00 
INSH 5302 - Information Design and Visual Analytics 
4.00 

Please note: This curriculum is for marketing purposes only and is subject to change. Official curriculum can be found within the course catalog.



Experiential Learning

Co-op makes the Northeastern graduate education richer and more meaningful. It provides master’s students with up to 12 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 six- to eight-month co-op or a three- to four-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 Khoury College of Computer Sciences 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.

Faculty

Our Faculty

Our faculty represents a wide cross-section of professional practices and 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.

Jay Spitulnik

Associate Teaching Professor and Director of Health Informatics Graduate Programs
Students

By enrolling in Northeastern, you gain access to a network of more than 255,000 alumni and 3,350+ employer partners, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and global nongovernmental organizations. Our current students and faculty across strategically located regional locations further foster a lifelong, global community of learning and mentoring.

Below is a look at where our Nursing and Healthcare alumni work, the positions they hold, and the skills they bring to their organization.

 

  • Where They Work

    • Massachusetts General Hospital
    • Boston Children’s Hospital
    • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
    • Brigham and Women’s Hospital
    • Boston Medical Center

  • What They Do

    • Healthcare Services
    • Business Development
    • Education
    • Community and Social Services
    • Operations

  • What They're Skilled At

    • Healthcare
    • Nursing
    • Hospitals
    • Patient Safety
    • Healthcare Management

 

Learn more about Northeastern Alumni on Linkedin.

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