Health Informatics Master of Science Degree

Demand is high for health informaticists–those professionals who are well versed in applying computing and information technology solutions to the management of health care information and patient data. This health informatics masters will give you the knowledge and experience you need to succeed in this evolving field.


100%

Outcomes Rate of RIT Graduates from this degree


Overview for Health Informatics MS

With an increase in the application and use of computing in the health care industry, there is an unprecedented need for professionals who can harness the creative power of information technology to make an impact on the acquisition, storage, management, and retrieval of patient data, as well as access medical data needed to improve patient care, research, and education. A health informatics masters provides professionals with an understanding of formal medical terminology, clinical processes, and guidelines; and an understanding of how information and communication systems can be used to successfully deliver patient information in various health care settings.

RIT’s Master’s in Health Informatics: Offered Exclusively Online

The MS in health informatics applies the creative power of information technology to the information and data needs of health care.

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This program is offered exclusively online.
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Curriculum for 2024-2025 for Health Informatics MS

Current Students: See Curriculum Requirements

Health Informatics, MS degree, typical course sequence

Course Sem. Cr. Hrs.
First Year
HCIN-610 3
Human-computer interaction (HCI) is a field of study concerned with the design, evaluation and implementation of interactive computing systems for human use and with the study of major phenomena surrounding them. This course surveys the scope of issues and foundations of the HCI field: cognitive psychology, human factors, interaction styles, user analysis, task analysis, interaction design methods and techniques, and evaluation. This course will focus on the users and their tasks. (This class is restricted to degree-seeking graduate students or those with permission from instructor.) Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring).
MEDI-701 3
This course provides a rigorous introduction to the principles of medical informatics. The focus of this course is on the study of the nature of medical information and its use in clinical practice and clinical quality improvement. Key topics include: the electronic medical record (EMR) and its impact on health care delivery, the Internet and mobile computing as sources of medical information, Health care information systems, the software development lifecycle, the importance of the informatics specialists in medicine and the various roles they can play, and government economic incentives and policy issues in healthcare such as privacy, confidentiality, including health care regulatory and accreditation issues and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Students will participate in online discussion of medical informatics. They will also investigate several topics of interest in the field and provide presentations. (This class is restricted to degree-seeking graduate students or those with permission from instructor.) Lecture 3 (Fall).
MEDI-704 3
This seven-week course is an introduction to clinical practice for graduate students in Medical Informatics. It consists of the study of medical specialties including shadowing of clinicians in these areas. Students in this course will be part of a team of health care professionals in the selected specialties. They will make rounds with providers, attend key IT and HI meetings, assist with information gathering and dissemination, and observe specialty specific disease process, diagnosis, and treatment. They will observe and note clinical workflow and technology usage. They will interact with team members and assist with the acquisition of reference knowledge as appropriate. (Prerequisites: MEDI-701 or equivalent course and graduate student standing.) Clinical 1, Lecture 6 (Spring, Summer).
MEDI-735 3
A study of the component approach to clinical information systems. Students will learn about the evolution of Health Information Systems, and the variety of systems offered by vendors at the present time. The importance of the Electronic Health Record (EHR), the Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) and Clinical Decision Support will be stressed as they become the focal points in clinical information systems. The following components will be studied in detail: patient, activity, health record, knowledge, and security components. The role of imaging management and integration will also be reviewed. (Prerequisites: MEDI-701 or equivalent course and graduate student standing.) Lecture 3 (Spring).
 
Track Elective
3
Second Year
CINT-628 3
Informatics is about systems that store, process, analyze, and communicate information. Information begins as data – and of particular interest today is the large data sets that are evolving in many fields. Data sets are acted upon by tools can be applied to a variety of problems across many fields. This course provides an overview of issues within informatics, and common solutions. Through hands-on examples, the course demonstrates a general problem-solving approach from problem identification, algorithm selection, data cleaning, and analysis. Lecture 1 (Spring, Summer).
ISTE-764 3
Information technology projects require the application of sound project management principles in order to be developed on time, on budget, and on specification. This course takes students through the nine knowledge areas of modern project management and the utilization of project management principles in both traditional and agile environments. Lecture 3 (Fall).
MEDI-788 3
This team-based course provides students with the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills learned in coursework to design, develop, and implement a solution to a real problem in the medical informatics domain. Project teams also will be responsible for submitting a final project report, and for making a final presentation to project stakeholders. (Completion of first year courses) (Prerequisite: MEDI-701 and MEDI-705 and MEDI-735 and MEDI-704 and HCIN-610 and Graduate standing.) Lecture 3 (Summer).
 
Track Elective
6
Total Semester Credit Hours
30

Note for online students

The frequency of required and elective course offerings in the online program will vary, semester by semester, and will not always match the information presented here. Online students are advised to seek guidance from the listed program contact when developing their individual program course schedule.

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Admissions and Financial Aid

This program is available exclusively online.

Offered Admit Term(s) Application Deadline STEM Designated
Part‑time Fall Rolling No

Part-time study is 1‑8 semester credit hours. RIT will not issue a student visa for programs offered exclusively online.

Application Details

To be considered for admission to the Health Informatics MS program, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:

English Language Test Scores

International applicants whose native language is not English must submit one of the following official English language test scores. Some international applicants may be considered for an English test requirement waiver.

TOEFL IELTS PTE Academic
88 6.5 60

International students below the minimum requirement may be considered for conditional admission. Deaf and hard-of-hearing test takers with significant hearing loss do not need to take the listening and speaking sections for the TOEFL and IELTS. Each program requires balanced sub-scores when determining an applicant’s need for additional English language courses.

How to Apply Start or Manage Your Application

Cost and Financial Aid

An RIT graduate degree is an investment with lifelong returns. Graduate tuition varies by degree, the number of credits taken per semester, and delivery method. View the general cost of attendance or estimate the cost of your graduate degree.

A combination of sources can help fund your graduate degree. Learn how to fund your degree

Additional Information

Bridge Courses

It is recommended that applicants have a minimum of three years of experience in a health care, health-related, or information technology organization. Applicants who do not meet this requirement may be asked to complete certain undergraduate courses as a bridge for the content knowledge required for the graduate program.

Online Delivery

This program is offered exclusively online. Courses are fully asynchronous designed to accommodate working professionals that wish to complete program coursework at a time that suits their personal schedule. Coursework deliverables and assignments are typically due by a specific date/time during each week of the course.

Online Degree Information

Courses in the online Health Informatics MS are all asynchronous and are designed to accommodate working professionals that wish to complete program coursework at a time that suits their personal schedule. The program is cohort-based with students starting their studies in the fall, and moving through the course sequence together by taking two 7-week courses and two summer courses. This 100% online degree can be completed in two years. This degree also includes a three-day in-person immersion on-site at a Rochester healthcare facility. For specific details about the delivery format and learning experience, contact the Program Contact listed on this page. RIT does not offer student visas for online study. 

Online Tuition Eligibility
The online Health Informatics MS is a designated online degree program that is billed at a 43% discount from our on-campus rate. View the current online tuition rate.

Online Study Restrictions for Some International Students

Certain countries are subject to comprehensive embargoes under US Export Controls, which prohibit virtually ALL exports, imports, and other transactions without a license or other US Government authorization. Learners from the Crimea region of the Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria may not register for RIT online courses. Nor may individuals on the United States Treasury Department’s list of Specially Designated Nationals or the United States Commerce Department’s table of Deny Orders. By registering for RIT online courses, you represent and warrant that you are not located in, under the control of, or a national or resident of any such country or on any such list.

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Contact

Admissions Contact
Bethany Iraci-McBane Headshot
  • Bethany Iraci-McBane
  • Admissions Counselor
  • Office of Graduate and Part-Time Enrollment Services
  • Enrollment Management
  • 585‑475‑2229
  • bimges@rit.edu
Program Contact

Chris Bondy, Ph.D.
Professor of Practice
Program Coordinator

Offered within the
School of Information