Health Informatics Course Offerings and Degree Plans
The Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Informatics is three semesters, or one full year, assuming a student takes two health informatics courses each semester. Our Master of Science in Health Informatics is a two-year program, provided a student takes one health informatics course per eight-week session (two courses per semester).
Specialize in one of the following optional focus areas or customize your degree to fit your career ambitions.
Students may complete their program faster by taking more than one health informatics course each eight-week session upon approval from their student support specialist.
Graduate Certificate in Health Informatics Curriculum
This course provides an overview of the history, challenges, and opportunities facing healthcare administrators today. Topics will include the ongoing transition from a pay-for-services model of healthcare delivery to accountable care networks, emerging public health and healthcare partnerships, and the need for analytics that can address the particular characteristics of big health data.
This course introduces students to central health informatics tools, techniques, and concepts used to improve health outcomes through technology. Students explore various healthcare technology platforms, how data is used in healthcare, and how the need for cybersecurity and health data privacy shape the information infrastructure that powers modern healthcare. This course offers students a framework for deeper understanding of many of the concepts explored in subsequent coursework.
This course explores the dynamic between healthcare delivery and leveraging data for enhanced patient outcomes. Given an increased scrutiny on empirical value-based care metrics for payer reimbursement, the strategic use of data will be key in new continuum of care models. Students will complete this course with a solid understanding of healthcare quality standards, the regulations around those standards, and how they are affected by the use of technology and data analysis. Key themes will include quality improvement methodologies, measuring and interpreting quality data, strategies to increase healthcare process reliability.
The field of health informatics depends on advanced computing systems to collect health data and analytical sophistication to make sense of that data. This course provides students with a solid understanding of the computer science that undergirds the entire field, exploring the design and implementation of database systems and technology applications, data communications, and systems analysis. Students will learn to identify current and emerging information technologies that may have strategic value for enterprise solutions, assess where those technologies may have strategic value, and explore methods for implementing those technologies in their organizations.
Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Data Analytics Curriculum
This course explores in depth database basics such as the relational algebra and data model, schema normalization, query optimization, and transactions. The course addresses current needs in database design and use for optimized human-computer interaction, for rigorous security, and for robust modeling that can transform raw data into useful information. This course will also provide a deep exploration into data standards and what part that plays in the field of Informatics. Students will gain a solid understanding of, and extensive practice with, structured query language (SQL).
Large data sets are not useful in their native state. Informaticists have to begin by defining the question that will be answered by the data and then organizing, analyzing, and visualizing the dataset. Analytics provide meaningful patterns in the data, and data visualization communicates the information clearly through graphical means. This course is designed to familiarize students with core concepts in communicating information through effective data visualization. This course introduces students to data visualization elements and best practices in data visualization using Tableau and Gephi. Students will gain hands on experience building explanatory and exploratory visualizations using healthcare data.
R is an open source programming language ideally suited for analysis and visualization. This course will provide students with a foundation in data preparation and preliminary analytics using R which can be applicable for research, quality improvement and industry large-scale data analytics projects. This course will include the following skills: data analysis with publicly available data sets; cleansing and imputing data; descriptive statistics; and data visualization.
Advanced topics in health informatics leverages the concepts introduced in the Foundation course. Students will be exposed to advanced statistics, vast and diverse data sets, and data interpretation and visualization. This course will prepare students for a deeper dive into forecasting, trends, and data modeling.
Master of Science in Health Informatics Curriculum
All Master of Science in Health Informatics students must complete the following 9 required health informatics courses, including a field practicum or project.
This course provides an overview of the history, challenges, and opportunities facing healthcare administrators today. Topics will include the ongoing transition from a pay-for-services model of healthcare delivery to accountable care networks, emerging public health and healthcare partnerships, and the need for analytics that can address the particular characteristics of big health data.
This course introduces students to central health informatics tools, techniques, and concepts used to improve health outcomes through technology. Students explore various healthcare technology platforms, how data is used in healthcare, and how the need for cybersecurity and health data privacy shape the information infrastructure that powers modern healthcare. This course offers students a framework for deeper understanding of many of the concepts explored in subsequent coursework.
This course explores the dynamic between healthcare delivery and leveraging data for enhanced patient outcomes. Given an increased scrutiny on empirical value-based care metrics for payer reimbursement, the strategic use of data will be key in new continuum of care models. Students will complete this course with a solid understanding of healthcare quality standards, the regulations around those standards, and how they are affected by the use of technology and data analysis. Key themes will include quality improvement methodologies, measuring and interpreting quality data, strategies to increase healthcare process reliability.
The field of health informatics depends on advanced computing systems to collect health data and analytical sophistication to make sense of that data. This course provides students with a solid understanding of the computer science that undergirds the entire field, exploring the design and implementation of database systems and technology applications, data communications, and systems analysis. Students will learn to identify current and emerging information technologies that may have strategic value for enterprise solutions, assess where those technologies may have strategic value, and explore methods for implementing those technologies in their organizations.
This course explores in depth database basics such as the relational algebra and data model, schema normalization, query optimization, and transactions. The course addresses current needs in database design and use for optimized human-computer interaction, for rigorous security, and for robust modeling that can transform raw data into useful information. This course will also provide a deep exploration into data standards and what part that plays in the field of Informatics. Students will gain a solid understanding of, and extensive practice with, structured query language (SQL).
This course explores legislation and regulation relating to health informatics. The course will examine the major laws and agency regulations governing healthcare technology, data collection, management, and privacy, as well as the security standards required for healthcare and health-related organizations. Students will explore the intent behind, and ethical dimensions of health informatics regulatory frameworks, using case studies of recent health information uses, security breaches, and challenges to interoperability. This course will also look ahead to the impact of future Health IT regulations.
The implementation or integration of major projects or initiatives, such as a new healthcare technology system requires careful planning and organization. This course will provide students with widely-accepted concepts and skills that can be used and scaled to successfully complete projects of varying sizes. Through course work, students will gain experience with the common language used by professionals involved in project management. Students will explore concepts of project charter, work breakdown structures, scheduling, risk planning, and project reporting.
Large data sets are not useful in their native state. Informaticists have to begin by defining the question that will be answered by the data and then organizing, analyzing, and visualizing the dataset. Analytics provide meaningful patterns in the data, and data visualization communicates the information clearly through graphical means. This course is designed to familiarize students with core concepts in communicating information through effective data visualization. This course introduces students to data visualization elements and best practices in data visualization using Tableau and Gephi. Students will gain hands on experience building explanatory and exploratory visualizations using healthcare data.
This course begins the 16 week capstone experience in Health Informatics by providing students the opportunity to implement what they have learned through the examination of trends, technologies, and opportunities facing the field. Examining cutting-edge developments in the science and practice of informatics will provide students with a broader understanding of where health informatics may be heading, as well as the challenges facing the field. Students will write a review of the literature pertaining to aspects of their practicum experience in the context of shrinking the research-practice gap. Additionally, at the end of the course, students will describe their practicum journey and future plans via an ignite presentation.
OPTIONAL FOCUS AREAS
Students in our master’s degree program can choose to pursue one of the following optional focus areas or custom-build their curriculum to better suit their educational or professional goals with our individualized focus area. Each focus area is comprised of two courses, listed below:
Healthcare Leadership
In this focus area students are prepared for careers in leadership positions in healthcare. Students will obtain the skills needed to be successful leaders including strategic thinking, development of initiatives, strategic planning, financial management, leadership skills and tactics, and healthcare supply chain.
This course explores the challenges and opportunities facing healthcare leaders and organizations in an age of accountable care, and examines the critical role health data and informatics can and should play in strategic management. Using case-based study techniques, students explore practice and system management, strategic planning, and change leadership. Students combine these insights into health leadership with the actionable insights offered through effective health informatics and business intelligence practices, to craft optimal solutions to internal organizational processes and to external business decisions.
This course explores the fundamentals of finance and economics in a health care system at both the local system and national levels. Healthcare leadership increasingly depends upon deep and strategic understanding of the complex payor systems that provide revenue to their organizations. Students will gain expertise crafting strategic approaches to managing market supply and demand, the economics of care and managed care, budgeting, accounting, and fiscal reporting.
Health Data Analytics
This focus area is a rigorous investigation of health data analytics which will prepare students for careers in data science and predictive analytics. Learners will obtain relevant skills including data mining and warehousing, statistical computing and visualization, predictive modeling, and machine learning.
R is an open source programming language ideally suited for analysis and visualization. This course will provide students with a foundation in data preparation and preliminary analytics using R which can be applicable for research, quality improvement and industry large-scale data analytics projects. This course will include the following skills: data analysis with publicly available data sets; cleansing and imputing data; descriptive statistics; and data visualization.
Advanced topics in health informatics leverages the concepts introduced in the Foundation course. Students will be exposed to advanced statistics, vast and diverse data sets, and data interpretation and visualization. This course will prepare students for a deeper dive into forecasting, trends, and data modeling.
Training and Development
In this focus area, students are exposed to concepts that will prepare them for careers in training and educational programming for healthcare technology integration. Students explore adult learning theory as it pertains to training in IT settings and master communication techniques to inform their instructional programming.
Students in the course will examine concepts, theories, and best practices for communicating in the professional workplace. The goal of this course is to refine they are written, oral and visual communication. Participants in this course will develop strategies to create meaningful communication for a vast audience. Students will enhance their skills in natural and scholarly writing, oral presentation, and visual demonstrations.
Participants in this course will examine the major assumptions and tenets of adult learning theory including andragogy and self-directed learning, constructivism, experiential and situated learning, and transformative learning theory. The goal of this course is to familiarize participants with current research and its practical applications for use in settings such as workshops, classrooms, and training and development. Students will develop strategies to be more efficient and responsive to the needs of the learners they serve.
Individualized
For students interested in customizing their health informatics learning experience, simply choose two elective courses from the full list below. These two additional courses will complement the previously completed required courses to earn the Master of Science in Health Informatics degree.
This course explores the challenges and opportunities facing healthcare leaders and organizations in an age of accountable care, and examines the critical role health data and informatics can and should play in strategic management. Using case-based study techniques, students explore practice and system management, strategic planning, and change leadership. Students combine these insights into health leadership with the actionable insights offered through effective health informatics and business intelligence practices, to craft optimal solutions to internal organizational processes and to external business decisions.
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and the most intricate and sophisticated computer system is only as useful as its users. This course examines computer and non-computer systems from the perspective of their users, exploring ways to improve user interfaces to facilitate effective interactions between human and system, and examining ways of helping to train and educate systems users to ease the stress of learning and adapting to new systems. Students will gain practice combining ergonomics, psychology, sociology, and educational theory with interface design and systems thinking to design human-friendly interfaces and information systems.
User experience UX metrics are key to designing and improving mission-critical information systems used by many people within the organization. In this course, students will learn techniques for measuring user experience both quantitatively and qualitatively, and for analyzing that data to reveal deep understandings about user behavior with particular systems. Students will move beyond merely understanding user behavior by learning and practicing techniques for influencing user behavior toward desirable interactions and outcomes. Students will learn how measuring and influencing the user experience can significantly improve mission-critical data quantity and quality.
This course introduces students to the concept of Healthcare Consumerism, including the relationships between consumer, technology, and healthcare information. Topics covered in this course include consumer applications, mHealth, innovative wearable, consumable, peer engagement, and behavior management systems. We explore how consumers receive and engage with their healthcare data, such as PHRs, patient portals and Exchange systems.
This course explores the fundamentals of finance and economics in a health care system at both the local system and national levels. Healthcare leadership increasingly depends upon deep and strategic understanding of the complex payor systems that provide revenue to their organizations. Students will gain expertise crafting strategic approaches to managing market supply and demand, the economics of care and managed care, budgeting, accounting, and fiscal reporting.
Students in the course will examine concepts, theories, and best practices for communicating in the professional workplace. The goal of this course is to refine they are written, oral and visual communication. Participants in this course will develop strategies to create meaningful communication for a vast audience. Students will enhance their skills in natural and scholarly writing, oral presentation, and visual demonstrations.
R is an open source programming language ideally suited for analysis and visualization. This course will provide students with a foundation in data preparation and preliminary analytics using R which can be applicable for research, quality improvement and industry large-scale data analytics projects. This course will include the following skills: data analysis with publicly available data sets; cleansing and imputing data; descriptive statistics; and data visualization.
Advanced topics in health informatics leverages the concepts introduced in the Foundation course. Students will be exposed to advanced statistics, vast and diverse data sets, and data interpretation and visualization. This course will prepare students for a deeper dive into forecasting, trends, and data modeling.
Interprofessional Electives
Students also have the option to take electives from our other online graduate programs. A full list of these interprofessional courses can be found here:
Shared Interprofessional Course List
Questions?
If you have any questions about the Health Informatics coursework or the program requirements, please speak to one of our enrollment counselors at the email or phone number below.