MS in Health Informatics

Offered on the Charles River Campus and online, the MS in Health Informatics exposes students to modern health information technology, including health data collection, processing, storage, and analysis.

Healthcare is a data-intensive industry, and health IT specialists are needed to help transform data into meaningful, usable information and knowledge. Comprising the systematic application of information technology and computer science in medicine, public health, and related disciplines, health informatics is essential for improving the experience of patient care, improving the health of populations, and reducing per capita costs of healthcare—primary aims of the US healthcare system.

Boston University’s Health Informatics master’s degree program offers optional concentrations in:

• Applied Data Analytics
• Health Information Management

The Master of Science in Health Informatics is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). Completion of a CAHIIM-accredited program is required in order to be eligible to sit for professional certification exams offered through the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), such as the Certified Professional in Health Informatics (CPHI™) exam and the Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA®) exams. Along with demonstrating a high standard of proficiency and professionalism sought by employers, AHIMA certification ensures access to valuable networking resources, opens the door to higher earning potential, and paves the way for long-term leadership opportunities in the field.

This program requires an average of 8–20 months to complete. Students may begin the program in the fall, spring, or summer term.

Mission Statement: The Health Informatics program is designed to prepare IT and healthcare professionals for careers in the management of healthcare information systems. Program courses have been developed and taught by faculty with expertise in biomedicine, computer science, biomedical engineering, and health IT.

The program provides students with an interdisciplinary and integrated approach to healthcare IT, and teaches cutting-edge IT technologies used in the design, implementation, and management of healthcare IT applications. Students are exposed to modern health information technology, including the collection, processing, storage, communication, and use of health data and information. They are also introduced to the American healthcare system, biomedical terminology, knowledge hierarchy, medical algorithms, clinical decisionmaking, data/communication standards, data privacy and security, hospital informatics systems (including electronic health records), the latest developments in healthcare IT, and the management of IT challenges.

Learning Outcomes

• Work on healthcare data, information, and knowledge management and analysis.
• Identify and address challenges and opportunities as the American healthcare system transforms into a digital, patient-centered system.
• Understand the process of healthcare information system (HCIS) acquisition, development, implementation, and support.
• Discuss ethical issues, social and organizational behavior management, and leadership skills.
• Grasp major healthcare delivery workflows and understand how HCIS changes the workflows, and how to manage that change.
• Understand common algorithms for health applications and IT components in representative clinical processes.
• Understand fundamentals of cybersecurity.
• Understand legal, security, and privacy issues related to health information management.
• Lead health IT initiatives, conduct biomedical research and design, and implement and manage advanced IT solutions.

Admissions Information

For current admissions information, please visit the Metropolitan College website.

Prerequisites

Applicants to the program are required to have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. Those without a background in information technology must complete MET CS 200 Introduction to Computer Information Systems. Those without a background in healthcare must complete a free, self-paced Medical Terminology Pre-Lab (MET HE 100).

Degree Requirements

A total of eight courses (32 units) is required, as follows:

• MET CS 520 Information Structures with Java
  or MET CS 521 Information Structures with Python
• MET CS 570 Biomedical Sciences and Health IT
• MET CS 580 Health Informatics
• MET CS 581 Health Information Systems
• MET CS 584 Ethical and Legal Issues in Healthcare Informatics
• MET CS 625 Business Data Communication and Networks
  or MET CS 682 Information Systems Analysis and Design*
• MET CS 695 Cybersecurity
• MET CS 781 Advanced Health Informatics

*MS in Health Informatics students without business data communication and networks experience are recommended to take the course MET CS 625, the prerequisite for MET CS 695, instead of MET CS 682.

With advisor approval, students who have previous academic experience equivalent to one or more of the above required courses may replace the corresponding course(s) with general electives from the list below. When choosing electives, students should make sure that they have completed all prerequisites required by the selected course. Please note that not all electives are available in the online or blended program format.

• MET CS 526 Data Structures and Algorithms
• MET CS 544 Foundations of Analytics and Data Visualization
• MET CS 555 Foundations of Machine Learning
• MET CS 579 Database Management or MET CS 669 Database Design and Implementation for Business
• MET CS 582 Entrepreneurship in Health IT and Biotech
• MET CS 599 Biometrics
• MET CS 601 Web Application Development
• MET CS 602 Server-Side Web Development
• MET CS 632 Information Technology Project Management
• MET CS 633 Software Quality, Testing, and Security Management
• MET CS 634 Agile Software Development
• MET CS 664 Artificial Intelligence
• MET CS 677 Data Science with Python
• MET CS 689 Designing and Implementing a Data Warehouse
• MET CS 690 Network Security
• MET CS 779 Advanced Database Management
• MET CS 782 IT Strategy and Management
• MET AD 571 Business Analytics Foundations
• MET AD 605 Operations Management: Business Process Fundamentals
• MET AD 699 Data Mining for Business Analytics
• MET AD 715 Quantitative and Qualitative Decision-Making

Concentrations

MS in Health Informatics concentrations require the completion of 10 courses (40 units), including eight required courses plus two concentration courses.

Second Master’s Degree Option

In appreciation of the converging needs of management and technology, the departments of Actuarial Science, Administrative Sciences, and Computer Science collaborate to offer a unique opportunity to students currently enrolled in their degree programs as well as alumni of those programs. Learn more.