Hone Skills to Analyze and Visualize Healthcare Data
Available online and on campus, the Master of Science in Health Informatics (MSHI) concentration in Applied Data Analytics at Boston University’s Metropolitan College (MET) builds upon the eight-course health informatics curriculum to focus on healthcare data processing, analysis, and visualization.
Over the last decade, massive introduction of electronic health records (EHRs) has revolutionized healthcare by enabling physicians and care providers to access comprehensive patient records and treatment history. The deployment of EHRs relies upon professionals who possess interdisciplinary knowledge of healthcare and information technology—and who can develop effective algorithms, analyze big data, and provide tools to help visualize that data for end-users.
*Based on 2025–2026 Boston University tuition and fees. Merit scholarship may reduce cost.
Advance Your Career with a Master’s in Health Informatics
With the enormous potential of data analytics and visualization in the healthcare field, there is rising demand for highly trained IT professionals familiar with quantitative approaches across all fields within the health sciences, who can take data and make it understandable and available to health professionals.
The primary focus of the Boston University Health Informatics master’s program is on electronic medical data generated and stored in healthcare and public health organizations. As a graduate of the MSHI program, you will have a solid knowledge of healthcare IT systems and EHRs, and command of the latest medical technologies. The opportunity to add a concentration in Applied Data Analytics prepares you to compete for critical roles in the fast-growing area of data analytics and visualization.
Access to BU MET’s Health Informatics Research Lab (HILab) allows you to tap into collaborative research and development in medical informatics, bioinformatics, and clinical research.
BU MET’s Health Informatics Program by the Numbers
92.6% of students enrolled in Health Informatics courses spring 2019 to fall 2020 reported a satisfaction level of 3 or above on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being most satisfied).
90% of students graduating summer 2019 through spring 2020 were employed within 6 months.
83% of students starting summer 2019 through spring 2020 registered for a subsequent semester and 75% registered for the next academic year.
71% of students entering the program in 2015–2016 and 2016–2017 have graduated as of 2019–2020.
Accreditation Statement
The Health Informatics accreditor of Boston University’s Metropolitan College is the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). The College’s accreditation for the master’s degree in Computer Information Systems, Health Informatics concentration, has been reaffirmed through 2027. All inquiries about the program’s accreditation status should be directed by mail to CAHIIM, 200 East Randolph Street, Suite 5100, Chicago, IL, 60601; by phone at (312) 235-3255; or by email at info@cahiim.org.
#10, Best Online Master's in Computer Information Technology Programs
MET’s online master’s degrees in computer information technology are ranked #10 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for 2025.
BU's Health Informatics master’s degree is the first and only such program in New England accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
Boston University has been designated a Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cyber Defense and Research by the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security. Our information security programs are certified by the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS).
What Is My Career Outlook as a Graduate of This Program?
897,028
Total number of US Jobs
104,215
Annual job openings
+3.9%
Annual job openings
16%
Projected ten-year growth in jobs
(faster than average)
$115.8K
Median annual salary
Common job titles include:
Chief Medical Information Officer (CMIO)
Clinical Application Developer
EHR Application Specialist
Quality Officer
Safety/Privacy Officer
Health Informatics Data Manager
Employers seek expertise in:
Python
Software engineering
SQL
Data analytics
EHR knowledge
Cybersecurity
Source: Lightcast, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
“BU MET has prepared me well for my next career phase. It facilitated a seamless transition from biology to health informatics and data analytics. I gained not only exposure to the healthcare industry, but also delved into other realms. This gave me a diverse skill set and a broader understanding of various domains. It also gave me the necessary tools to think strategically, logically, and efficiently—skills applicable across different fields.” Read more.
Christel El Hayeck (MET’23) Lead Associate, Strategy& MS, Health Informatics; Concentration, Applied Data Analytics
Accreditation: BU’s master’s degree in Health Informatics is the first such program in New England to be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
Recognized & Certified: Boston University is recognized by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security as a Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cyber Defense and Research. BU MET’s information security programs are certified by the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS).
Exam Eligibility: Completion of the CAHIIM-accredited master’s program entitles you to sit for professional certification exams offered through the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), such as the Certified Professional in Health Informatics (CPHI™) 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.
Active Learning Environment: BU MET’s Health Informatics courses introduce case studies and real-world projects that ensure you gain in-depth, practical experience with the latest technologies—and you have access to BU MET’s Health Informatics Research Lab (HILab), which focuses on collaborative research and development in health informatics, bioinformatics, and clinical research.
Engaged Faculty: In BU MET’s Health Informatics master’s program, you benefit from working closely with highly qualified Boston University faculty and industry leaders in computer science, data analytics, medicine, and biomedical engineering.
Extensive Network: Study health informatics and data analytics alongside peers with solid experience in biomedical sciences, computer science, and healthcare; learn from faculty who have valuable IT contacts across several sectors; and benefit from an alumni community with strong professional connections.
STEM Designated: Eligible graduates on student visas have access to an Optional Practical Training (OPT) of 12 months and an extension for up to 24 additional months.
15:1 Class Ratio: Enjoy an exceptional student-to-instructor ratio, ensuring close interaction with faculty and access to support.
Flexible Options: Study at the pace that works for you, evenings on campus or fully online. Courses begin fall, spring, and summer; online courses have two starts per term.
Track Record: Learn from the best—BU MET’s Department of Computer Science was established in 1979 and is the longest-running computer science department at BU. Over its four decades, the department has played an important role in the emergence of IT at the University and throughout the region.
Merit Scholarships: US citizens and permanent residents are automatically considered during the application process and nominated based on eligibility. Learn more.
Master the Technologies to Focus on Data Analytics in Health IT
Offered through BU MET’s Department of Computer Science, the MS in Health Informatics (MSHI) is ideal for those with a technology background who wish to contribute to advances in healthcare IT, as well as anyone who wishes to improve health outcomes and care delivery efficiency using the tools and informatics approaches of information technology.
With its focus on information systems, informatics principles, and information technology as it is applied to the continuum of healthcare delivery, the scientific field of health informatics has seen rapid evolution over the last decade. Along with the new healthcare algorithms, data analytics and visualization have become areas of enormous potential—requiring highly trained IT professionals familiar with quantitative approaches across all fields within the health sciences, who can take data and make it understandable and available to health professionals. Along with the concentration in Applied Data Analytics, BU’s Health Informatics master’s includes also offers a concentration in Health Information Management.
Distinguished by its team of accomplished faculty members—who bring to the classroom impressive track records in research and industry leadership—BU MET’s CAHIIM-accredited Health Informatics program offers practical, hands-on education that provides interdisciplinary knowledge of healthcare and information technology. By learning to develop effective algorithms, analyze big data, and master tools to help visualize that data for end-users, graduates of BU’s Health Informatics program are prepared to excel in EHR companies, health IT start-ups, and healthcare organizations in roles such as health IT developer, lead pharmacy informaticist, software developer, health informatics specialist, clinical informatics specialist, clinical analyst, clinical informatics manager, and others.
Graduate with Expertise
In addition to the learning outcomes derived from Metropolitan College’s Health Informatics master’s degree program, the concentration in Applied Data Analytics will equip you with:
Knowledge of data analytics techniques, skills, and critical thinking, and an understanding of the possibilities and limitations of their applications.
Ability to apply various data processing techniques on healthcare data sets and engage in data analysis and visualization.
Knowledge-discovery skills using data mining techniques and tools over large amounts of data.
Certificate-to-Degree Pathway
BU MET graduate certificate programs can serve as building blocks to a master’s degree. Students currently enrolled in a graduate certificate who are interested in transitioning into a master’s degree should contact their academic advisor to declare their interest in this pathway. A new master’s degree application is not required. Connect with a graduate admissions advisor at csadmissions@bu.edu to learn more about this option.
The following graduate certificate programs have courses that may be applied to the master’s degree with a concentration in Applied Data Analytics:
Applicants to the program are required to have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. Those without a background in healthcare must complete the free, self-paced Medical Terminology Pre-Lab (MET HE 100), which provides the basic understanding of medical terminology necessary to advance in the study of Health Informatics. This laboratory will help ensure that students from non-medical backgrounds have the fundamental knowledge of human anatomy, pathologies associated with it, and medical terminology.
Those without a background in information technology must complete the following course:
MET CS 200 Introduction to Computer Information Systems
Fall ‘25
This course is a technically-oriented introductory survey of information technology. Students learn about basic computer information, different types of business systems and basic systems analysis, design and development. Students also study basic mathematics, software development and create simple Java programs. [ 4 cr. ]
Section
Type
Instructor
Location
Days
Times
A1
IND
Shahossini
CAS 116
T
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm
O1
IND
Bragg
ARR
12:00 am – 12:00 am
Students who are declaring an MSHI concentration in Applied Data Analytics must complete the core and required courses, plus two concentration requirements.
Core Courses
(Five courses/20 credits)
MET CS 570 Biomedical Sciences and Health IT
Fall ‘25
This course is designed for IT professionals, and those training to be IT professionals, who are preparing for careers in healthcare-related IT (Health Informatics). This course provides a high-level introduction into basic concepts of biomedicine and familiarizes students with the structure and organization of American healthcare system and the roles played by IT in that system. The course introduces medical terminology, human anatomy and physiology, disease processes, diagnostic modalities, and treatments associated with common disease processes. IT case studies demonstrate the key roles of health informatics and how IT tools and resources help medical professionals integrate multiple sources of information to make diagnostic and therapeutic decisions. [ 4 cr. ]
Section
Type
Instructor
Location
Days
Times
O1
IND
Keskin
ARR
12:00 am – 12:00 am
MET CS 580 Health Informatics
Fall ‘25
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (METCS570) - This course presents the fundamental principles, concepts, and technological elements that make up the building blocks of Health Informatics. It introduces the characteristics of data, information, and knowledge in the domain, the common algorithms for health applications, and IT components in representative clinical processes. It presents the conceptual framework for handling biomedical data collection, storage, and optimal use. It covers the concepts of population health and precision medicine and the information systems that support them. It introduces basic principles of knowledge management systems in biomedicine, various aspects of Health Information Technology standards, and IT aspects of clinical process modeling. Students design a simple Health Informatics solution as a term project. [ 4 cr. ]
Section
Type
Instructor
Location
Days
Times
O2
IND
Zhang
ARR
12:00 am – 12:00 am
MET CS 581 Health Information Systems
Fall ‘25
Health Information Systems are comprehensive application systems that automate the activities of healthcare delivery including clinical care using electronic health records (EHRs), coordination of care across providers, telehealth, management of the business of healthcare such as revenue cycle management, and population health management. The course covers the functionality of these systems, the underlying information technology they require and their successful operations. It addresses challenges in this rapidly changing field such as complex data, security, interoperability, mobile technology and distributed users. The course emphasizes applied use of health information systems through case studies, current articles, and exercises. [ 4 cr. ]
Section
Type
Instructor
Location
Days
Times
A1
IND
Levinger
PSY B55
M
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm
E1
IND
Levinger
PSY B55
M
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm
MET CS 584 Ethical and Legal Issues in Healthcare Informatics
Laws, regulations, and ethics guide the practice of health information management (HIM) and health informatics (HI). This course introduces students to the workings of the American legal system and concepts and theories of ethics, examines the legal, ethical, and regulatory issues that impact the protection of confidentiality and integrity of patient information, and, on the other hand, the improvement of accessibility of patient information to enable healthcare providers to make informed decision based on complete patient data. We will cover laws and regulations that are central to the HIM and HI professions, including Privacy Act of 1974, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA), the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA), the 21st Century Cures Act, and the Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records Regulations, and more. The goal is to enable HIM and HI practitioners to make effective and informed decisions that prompt patient safety and care quality improvement. [ 4 cr. ]
MET CS 781 Advanced Health Informatics
Fall ‘25
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (METCS570) - This course presents the details of information processing in hospitals, hospital information systems (HIS), and more broadly health information systems. It presents the architecture, design, and user requirements of information systems in health care environment. It focuses on Information Technology aspects of Health Informatics specifically addressing the design, development, operation, and management of HIS. The first part of this course covers the introductory concepts including information processing needs, and information management in health care environment. The second part covers detailed description of HIS including hospital process modeling, architecture, quality assessment, and applicable tools. The final part of the course covers management of HIS and related issues and extension of this topic to other health care organizations. The course will have a term project providing students a hands-on experience in design and research of HIS. Prereq: MET CS 580; or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section
Type
Instructor
Location
Days
Times
A1
IND
D'Amore
CAS 233
W
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm
E1
IND
D'Amore
CAS 233
W
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm
Required Courses
(Three courses/12 credits)
MET CS 695 Cybersecurity
Fall ‘25
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (METCS625) or instructor's consent - This course introduces fundamental concepts, principles of cybersecurity and their use in the development of security mechanisms and policies. Topics include basic risk assessment and management; basic legal and ethics issues, various cyber attacks, defense methods and tools; security principles, models and components; different crypto protocols, techniques and tools, including symmetric and asymmetric encryption algorithms, hashing, public key infrastructure, and how they can be used; security threats and defense to hardware, operating systems, networks and applications in modern computing environments. Hands-on labs using current tools are provided and required. Prerequisite: METCS535 or METCS625 or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section
Type
Instructor
Location
Days
Times
A1
IND
Arena
PSY B51
R
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm
E1
IND
Arena
PSY B51
R
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm
Plus one chosen from the following pair:
MET CS 520 Information Structures with Java
Fall ‘25
Prerequisites: METCS 200 or 300 or Instructor's Consent. Not recommended for students without a programming background. - This course covers the concepts of object-oriented approach to software design and development using the Java programming language. It includes a detailed discussion of programming concepts starting with the fundamentals of data types, control structures methods, classes, applets, arrays and strings, and proceeding to advanced topics such as inheritance and polymorphism, interfaces, creating user interfaces, exceptions, and streams. Upon completion of this course the students will be able to apply software engineering criteria to design and implement Java applications that are secure, robust, and scalable [ 4 cr. ]
Section
Type
Instructor
Location
Days
Times
A1
IND
Donald
PSY B53
M
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm
E1
IND
Donald
PSY B53
M
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm
O1
IND
Pham
ARR
12:00 am – 12:00 am
MET CS 521 Information Structures with Python
Fall ‘25
HUB
This course covers the concepts of the object-oriented approach to software design and development using Python. It includes a detailed discussion of programming concepts starting with the fundamentals of data types, control structures methods, classes, arrays and strings, and proceeding to advanced topics such as inheritance and polymorphism, creating user interfaces, exceptions and streams. Upon completion of this course students will be able to apply software engineering principles to design and implement Python applications that can be used in with analytics and big data. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Creativity/Innovation, Critical Thinking.
Prerequisite: Programming experience in any language. Or Instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
MET CS 625 Business Data Communication and Networks
Fall ‘25
Undergraduate Prerequisites: On Campus Prerequisites: MET CS 200 Fundamentals of Information Techno logy. Or instructor^s consent. ; Undergraduate Corequisites: Restrictions: MS CIS only. This course may not be taken in conjunction with CS 425 (undergraduate) or CS 535. Only CS 535 or CS 625 can be c ounted towards degree requirements. - This course presents the foundations of data communications and takes a bottom-up approach to computer networks. The course concludes with an overview of basic network security and management concepts. Prereq: MET CS 200, or instructor's consent. This course may not be taken in conjunction with MET CS 425 (undergraduate) or MET CS 535. Only one of these courses can be counted towards degree requirements. [ 4 cr. ]
Section
Type
Instructor
Location
Days
Times
A1
IND
Arena
SOC B63
T
12:30 pm – 3:15 pm
A2
IND
Arena
PSY B33
T
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm
O1
IND
Rizinski
ARR
12:00 am – 12:00 am
O2
IND
Rizinski
ARR
12:00 am – 12:00 am
MET CS 682 Information Systems Analysis and Design
Fall ‘25
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Basic programming knowledge or instructor's consent. - Object-oriented methods of information systems analysis and design for organizations with data- processing needs. System feasibility; requirements analysis; database utilization; Unified Modeling Language; software system architecture, design, and implementation, management; project control; and systems-level testing. Prerequisite: Basic programming knowledge or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section
Type
Instructor
Location
Days
Times
A1
IND
Guadagno
PSY B55
T
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm
A2
IND
Guadagno
MUG 205
R
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm
E1
IND
Guadagno
MUG 205
R
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm
O1
IND
Williams
ARR
12:00 am – 12:00 am
O2
IND
Polnar
ARR
12:00 am – 12:00 am
*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.
Applied Data Analytics Concentration Requirements
(Two courses/8 credits)
Those pursuing a concentration in Applied Data Analytics must take two additional courses.
Choose one from the following pair:
MET AD 571 Business Analytics Foundations
Fall ‘25
Prereq: AD100 Pre-Analytics Laboratory and ADR100 Introduction to R This course presents fundamental knowledge and skills for applying business analytics to managerial decision-making in corporate environments. Topics include descriptive analytics (techniques for categorizing, characterizing, consolidating, and classifying data for conversion into useful information for the purposes of understanding and analyzing business performance), predictive analytics (techniques for detection of hidden patterns in large quantities of data to segment and group data into coherent sets in order to predict behavior and trends), prescriptive analytics (techniques for identification of best alternatives for maximizing or minimizing business objectives). Students will learn how to use data effectively to drive rapid, precise, and profitable analytics-based decisions. The framework of using interlinked data inputs, analytics models, and decision-support tools will be applied within a proprietary business analytics shell and demonstrated with examples from different functional areas of the enterprise. R, SQL, and Power BI software are used in this course. [ 4 cr. ]
Section
Type
Instructor
Location
Days
Times
A2
IND
Ritt
CAS 324
M
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm
A3
IND
STH 113
T
12:30 pm – 3:15 pm
A5
IND
Padalkar
CDS 262
W
2:30 pm – 5:15 pm
A7
IND
PSY B53
R
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm
O1
IND
Rabinovich
ARR
12:00 am – 12:00 am
MET CS 544 Foundations of Analytics and Data Visualization
Fall ‘25
Formerly titled CS 544 Foundations of Analytics with R. The goal of this course is to provide students with the mathematical and practical background required in the field of data analytics. Probability and statistics concepts will be reviewed as well as the R tool for statistical computing and graphics. Different types of data are investigated along with data summarization techniques and plotting. Data populations using discrete, continuous, and multivariate distributions are explored. Errors during measurements and computations are analyzed in the course. Confidence intervals and hypothesis testing topics are also examined. The concepts covered in the course are demonstrated using R. Laboratory Course. Prereq: MET CS546 and (MET CS520 or MET CS521), or equivalent knowledge, or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section
Type
Instructor
Location
Days
Times
A1
IND
Kalathur
CAS 203
M
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm
A2
IND
Diwania
CAS 233
T
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm
A3
IND
Pan
CAS 218
W
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm
O1
IND
Kalathur
ARR
12:00 am – 12:00 am
O2
IND
Kalathur
ARR
12:00 am – 12:00 am
And one more from the following:
MET AD 699 Data Mining for Business Analytics
Fall ‘25
Prereqs: AD100,ADR100,AD571 Enterprises, organizations, and individuals are creating, collecting, and using a massive amount of structured and unstructured data with the goal to convert the information into knowledge, improving the quality and the efficiency of their decision-making process, and better positioning themselves in the highly competitive marketplace. Data mining is the process of finding, extracting, visualizing, and reporting useful information and insights from both small and large datasets with the help of sophisticated data analysis methods. It is part of business analytics, which refers to the process of leveraging different forms of analytical techniques to achieve desired business outcomes through requiring business relevancy, actionable insight, performance management, and value management. The students in this course will study the fundamental principles and techniques of data mining. They will learn how to apply advanced models and software applications for data mining. Finally, students will learn how to examine the overall business process of an organization or a project with the goal to understand (i) the business context where hidden internal and external value is to be identified and captured, and (ii) exactly what the selected data mining method does. R, SQL, and Power BI software are used in this course. [ 4 cr. ]
Section
Type
Instructor
Location
Days
Times
A2
IND
Page
PSY B55
R
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm
A3
IND
Athaide
FLR 121
T
12:30 pm – 3:15 pm
O2
IND
Athaide
ARR
12:00 am – 12:00 am
MET CS 555 Foundations of Machine Learning
Fall ‘25
Formerly titled CS 555 Data Analysis and Visualization with R. This course provides an overview of the statistical tools most commonly used to process, analyze, and visualize data. Topics include simple linear regression, multiple regression, logistic regression, analysis of variance, and survival analysis. These topics are explored using the statistical package R, with a focus on understanding how to use and interpret output from this software as well as how to visualize results. In each topic area, the methodology, including underlying assumptions and the mechanics of how it all works along with appropriate interpretation of the results, are discussed. Concepts are presented in context of real world examples. Recommended Prerequisite: MET CS 544 or equivalent knowledge, or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Our part-time rates are substantially lower than those of the traditional, full-time residential programs yet provide access to the same high-quality BU education.
BU MET programs offer the flexibility of part-time or full-time study, either on campus or online. Tuition, fees, and total program cost are determined by enrollment status. If you enroll in 1–2 courses (4–8 credits) in a semester, you are charged the part-time per-credit rate. If you enroll in 3–4 courses (12–16 credits) in a semester, you are charged the full-time semester rate.
MS in Health Informatics, Applied Data Analytics Concentration (Online and On Campus)
Enrollment Status
Part Time
Full Time
Courses per Semester
2 courses (8 credits)
4 courses (16 credits)
3 courses (12 credits)
Time to Degree
5 semesters (20 months)
3 semesters (12-16 months)***
4 semesters (16-20 months)***
Tuition*
$567-$1,005 per credit**
$34,935 per semester
$34,935 per semester
Fees per Semester*
$75
$501
$501
Total Degree Cost*
$28,311– $30,063
$78,987
$110,403
*Based on 2025–2026 Boston University tuition & fee rates. **Cost per credit is determined by course number (100–599 = $567/credit, 600–999 = $1,005/credit). ***Summer semester enrollment is not required for international students to maintain F-1 visa status. Enrollment in summer semester coursework will expedite completion of program and reduce total program cost.
International students seeking an F-1 visa for on-campus study must enroll full time and demonstrate availability of funds to cover the Estimated Cost of Graduate Study; those who wish to study online may enroll part-time but are not eligible for a visa. Learn more about International Student Tuition & Fees.
Questions? Please contact us to hear from an Admissions Advisor who can help you determine the best enrollment pathway. For information regarding financial aid, visit BU MET’s Financial Aid page.
Get Started
Please visit the BU MET admissions page for details on how to apply, financial assistance, tuition and fees, requirements for international students, and more.
