Capitalize on Growing Demand for Healthcare IT Skills
Available online and on campus, the Master of Science in Health Informatics (MSHI) at Boston University’s Metropolitan College (MET) is designed to expose you 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.
Optional concentrations include:
Program at a Glance
- Online and On Campus
- Part-Time or Full-Time Study
- 32 Credits
- 8–16 Months to Completion
- 17 Core Faculty
- No GRE/GMAT
- Tuition & Fees—Part-Time Study*: $22,100
*Based on 2022–2023 Boston University tuition and fees. Merit scholarship may reduce cost.
Advance Your Career with a Master’s in Health Informatics
As one of the few health informatics programs offered through a computer science department, Boston University’s MS in Health Informatics trains developers and IT leaders for the healthcare industry. The primary focus of the BU MET 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 information systems—including electronic health records (EHRs)—and command of the latest medical technologies.
In addition, 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 2023.
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CAHIIM Accredited
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).
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A National Center of Academic Excellence
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).
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Computer Science Career Outlook
Top computer science careers in data science, software development, and other popular areas of IT.
Learn moreWhy Earn a Master’s in Health Informatics at BU
- 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, medicine, and biomedical engineering.
- Extensive Network: Study health informatics 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.
- 15:1 Class Ratio: Enjoy an exceptional student-to-instructor ratio, ensuring close interaction with faculty and access to support.
- Valuable Resources: Make use of Boston University’s extensive resources, including the Center for Career Development, Educational Resource Center, Fitness & Recreation Center, IT Help Centers, Mugar Memorial Library, Center for Antiracist Research, Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground, George Sherman Union, Rafik B. Hariri Institute for Computing and Computational Science & Engineering, and many others.
- 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: All applicants are automatically considered, and admitted students are nominated based on eligibility.
Master the Technologies to Succeed in the Field of Health Information Technology
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. BU’s Health Informatics master’s includes a concentration in Applied Data Analytics that focuses on this area of growth. The program 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
Metropolitan College’s Master of Science in Health Informatics will equip you to:
- 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.
Certificate-to-Degree Pathway
BU MET graduate certificate programs can serve as building blocks to a master’s degree. To be eligible for the degree, you must apply for admission and be accepted into the degree program. 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:
- Advanced Information Technology
- Digital Forensics
- Health Informatics
- Information Security
- Medical Information Security & Privacy
Master’s in Health Informatics Curriculum
A total of eight courses (32 credits) is required.
Prerequisites:
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
Students who are not declaring an MSHI concentration must complete the core and required courses:
Core Courses
(Five courses/20 credits)
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 781 Advanced Health Informatics
Required Courses
(Three courses/12 credits)
MET CS 695 Cybersecurity
Plus one chosen from the following pair:
MET CS 520 Information Structures with Java
MET CS 521 Information Structures with Python
And one more from the following*:
MET CS 625 Business Data Communication and Networks
MET CS 682 Information Systems Analysis and Design
*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.
Health Informatics Faculty
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Tuition & Financial Assistance
Competitive Tuition
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.Comprehensive Financial Assistance
Our services include scholarships, graduate loans, and payment plans.
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Please visit the BU MET admissions page for details on how to apply, financial assistance, tuition and fees, requirements for international students, and more.
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