Graduate courses are offered in Health Informatics, which can lead to a MS or PhD degree in that program or in related computer, management, or biological science programs. Prerequisites for Graduate School admission to Health Informatics include a year of calculus, coursework in life or biological sciences, and demonstrated programming ability. Other Graduate School requirements apply, including GRE or MCAT test results. Postgraduate informatics training can satisfy part of the research component of certain residency programs, such as Pathology or Family Medicine. Joint graduate studies within the training program are strongly encouraged and residency studies are possible but require separate applications.
MS and PhD program in Health Informatics
Masters in Health Informatics
The program emphasizes the role of informatics-trained professionals as liaisons who bring a background of healthcare and knowledge of information technology to the task of solving health care problems. The curriculum consists of 32 credits and is designed to be completed in one calendar year for full-time students and in up to three years for part-time students. To accommodate health professionals working in the community, core courses will be offered in the late afternoon as extended sessions and be held on a once-a-week or semi-monthly basis. Distance learning technologies will facilitate work and class participation at off-campus locations.
Masters Degree Plan A (Research Oriented)
The Plan A program is designed primarily for health professions who are seeking additional training in health informatics. It requires a total of 42 semester credits including preparation and defense of a Master’s Thesis.
Masters Degree Plan B (Course Oriented)
The Plan B program is intended for non-health professionals who wish to be trained in the area but need additional coursework to become fully qualified. It requires a total of 42 semester credits including a research project and final oral exam.
Ph. D. Degree
The Ph.D. program of study is designed for students seeking the highest level of advanced training in the area of health informatics. It requires 70 semester credits, which is applied to an original research project reported in a doctoral thesis and defended in a public oral defense.
Minor in Bioinformatics
A minor in Bioinformatics is offered to students interested in applying computer and information science to solve biological problems. A minor in a Master’s program requires 9-10 credits in this area and 15-18 credits in a Ph.D. program.
Information System Administrator Track
The MS/MPH degree is designed for students who are interested in combining Health Informatics and Public Health Administration. It requires six components for a total of 48 credits, a research project and final oral exam.
Librarian Track
The Librarian Track provides tremendous impetus to developing librarians and clinicians for the new information environment. The prerequisite for this program is a Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited library school. This program combines the University of Minnesota Bio-Medical Library and Mayo Clinic Libraries with the Health Informatics program. It requires credits, library-based research and administration projects and practica.
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