Program Structure

The MS/AHI program is delivered in two flexible formats (students select one during the application process):

HyFlex

This is a hybrid mode whereby select core classes are offered as a traditional in-person experience and simultaneously as an online synchronous experience. Students can choose to attend some or all classes online or in person.

Online

The fully online option allows students to complete the program exclusively through online synchronous instruction. Students who select this option are not allowed to be on campus, and must complete a Quality Improvement Project (these students cannot participate in the Practicum experience).

Review specific differences between the two formats here. 

 

Curriculum

The curriculum includes a core sequence of courses (24 credits) as a foundational base of knowledge, skills, and competencies in Health Informatics. Students then select a specialization of study (12 credits). In the final phase of the program, students choose between two experiential pathways (12 credits): Practicum or Quality Improvement Project.

For the Practicum pathway, students complete 360 hours of practicum experience in a real-work setting at a health system, community practice, non-profit organization involved in healthcare, or a health technology company. The practicum provides students with on-the-job training in an internship format that helps to provide an opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills in a healthcare technology setting while building their resumes.

The Quality Improvement Project pathway provides students with a well-developed health information technology experience with the flexibility to focus on a specific problem within health IT under the supervision of a faculty advisor.

Core Curriculum (24 credits)

  • HHA 500: Healthcare Delivery Systems

  • HHA 501: Health Information Essentials: Standards and Interoperability

  • HHA 502: Health Information Systems and HIT

  • HHA 503: Healthcare Cybersecurity: Regulations, Confidentiality, and Privacy

  • HHA 504: Cloud Computing for Healthcare

  • HHA 505: Healthcare Leadership and Management Essentials

  • HHA 506: Research Design and Methodology for Health Informatics Professionals

  • HHA 507: Data Science for Healthcare: Python and R

Specialization (12 credits)

Clinical Systems Lifecycle Management Specialization

  • HHA 530: Clinical Decision Making and Process Improvement 

  • HHA 531: Health Information System Lifecycles: Acquisition, Development, and Deployment

  • HHA 532: Leading and Managing Clinical Information Systems Projects and Change

OR

Data Analytics Specialization

  • HHA 550: Applied Healthcare Analytics

  • HHA 551: Big Data Technologies in Healthcare

  • HHA 552: Healthcare Data Visualization

Experiential Pathway (12 credits)

Practicum

  • HHA 586: Specialization Practicum I

  • HHA 588: Specialization Practicum II

OR

Quality Improvement Project

  • HHA 590: Quality Improvement Project I

  • HHA 592: Quality Improvement Project II

 

Plans of Study

Full-time students can complete the program in 15 months (including 2 summers); part-time students can complete the program in as little as 27 months. Part-time plans of study need to be approved by the program.