MS Health Informatics
The Program
The Master of Science in Health Informatics at SUNY Poly is designed to provide specialized training in the informatics aspects of health, information science and technology, and social and behavioral science, as delineated in the American Medical Informatics Association’s (AMIA) core competencies for graduate education in Health Informatics. A particular emphasis is placed on health information technology to train the workforce for the expanding need of experts in this area. Course offerings from academic and industry experts stress experiential learning and promote system thinking as well as leadership skills in the field.
Designed with traditional students and working professionals in mind, the program’s courses include online live lectures and office hours. The recorded content can be accessed asynchronously. The program offers rolling admission and accommodates both full- and part-time students. Our flexible curriculum ensures that a typical fulltime student finishes the program in four semesters and a typical part-time student completes it in six semesters.
Career Opportunities
SUNY Poly’s Master of Science in Health Informatics will prepare you for technical and managerial health services positions in information technology. We expect our graduates to be employed in hospitals, government health agencies, physician groups, health information exchange organizations, health insurance companies, the pharmaceutical industry, and other institutions and businesses focused on managing health information technology. Some of the titles held by health informaticians include director of medical informatics, chief information officer, health data scientist, bioinformatics analyst, clinical informaticist, and health informatics educator. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “the employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 32 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.”
Who Should Apply?
Any individual with a bachelor’s degree in any area and an interest in health information technology can apply for this program. Persons with a clinical background (e.g., nurses, physicians, pharmacists, etc.) and those with training in computer science, health information management, and other allied health professions are particularly encouraged to apply. Students enrolled in the Health Information Management program at SUNY Poly have the option to apply for the combined BS/MS degree in Health Information Management and Health Informatics.
Degree Requirements
Survey of Health Informatics (3 credits)
HI 501 Health Care Informatics (3 credits)
Technical Skills in Health Informatics (18 credits)
Technology-Enabled Information Capture and Human Factors
HI 540: Human-Technology Interaction in Health Care (3 credits)
Health Information Design, Storage, and Retrieval
HI 520: Standardized Code Sets and Medical Terminologies (3 credits)
HI 610: Databases in Health Informatics (3 credits)
Biomedical Data Science and Bioinformatics in Python
HI 530: Computational Informatics (3 credits)
Health Information Privacy and Security
HI 509: Legal Issues in Health Informatics (3 credits)
HI 550: Information Security in Health Informatics (3 credits)
Managerial and Leadership Skills in Health Informatics (9 credits)
TIM 500 Project Management (3 credits)
HI 600 Quality Improvement in Health Informatics (3 credits)
HI 620 Health Information Governance (3 credits)
Capstone Project (3 credits)
HI 699 Health Informatics Practicum/Project (3 credits)
Electives (0-6 credits)
HI 630 Clinical Decision Support Systems (3 credits)
NUR 655 Biostatistics and Epidemiology (3 credits)
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission, all applicants to the MS in Health Informatics program must possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited university or college and a GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 point scale. All applicants must also demonstrate successful completion of an undergraduate course in statistics with a grade of C or better. Lower GPAs will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Application for Graduate Admission and all required forms are available at https://sunypoly. edu/admissions/graduate.html
The fee to apply is $60. This fee is waived for military veterans, active-duty military, reserve and guard members, and their spouses and dependents; SUNY Poly alumni; and current matriculated students.
“ We expect our graduates to be employed in hospitals, government health agencies, physician groups, health information exchange organizations, health insurance companies, the pharmaceutical industry, and other institutions and businesses focused on managing health information technology.”
The Faculty
SUNY Poly Health
Informatics faculty work closely with students and challenge them to excel. Many have industry experience in addition to strong academic backgrounds and credentials. Our faculty are recognized scholars and educators in the field and are well-equipped to provide students with a unique experience in the classroom, a professional environment, and a research setting. A low student-to-faculty ratio means faculty will get to know and work closely with each student.
After joining the program, our faculty will provide you with a skills-based education in health informatics and will help you master the requisite competencies in the profession. They will also work with you to address real-world health information technology problems to make you more competitive in the job market.
Graduate Studies at SUNY Poly
Whether earning your degree online or on campus, part- or full-time, SUNY Poly is an affordable option for those interested in advancing their careers and increasing their earning potential. Doctoral, master’s, and Advanced Certificate-level programs have prepared over 5,000 alumni to be leaders in an ever-changing global workforce.
SUNY Polytechnic Institute
SUNY Polytechnic Institute, New York’s premier public polytechnic, provides an innovative and affordable higher education for students interested in science, engineering, technology, business, healthcare, and other liberal arts offerings for a well-rounded approach to experiential learning. Our commitment to a hands-on education situates students with both the academic structure customary of an advanced degree and unique opportunities for training and cutting-edge research, ultimately providing learners an unmatched education targeted for success in our fast-changing world. SUNY Poly students enjoy public school tuition with benefits that many small, private institutions boast, including small class sizes, individualized learning experiences, and a tight-knit community.
