Health Informatics
The Health Informatics program at Kent State University provides an interdisciplinary approach to understanding healthcare technology and data management. This online program combines principles from healthcare, information science, and technology, equipping students with the expertise to improve patient care, enhance data security, and streamline healthcare processes. Graduates are prepared to lead in various roles, including health informatics, data analysis, and healthcare administration.
Program Overview
The Master of Science degree in Health Informatics prepares graduates for careers in managerial, analytical, consultative and executive roles working with healthcare systems and clinicians. Health informatics is the science of evaluating, implementing and utilizing technology to manage all information related to the patient care delivery process: clinical, financial, technological and enterprise-wide.
Three major components comprise the health informatics discipline:
- Information Systems: focuses on such issues as information systems analysis, design, implementation, management and leadership.
- Informatics: concerned with the study of structure, function and transfer of information, socio-technical aspects of health computing and human-computer interaction.
- Information Technology: focuses on computer networks, database and systems administration, security and programming.
The informatics field also draws contributions from computer science, the clinical sciences, social and organizational influences and business practices.
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the program will be able to:
- Reconcile the needs of clinical and non-clinical users of health information systems utilizing workflow analysis, systems analysis and project management principles.
- Analyze collected data of health information systems, utilizing principles of data mining, statistics and clinical analytics.
- Manage the implementation of health information systems in multiple health care venues using principles of organizational dynamics and change management.
- Facilitate communication between clinical and non-clinical users of health information systems.
- Successfully obtain the credential of Certified Associate in Health Information Systems.
Accreditation
Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
Because our program is designed for busy working professionals, you can tailor your degree to suit your unique background and goals, including changing fields or advancing in your current career.
For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
- Minimum 2.750 undergraduate GPA1 on a 4.000-point scale
- Official transcript(s)
- Résumé
- Goal statement
- Three letters of recommendation (starting with spring 2026 admission term, two letters of recommendation will be required)
- English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:2
- Minimum 94 TOEFL iBT score
- Minimum 7.0 IELTS score
- Minimum 65 PTE score
- Minimum 120 DET score
1In calculating total GPA, all grades from all courses taken at relevant level (bachelor’s or master’s) from all institutions are counted. Applicants who do not meet the minimum 2.750 GPA requirement must submit a statement that addresses the circumstances that contributed to the GPA and preparation for success in graduate study. Applicants should include recent professional achievements that indicate an ability to perform at a higher academic level to be considered for conditional admission to the program.
2International applicants who do not meet the above test scores will not be considered for admission.
Program Courses
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Requirements | ||
| HI 60401 | HEALTH INFORMATICS MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| HI 60402 | LEGAL ISSUES IN HEALTH INFORMATICS | 3 |
| HI 60403 | HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEMS | 3 |
| HI 60410 | HEALTH RECORDS MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| HI 60411 | CLINICAL ANALYTICS | 3 |
| HI 60414 | HUMAN FACTORS AND USABILITY IN HEALTH INFORMATICS | 3 |
| HI 60636 | STANDARDIZED TERMINOLOGIES IN HEALTHCARE | 3 |
| Major Electives, choose from the following: 1 | 9-12 | |
| EMAT 51510 | PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND TEAM DYNAMICS | |
| HI 60412 | CLINICAL DECISION SUPPORT | |
| HI 60413 | CHANGE MANAGEMENT IN HEALTH INFORMATICS | |
| HI 60416 | HEALTH INFORMATICS ISSUES: POLICY, POLITICS AND ETHICS | |
| HI 60417 | PUBLIC HEALTH INFORMATICS | |
| HI 60418 | CLINICAL ANALYTICS II | |
| HI 60419 | CONSUMER HEALTH INFORMATICS | |
| HI 60691 | SEMINAR IN HEALTH INFORMATICS | |
| HI 60693 | VARIABLE TITLE WORKSHOP IN HEALTH INFORMATICS 2 | |
| HI 60792 | ELECTIVE INTERNSHIP IN HEALTH INFORMATICS | |
| HI 61095 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN HEALTH INFORMATICS | |
| HI 61096 | INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION IN HEALTH INFORMATICS 3 | |
| KM 60301 | FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT | |
| KM 60370 | SEMANTIC ANALYSIS METHODS AND TECHNOLOGIES | |
| LIS 50645 | DATABASE FUNDAMENTALS FOR INFORMATION PROFESSIONALS | |
| LIS 60620 | HEALTH INFORMATION RESOURCES | |
| LIS 61095 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN INFORMATION STUDIES | |
| UX 60511 | INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE FUNDAMENTALS | |
| UX 60541 | USER EXPERIENCE EVALUATION FUNDAMENTALS | |
| Culminating Requirement | ||
| Choose from the following: 1 | 3-6 | |
| HI 66092 | MASTER’S INTERNSHIP IN HEALTH INFORMATICS | |
| HI 66099 | MASTER’S PROJECT IN HEALTH INFORMATICS | |
| HI 66198 | MASTER’S RESEARCH PAPER IN HEALTH INFORMATICS | |
| HI 66199 | THESIS I | |
| Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 36 | |
1Students selecting HI 66199 as their culminating requirement will complete 9 credits of major electives Students selecting HI 66092, HI 66099 or HI 66198 will complete 12 credit hours of major electives.
2A maximum 4 credit hours of HI 60693 may be applied towards the degree.
3A maximum 6 credit hours of HI 61096 may be applied towards the degree.
Graduation Requirements
| Minimum Major GPA | Minimum Overall GPA |
|---|---|
| - | 3.000 |
- No more than one-half of a graduate student’s coursework may be taken in 50000-level courses.
- Grades below C are not counted toward completion of requirements for the degree.
The Kent State online MSHI costs a fraction of the amount you could earn in annual salary with the skills you would gain from getting your degree. The degree has the same prestige as a degree earned on campus, and the flexible online format makes it easier to work full-time while studying.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has found that nationally, professionals with a master’s degree earn an average of 18% more than those with a bachelor’s degree and enjoy greater job security, making the effort very worthwhile.5
The online Master of Science in Health Informatics consists of 36 credits.
| Ohio Residents | Out of State | |
| Per Credit Hour | $829 | $839 |
| Approximate Program Cost | $29,800 | $30,200 |
*Out-of-state/International tuition includes a surcharge of $10 per credit hour for all students enrolled in an online program.
An additional distance learning fee for all students enrolled in a distance learning course is $15 per credit hour. Program tuition and costs are estimated and subject to change. For a complete listing of tuition rates for approved online programs, please contact Kent State’s Financial, Billing & Enrollment Center at 330-672-6000 or via our website Contact Us link.
We recognize that pursuing a graduate degree is a significant investment. Your Admissions Outreach Advisor can answer your questions on program costs, discuss how a Kent State degree compares to others and connect you with financial aid representatives when you are ready to discuss your financial options.
Please contact an Admissions Outreach Advisor for more information on tuition and fees by email at online@kent.edu.
Is the health informatics program accredited by an outside organization?
Kent State University is an affiliate of the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. The University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association. (https://www.kent.edu/tusc/accreditation). While neither certification nor external accreditation are required to successfully work in health informatics, we are in the process of pursuing CAHIIM accreditation for the HI program and plan to apply in academic year 2022-2023. Students may also pursue certification after graduation; for more information about HIMSS certification, please visit: www.himss.org/health-it-certification.
What do you mean when you talk about the capstone experience?
The capstone experience is a course taken after completing at least 30 hours in the program. It is the final opportunity to meld together everything that you learned in the classroom and apply it in practice. You may take this course alone, or along with another final elective course.
Please explain the difference between a project, a research paper and an internship.
A project is an independent or dependent activity completed to operationalize some aspect of HI. You may propose a project on your own, have a project assigned to you by your employer, or work on a project with a faculty member. A research paper is simply research on some aspect of HI that is of interest to you. You must have a thesis statement and the paper should prove or disprove the thesis through research. You may or may not be using human subjects. A research paper can also be a comprehensive and integrated literature review of a particular aspect of HI. An internship places you in an organization where you will receive education and training in the role of the HI specialist. You will be assigned a preceptor and will complete activities that help you integrate the concepts you learned in class. You will be eased into the role of the HI specialist.
All of the options require a log of completed hours (minimum 150) to be turned in at the end of the term and a 30-50-page paper summarizing the experiences, answering the research questions and explaining project deliverables. You will have a preceptor for each of the options. In some cases, you may have an on-site preceptor as well as a supervising faculty member.
Do I have to sit for the certification exam upon graduation or is it optional?
It is optional. It is not required to obtain a position unless it is specified in the job description.
Do I have to take all electives in HI or do I have some flexibility of choice?
Depending upon what your final goal is, you may take electives from any area that is related to HI. You must have the approval of your academic advisor before registering for any elective not on the approved list.
Do I have to complete the capstone experience at Kent or can I do it where I live?
It is not required to complete the capstone experience at Kent and we encourage you to do your capstone experience where you live or hope to live. If you wish us to arrange this for you, you need to make your academic advisor aware of this the semester prior to doing the capstone experience. With out-of-town capstone experiences, it may take up to two months to make arrangements.
Careers
- 15.4% much faster than the average
- 32,700 number of jobs
- $126,830 potential earnings
- 10.4% much faster than the average
- 461,000 number of jobs
- $151,150 potential earnings
- 9.7% much faster than the average
- 132,500 number of jobs
- $98,860 potential earnings
Notice: Career Information Source
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
Related Reading from the Kent State Online Blog
Sources
1. Retrieved on July 6, 2022, from premium.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/kent-state-university-kent-campus-203517/overall-rankings
2. Retrieved on July 6, 2022, from onetonline.org/link/summary/15-2051.02
3. Retrieved on July 6, 2022, from onetonline.org/link/summary/15-1221.00
4. Retrieved on July 6, 2022, from onetonline.org/link/summary/15-1211.01
5. Retrieved on July 6, 2022, from bls.gov/careeroutlook/2022/data-on-display/education-pays.htm
