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Nov 21, 2024
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Graduate Catalog | 2017-2018 Previous Edition
Health Informatics, M.S.
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The program in Health Informatics is a joint venture between the College of Computing and Informatics, the College of Health and Human Services, and the Graduate School. The program offers both a Graduate Certificate and a Master of Science degree designed to prepare students for the complex and rapidly changing healthcare and technology sectors.
The Professional Science Master’s (PSM) in Health Informatics is an interdisciplinary program focused on the complex issues surrounding the management and analysis of electronic medical information. The program is designed to develop future leaders in the areas of health data science and healthcare analytics.
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Admission Requirements
Applicants must meet the general Graduate School requirements for admission to Master’s Degree programs. Applications must include all of the materials listed by the Graduate School as typical for Master’s Degree application submissions. In addition to the general requirements for admission to the Graduate School, an earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university in computer sciences, health sciences, information systems, or life sciences or in an informatics discipline or a closely related field is required for study toward the M.S. in Heath Informatics. Acceptable scores on the verbal, quantitative, and analytical sections of the GRE are also required; applicants holding a terminal degree (e.g., J.D., M.D., D.D.S., Ph.D.) may request a waiver from this requirement.
Applicants to the PSM in Health Informatics program may also request the score waiver provided they:
- Were accepted into the Graduate Certificate in Health Informatics program
- Successfully complete a minimum of two of the required courses with a GPA of 3.5 or above and with no more than one grade of B
- Secure a letter of recommendation from at least one of the instructors teaching those courses supporting their admission into the master’s program
Early Entry Program
Exceptional undergraduate students at UNC Charlotte may apply for the Early Entry Program and begin work toward the graduate degree before completion of the baccalaureate degree. See the Undergraduate Catalog for details and requirements. Also see the Degree Requirements and Academic Policies section of the Graduate Catalog for more information about Early Entry Programs.
Degree Requirements
The PSM in Health Informatics program requires 35-38 graduate credit hours, including 3-6 credit hours of Foundation courses, 11 credit hours of Core courses, 3 credit hours of Core elective courses, 15 credit hours of concentration focus courses, and 3 credit hours of Internship/Practicum.
A minimum of 24 credit hours contributing to the M.S. in Health Informatics must be from courses numbered 6000 or higher. A maximum of 6 hours of graduate credit may be transferred. Students may apply all of the credits earned in the Graduate Certificate in Health Informatics towards the M.S. in Health Informatics.
Foundation Courses (3-6 credit hours)
Students lacking an adequate healthcare background take the “Foundations in Health” course sequence. Similarly, students lacking an adequate informatics background will take the “Foundations in Informatics” course sequence. In all cases, a minimum of 3 credit hours of Foundations courses are required.
Foundations in Informatics
Note:
The adequacy of a student’s background is determined by the Graduate Program Director. Students who are determined by the Graduate Program Director to lack an adequate background in both healthcare and informatics will be required to take courses from both Foundation sequences (Foundation General) for a maximum of up to 6 hours.
Note: A course cannot be used to satisfy both a Foundation and a Concentration requirement toward the degree.
Core Courses (11 credit hours)
All students complete four required Core courses that provide a strong general background in health informatics.
Core Elective Course (3 credit hours)
Students must take 3 credit hours of Core elective coursework from the following set, complementary to their base Foundation coursework.
One of these two equivalent courses:
Concentration Requirements (15 credit hours)
Each student must also complete an approved concentration area consisting of fifteen (15) credit hours. Concentration coursework balances depth and breadth across the following coursework categories with a breadth requirement. Students must take at least 3 of the 15 hours in a separate category from the majority of the Concentration coursework. Concentration category areas and applicable courses include:
Data Science and Analytics
Students with a focus in this concentration category create and manipulate data as part of advanced health information systems to meet the unique needs and exacting standards of the healthcare industry.
Business of Healthcare
Students with a focus in this concentration category develop skills in analyzing health data to identify risk and to adopt best practices in the healthcare industry.
Note:
A course cannot be used to satisfy any two requirements toward the degree.
Other focus areas may be possible with the approval of the Graduate Program Director. In addition, the Graduate Program Director may approve substitution of courses within approved concentration areas. Students may submit a Special Request to the Program or Faculty Director to substitute relevant DSBA, HADM, HLTH, ITCS, or ITIS courses in a given concentration.
Capstone Project/Internship (3 credit hours)
In line with the practice-based nature of the program, all students must complete an approved Capstone Project/Internship experience from one of the following:
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