Health Informatics

Offered Online Only

The Master of Science in Health Informatics 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 foundational domains of the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). A particular emphasis is placed on health information science and technology to help train the workforce to meet the expanding need for experts in this area.

Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate basic proficiency in understanding the theories and methods of social and behavioral science applicable to health informatics.
2. Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the concepts, methods, tools, and current challenges of health informatics.
3. Demonstrate the mastery of computerized tools of information science and technology applied to health.
4. Integrate the concepts, methods, and tools of social, behavioral, information science and technology to evaluate, design, and implement solutions to health informatics problems.
5. Employ effective collaborative leadership, ethical principles, and professional practices to motivate system thinking and a team approach to solving complex health informatics problems.

All students are initially admitted to the main Health Informatics track. This track is recommended for students from all backgrounds who are interested in gaining foundational knowledge in the broad field of health informatics. Beginning in Fall 2026, and with the guidance of their advisor, students will have the option to pursue additional specialized tracks: Clinical Informatics, Public Health Informatics, and Data Analytics.

Clinical Informatics Track
The Clinical Informatics track is intended for students with a clinical background and is designed to address the growing demand for informatics professionals in healthcare settings, where digital technologies are increasingly leveraged to enhance patient outcomes. This track bridges technical knowledge with clinical applications, emphasizing human-technology interaction, quality improvement, and clinical decision support.
Students gain critical skills in clinical data systems, EHR optimization, and AI-enhanced decision-making. Courses such as HI 540 (Human-Technology Interaction in Health Care) and HI 600 (Quality Improvement in Health Care) focus on improving workflows and patient care. HI 630 (Clinical Decision Support) and HI 640 (Clinical Knowledge Discovery) provide training in developing intelligent systems and applying clinical ontologies for actionable insights.

Public Health Informatics Track
The Public Health Informatics track addresses the critical need for professionals trained in leveraging data for public health decision-making. With ongoing challenges such as infectious disease outbreaks, environmental health risks, and health disparities, there is a growing demand for interdisciplinary expertise that combines epidemiology, data analytics, and digital health technologies. This track is recommended for students with a strong interest or background in public health.
This track equips students with essential competencies in public health promotion, geospatial analytics, biostatistics, and data visualization. Courses such as HI 510 (Public Health Systems) and HI 580 (Geospatial & Digital Health Analytics) emphasize policy evaluation and the use of digital tools to inform public health strategy. DSA 506 (Visual Analytics and Communication) and NUR 655 (Biostatistics and Epidemiology) provide foundational skills in data interpretation and communication, preparing students for roles in healthcare, government, and public health research.

Data Analytics Track
The Data Analytics track responds to the expanding volume and complexity of health data—spanning clinical records, genomics, and social determinants of health—by preparing students to use advanced analytical methods, artificial intelligence, and knowledge discovery tools to transform data into actionable insights. This track is recommended for students with a strong foundation in mathematics, computer science, engineering, or other technical fields.
This track offers hands-on experience with AI-driven informatics, data fusion, and clinical insights through courses like HI 560 (Applied AI in Health Informatics), HI 570 (Data Fusion in Health Informatics), and HI 640 (Clinical Knowledge Discovery). Students gain practical skills in data integration, predictive modeling, and semantic reasoning. DSA 504 (Data Analytics Tools) ensures proficiency in widely used platforms and programming languages, such as Python.

Accreditation

The Masters Degree Health Informatics Program (Main Track) is in Candidacy Status, pending accreditation review by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

Program Statistics

Time to Degree Completion

• 2 years on average
• Percent employed post-program completion (Spring 2024, Spring 2025):
  • 100% of Health Informatics graduates have secured employment. 
  • 27.3% of surveyed students reported career advancement following graduation.

This program accommodates both full-time and part-time students.  A minimum of 33 credits is required to graduate from the program. Courses will be taught by academic and industry experts in the field. The flexible curriculum design as well as a rolling admission, will allow a full-time student to graduate in no more than 4 semesters. A typical part-time student will take approximately 6 semesters to complete the program. Any student with a bachelor’s degree in any field can apply for this program, especially students with a background in health information management. In addition to a bachelor’s degree, students must show successful completion of an undergraduate statistics course with a C or better before the start of the program.

Please see the Sample Plans of Study for Full-time and Part-time options.

For academic questions/information contact:
Jerome Niyirora, Ph.D., RHIA
Health Informatics Program Coordinator & Associate Professor
315-792-7430 | jerome.niyirora@sunypoly.edu

For admissions questions/information contact:
Kaylynn Picente, Director of Graduate Admissions
315-792-7347 |  kaylynn.picente@sunypoly.edu 
Fax: 315-792-7221

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