For Release:           Immediate – March 31, 2021
Contact:                   Steve Ference, Director of University Communications | (518) 429-7742 | sference@sunypoly.edu

Applications Now Being Accepted for Fall 2021

UTICA, NY – SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) announced today that applications are now being accepted for the institution’s new online Master of Science in Health Informatics. The program features a flexible curriculum design, allowing full-time students to graduate in no more than 24 months while preparing them, along with part-time students, for technical and leadership positions related to the fast-growing areas of health information science and technology.

Notably, the demand for health services managers, which incorporates health informaticians, is expected to continue to expand during the next decade. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “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.” SUNY Poly’s Master of Science in Health Informatics will prepare students for positions in hospitals, government health care agencies, physician groups, health information exchange organizations, and other institutions and businesses focused on managing health information technology.

“The Master’s in Health Informatics program at SUNY Poly will deliver a flexible, high-quality online education directly aligned with today’s healthcare needs,” said SUNY Poly Interim Provost Dr. Steve Schneider. “We are excited to offer this new program as we see increased demand for healthcare services, leading to opportunities for graduates to leverage their SUNY Poly experience and expertise in this critical field.”

“We are thrilled to provide this new Health Informatics graduate degree program to students in both a full- and part-time capacity, preparing them for success in technical and leadership positions related to informatics and healthcare sciences,” said Dr. Joanne Joseph, SUNY Poly Interim Dean of the College of Health Sciences. “At a time when the growing baby-boom generation seeks to remain active later in life, we can expect continued strong demand for healthcare, and those who graduate from this new program will play a key role in supporting quality patient experiences.”

“In the very near future, SUNY Poly undergraduate students interested in health information management will be able to jointly pursue the BS/MS degree in Health Informatics,” said Professor Lorraine Kane, Program Coordinator of the undergraduate program in Health Information Management. “Our hope is that the joint degree program will save motivated students time and educational costs as they will be able to complete both degrees within five years for first-year students and three years for transfer students with full-time study.”

More specifically, the new program aims to provide specialized training in the informatics aspects of health, information science and technology, and social and behavioral science. Upon degree completion, SUNY Poly graduates will be able to demonstrate proficiency in understanding the theories and methods of social and behavioral science that are applicable to health informatics. They will also have gained advanced knowledge of the concepts, methods, tools, and current challenges of health informatics and the mastery of related computerized tools as applied to health. They will also be able to succeed in an effective, collaborative, and ethical manner as they evaluate, design, and implement solutions to health informatics challenges.

For more information about SUNY Poly’s Master of Science in Health Informatics program, including degree requirements, course descriptions, a sample plan of study, and to apply now, please visit https://sunypoly.edu/academics/majors-and-programs/health-informatics.html. Any student with a bachelor’s degree in any field is able to apply for this program, and those with a background in health information management (HIM) are especially encouraged. An accelerated B.S./M.S. program, in which students will be able to earn a bachelor’s degree or bachelor’s in professional studies in Health Information Management and a Master of Science degree in Health Informatics is also under development.

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About SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly)
SUNY Poly is New York’s globally recognized, high-tech educational ecosystem. SUNY Poly offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience and nanoengineering, as well as cutting-edge nanobioscience programs at its Albany campus, and undergraduate and graduate degrees in technology, including engineering, cybersecurity, computer science, and the engineering technologies; professional studies, including business, communication, and nursing; and arts and sciences, including natural sciences, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences at its Utica campus; thriving athletic, recreational, and cultural programs, events, and activities complement the campus experience. As the world’s most advanced, university-driven research enterprise, SUNY Poly boasts billions of dollars in high-tech investments and hundreds of corporate partners since its inception. For information visit www.sunypoly.edu.