Overview
The MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics is designed for individuals wanting to obtain practical competencies in biomedical informatics and data science. Using American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) guidelines, the MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program prepares graduates to become health sciences informaticians capable of developing or leading innovative applications of information technology and information systems that address clinical and healthcare priorities.
The MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics requires that students complete core courses, student seminars, electives, and a capstone project. The core courses provide a broad overview of foundational content in biomedical informatics, clinical informatics, health information systems, and data science. The student seminar provides a forum for students to explore current topics, learn directly from experts in the field, and develop a professional network and support structure. Electives can be chosen from relevant offerings from across the university. The MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program culminates with a 200-hour, student-designed, faculty-supervised capstone that provides students with an opportunity to develop or apply relevant competencies within a professionally relevant project.
The MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program is offered in online and onsite formats. While the formal requirements for these offerings are the same, there are some important distinctions with regard to the intended audience, visa/citizenship requirements, course availability, and how the capstone is executed.
Online Offering
The online MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program is by far the most popular. This format allows students to continue working full- or part-time while completing the degree requirements within a 36-month window.
While current employment is not a requirement of admission to the online MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program, most students pursuing this option are working full- or part-time within the health field. Because a visa is not required for the online MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program, we consider applicants from all countries. Except in cases where students either live near campus or arrange to spend time in residence in or near Baltimore, students in the online MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program take courses that are offered in an online format. Undertaking a capstone as an online student requires flexibility and the support of the employer.
Students applying to the online offering of the MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics should be aware of additional state-specific information for online programs.
Onsite Offering
The onsite offering of the MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics degree is an intensive, full-time, 12-month program of study.
Students in the onsite MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program are generally either mid-career health professionals looking to transition to an informatics leadership role within their organization or they are motivated and technically capable early-career professionals or recent college graduates focused on obtaining a firm grounding in the field of health informatics. Students in the onsite MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program can take either online courses or onsite courses. For students in the onsite offering of the MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program, faculty can provide more direct in-person oversight of the capstone project.
Important Notes:
- The core courses for the MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program are only available online. This includes the onsite offering of the MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program.
- Students in the onsite offering of the MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program, under the guidance of their faculty advisor, may explore electives offered on-campus/in-person throughout the Hopkins campuses.
- Students enrolled in the onsite MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program are expected to complete all degree requirements, including the capstone, within 12 months.
Admission Criteria
To be considered for the MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program, applicants should:
- Hold a terminal degree (e.g., MA, MS, MPH, MLIS, MD, PhD) in a relevant area of health care or public health; or
- Hold a BA or BS in a relevant area of study, plus 3 to 5 years of related professional work experience; or
- Hold a BA or BS in a relevant area of study, plus possess relevant technical and analytic skills
The documents listed below must be uploaded and tracked in the Admissions portal:
- Curriculum Vitae (including any peer-reviewed publications or conference presentations)
- Three letters of recommendation
- Official transcript of school record
- Certification of terminal degree
- Personal statement
Relevant areas of study or employment include, but are not limited to: medicine, public health, dentistry, veterinary science, nursing, ancillary therapies, librarianship, biomedical science, computer science, mathematics/statistics, information science, business, and information technology. Those with non-healthcare educational backgrounds are expected to have worked in health care for at least 3 years, with demonstrated abilities in areas like leadership, organizational-level thinking, quality assurance, management, etc.
The onsite MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program does not qualify for F-1 or J-1 student sponsorship. Legal Permanent Residents and non-immigrants who are otherwise physically present in the U.S. and in a status that allows for full or part-time study, may pursue the onsite program.
Applications are available through the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine's Admissions website. Candidates apply separately to the online and on-site MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics programs. Applicants track the receipt of all supporting materials through the Admissions portal application system.
If you have questions about your qualifications for the MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program, please contact JHInformatics@jhu.edu
Program Requirements
The MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program requirements include core courses, seminars, electives, a capstone, and an ethics requirement.
The online MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program allows students to continue working full- or part-time while completing the degree requirements within a 36 month window. The onsite offering of the MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program is an intensive, full-time, 12-month program of study.
Students meet the School of Medicine requirement for ethics training in the Responsible Conduct of Research by completing the online course “Responsible Conduct of Research (CITI)” through MyLearning during the first semester, and one session of the School of Medicine Research Integrity Colloquium.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| ME.250.953 | Introduction to Biomedical Informatics | 3 |
| ME.250.771 | Introduction to Precision Medicine Data Analysis | 3 |
| ME.250.860 | Student Seminar and Grand Rounds 1 | 1 |
| ME.250.957 | Database Querying in Health | 3 |
| ME.250.955 | Applied Clinical Informatics | 3 |
| ME.250.750 | Design Discovery for Healthcare | 3 |
| ME.250.901 | HSI: Knowledge Engineering and Decision Support | 3 |
| ME.250.858 | Capstone | 8 |
| Elective Courses | ||
Take at least 30 quarter credits from the following list: | ||
| ME.250.959 | Digital Health Laws and Regulations | 3 |
| ME.250.782 | Observational Health Research Methods on Medical Records | 3 |
| ME.250.952 | Leading Change Through Health IT | 3 |
| ME.250.770 | Clinical Data Analysis with Python | 3 |
| ME.250.960 | The Role of Digital Health and the Health Care Delivery System | 3 |
| ME.250.961 | Large Scale Observational Research Preparation | 3 |
| ME.250.785 | Emerging Clinical Applications with Large Lanquage Models | 3 |
| ME.250.777 | Clinical Decision Analysis | 3 |
| ME.250.778 | Implementing Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources | 3 |
| ME.250.783 | Imaging Informatics | 3 |
| ME.250.788 | Observational Research Methods in R | 3 |
| ME.250.790 | Machine Learning with Python for Biomedical Informatics | 3 |
| ME.250.755 | Natural Language Processing in the Health Sciences | 3 |
| ME.250.962 | Prototyping for Healthcare Design | 3 |
| ME.250.784 | Clinical Decision Support (CDS) Application Interoperability | 3 |
| ME.250.780 | Information Sources & Search Techniques for informatics Professionals | 1 |
| ME.250.958 | Digital Health Innovation & Regulatory Science | 1 |
| ME.250.856 | Health Sciences Informatics Independent Study | 1 - 3 |
| ME.250.963 | Health Information Technology Startup Generator / Accelerator | 3 |
1 Repeat at least 4 times (i.e., 4 quarters).
Note: Courses are offered during Quarters 1, 2, 3, 4, and Summer. Course credits are listed as quarter credits; the conversion rate to semester credits is .5 semester credits. For example, a 3 quarter credit Q1 course is 1.5 semester credits.
If you have questions about courses for the MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program, please contact JHInformatics@jhu.edu.
Graduates of the MS in Applied Health Sciences Informatics program will be able to:
- Demonstrate a theoretical grounding in health informatics, including key concepts and frameworks relevant to applied informatics practice, e.g., the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA ) Foundational Domains and / or the Lehmann Informatics Stack;
- Apply relevant methods and tools for working with health information systems and medical records data (e.g., UML diagramming, FHIR Interoperability)
- Employ modern data science tools for observational research and methods to support analysis of health data (e.g., OHDSI, Python, Jupyter Scientific Notebooks)
- Practice leadership and professionalism during substantive opportunities to interact with and learn from leaders in the field of health informatics and the program's core faculty
- Interpret cutting-edge work in clinical informatics, data science, population health, and entrepreneurship through student seminars and Grand Rounds
- Engage in networking opportunities with practitioners and leaders in health informatics and data science
- Propose competencies to guide the effective implementation of professionally-relevant projects