Master of Health Informatics
Phone: 618-453-7211 or health.sciences@siu.edu
The target student population for the Master of Health Informatics (MHI) program are individuals who have successfully completed an undergraduate program of study in healthcare management, business, information systems, information technology or management, or any closely related / equivalent field. The online MHI program has been specifically tailored to meet the needs of those who are place-bound or who hold full-time employment which prevents them from completing a master’s degree via traditional methods.
Hospital managers, health information technicians, coding specialists, nurses, physicians, and anyone else seeking a graduate degree within health informatics or health information management are encouraged to enroll. The MHI degree is not a STEM degree.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
A 2.7/4.0 GPA (SIU calculation) from the student’s undergraduate program is required for admission to the MHI program. Students with a 2.5-2.7/4.0 undergraduate GPA (SIU calculation) may enter as a non-declared student, following Graduate School policies, and will be allowed to take up to 9 credit hours of MHI courses. At the end of the 9 credit hours, the student must hold a 3.0/4.0 GPA to be then admitted to the MHI program. Students not meeting the 3.0/4.0 GPA at the end of the 9 credit hours will not be allowed to take any other MHI courses.
All international applicants must demonstrate proficiency in the English language by submitting an approved English Language Competency Test score with their application. These applicants must have one of the following minimum scores for consideration:
- 550 on the paper-based TOEFL
- 80 on the internet-based TOEFL
- 6.5 on the IELTS
- 105 on the Duolingo English Exam
This applies to all international applicants. No waivers or exemptions will be provided. Students must provide a copy of their scorecard, verifying test results, with their application to the MHI. Given the accelerated nature of the MHI, the academic program does not agree to or approve late arrivals.
APPLYING
For those interested in the MHI, please visit the Graduate School website for information: Apply | Graduate School | SIU. The application to apply to the MHA can be found here: https://myfuture.siu.edu/apply/ .
PROGRAM FORMAT
The on-campus and online format of the Master of Health Informatics program can be completed in approximately 24 months, or more, depending on your course completion rate. The delivery method will be through classroom or distance education via the University's classroom management system, Desire2Learn (D2L). Curriculum is structured in a way similar to programs that are currently in operation.
CURRICULUM AND COURSES
The Master of Health Informatics degree requires 45 graduate credit hours. Students have the choice of a graduate project or a graduate residency / internship.
Check out the program’s course sequence and curriculum for an idea of what you can expect. This is the link to search for required textbooks
This program offers continuous enrollment, so students may begin the program at any time. Part-time enrollment is available, though students are cautioned that course sequencing and prerequisites may mean a delay of a year while waiting for a course to be scheduled again.
PROGRAM COSTS
The cost for the online Master of Health Informatics program is determined by SIU’s Off-Campus tuition and fee structure. For the on-campus format, please refer to the On-Campus Tuition and Fees Calculator For Off-Campus Tuition, please refer to the Off-Campus Tuition and Fees Calculator for additional information. Some courses will require the purchase of additional software or other materials.
Financial aid and scholarships may be available. Please visit the SIU Financial Aid website for more information.
WHY OUR MASTER OF HEALTH INFORMATICS PROGRAM?
Mission, Vision, and Values
The mission of the MHI program is to prepare students for leadership roles in the healthcare industry, with a specific focus on the management of patient information for the purposes of making management decisions.
The vision of the MHI program is to increase access to a premier graduate degree that produces graduates who are academically prepared to lead the healthcare industry through the processes associated with patient information.
The MHI program focuses on academic excellence by using a curriculum that meets the expectations of industry leaders and the premier accrediting body of graduate-level healthcare informatics and information management education. The program strives to be compassionate and understanding to students by offering both on-campus and online education that assures a premier graduate health informatics degree is available to on-campus students as well as place-bound and working adult students.
Program Objectives
- Prepare the student to practice across the continuum of the patient care system in the field of health informatics which intersects health and information management;
- Provide didactic and experiential opportunities that lead to research in educational, professional, or health care issues relating to health informatics, healthcare information, and healthcare technology:
- Offer avenues to students for development and growth within the profession;
- Offer avenues for students to develop and apply skills in effective communication, analytical and critical thinking, and problem solving necessary for successful health information and technology related roles in health informatics practice;
- Provide an accessible opportunity for regional, national, and global health care/business professionals to acquire a terminal degree, especially those who are place-bound or holding full-time employment that prevents them from completing a master’s degree via traditional methods;
- Provide an accessible opportunity for regional, national, and global health care/business professionals to acquire the necessary means to succeed in a global and diverse workforce/workplace.
- Provide an accessible opportunity to pursue graduate education that will prepare individuals for entry into related doctoral programs.
Certificate in Healthcare Informatics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates the healthcare sector will add more than 4 million jobs by 2026, potentially becoming the largest employment sector in the United States.
To meet this projected growth, the Master of Health Informatics (MHI) has designed a high-demand, post-baccalaureate certificate structured to fill the workforce demand.
The BLS predicts a faster than average increase in fields related to healthcare information and a much faster than average expected increase for positions involving the analysis of complex data related to operational issues. www.bls.gov. This practically includes areas associated with improving patient care and/or reducing healthcare costs.
In today’s healthcare industry, healthcare informatics is central to the education of healthcare professionals. The ability to collect and analyze the enormous amount of patient information for the purposes of making clinical and administrative decisions toward quality of care improvements is vital to the survival of today’s healthcare organizations. Individuals with specialized knowledge in the areas of healthcare informatics and information analysis will lead the digital healthcare transformation.
The Certificate in Healthcare Informatics (CHI) is designed for practicing healthcare professionals, both administrative and clinical, who are seeking continued knowledge specific to healthcare information and informatics. It is open to post-bachelor level students holding a degree in healthcare management/administration (or closely related field) and/or a bachelor’s level degree and license in a clinical specialty.
The CHI is available in both the online and on-campus format.
The CHI is designed to provide the knowledge and skills specifically needed for licensed health professionals to hold roles in clinical leadership. It also serves as a transition certificate toward earning a master’s degree given a number of courses (once successfully completed in the CHI) may count as courses completed in the Master of Health Administration and/or the Master of Health Informatics.
Students pursuing a CHI will gain knowledge and skills germane to healthcare informatics in patient care environments through courses associated with the collection, analysis, and interoperability of data in patient care environments. Courses will specifically focus on improving operations, patient care delivery, and supporting regulatory expectations specific to the field of healthcare.
Students must complete 18 semester hours of graduate level study, all at SIUC, with a C or above in all required courses which includes:
MHI 510, 3 - Effective Healthcare Operations.
MHI 515, 3 - Systems Analysis, Design, and Database Management in Healthcare
MHI 525, 3 - Health Informatics Applications and Project Management
MHI 566, 3 - Managing Health Information
MHI 581, 3 - Health Information Exchange
MHI 584, 3 - Consumer Informatics
Students earning a grade lower than a C may retake individual courses only once. If a grade of C or higher is not received on the second attempt of an individual course, the student is removed from the certificate program due to academic performance. Online courses are restricted to online students and on-campus courses are restricted to on-campus students.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
View the Graduate Catalog for more information about the University and Graduate School’s policies and requirements.