Health Informatics and Information Management, M.S.

Program Description

The Masters of Science in Health Informatics and Information Management (MSHIIM) is intended to produce master’s-prepared health informatics professionals for executive-level and enterprise-wide administrative, research, and/or applied health informatics positions. Graduates of the program are expected to play a key role in the design, development and management of health information systems in healthcare-related facilities, agencies and organizations. The program is intended to attract students with a variety of educational backgrounds and disciplines: individuals with prior coursework at an undergraduate level in health information management and individuals with undergraduate or advanced degrees in information technology or business management.

MSHIIM Program Goals

Graduates of the program will have the skills needed to manage information technology applications in the healthcare industry (storage, retrieval, and interpretation of patient care information) and to provide administrative support for the implementation and management of the complex information systems used in the health care industry. Examples of occupations in the IT healthcare industry include chief information officer, corporate health information manager, data analytics/data mining specialist, health information application developer, and health information management specialist.

The MSHIIM program will prepare individuals who will:

1. Apply and integrate the fundamental concepts of information technology in a clinical setting.
2. Facilitate communication between healthcare providers and IT professionals implementing healthcare information technology.
3. Demonstrate a theoretical and practical understanding of the use of healthcare information.
4. Provide leadership in developing, implementing, maintaining, and managing information resources and systems in healthcare organizations.
5. Apply fundamental research concepts to support the use of health information in research projects.

Program completion

The program can be completed on a full or part-time basis, with classes offered in three academic terms, fall, spring, and summer. Time to complete really depends upon the number of credit hours taken per semester and the number of knowledge requirements needed. Full-time students (9 credit hours per semester) can complete the program in four semesters (assuming two knowledge support courses are required). Students must complete the program within 5 years of the semester of your admission.

Admission Requirements Specific to MSHIIM

The Dakota State University Masters of Science in Health Informatics and Information Management program seeks qualified individuals in the information systems and healthcare professions to further prepare them to be successful graduates in the health informatics field. Admission to the program is based upon a combination of the following requirements:

1.  Entering students will be required to have a bachelor’s degree from institutions with full regional accreditation for that degree. International students must have an undergraduate (bachelor’s) degree that is the equivalent to a four-year under graduate degree in the U.S.

2.  Minimum undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale

3.  A satisfactory score on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).  The test must have been taken within the last five years.  The test can be waived if one of the following conditions are met:

• a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or higher on a 4.0 scale for a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the U.S.;
• official admission into and demonstrated success in a regionally accredited graduate program in the U.S. Demonstrated success is defined as grades of A or B in at least 9 hours of graduate work;
                                                           OR

     graduation from a regionally accredited college/university in the U.S. at least 15 years ago or more.

4.  Essential knowledge of information systems fundamentals. The knowledge requirement can be met in a variety of ways, including: a related undergraduate degree in information systems; specific undergraduate or graduate coursework that covers required knowledge; appropriate, verifiable IS/IT experience. Students using experience to meet the knowledge requirements may be required to demonstrate competency in the subject. Students who have not had appropriate coursework or acceptable experience to meet the knowledge requirements may be admitted to the program if they meet the other minimum requirements.

However, these students will be required to meet the knowledge requirement by satisfactory completion of specified knowledge support courses as part of their program of study. These courses are:

INFS 601 - Information Systems  

5.  Essential knowledge of healthcare delivery fundamentals. The knowledge requirement can be met in a variety of ways, including: related undergraduate degree in health information management or healthcare field; specific undergraduate or graduate coursework that covers required knowledge; appropriate, verifiable healthcare experience. Students using experience to meet the knowledge requirements may be required to demonstrate competency in the subject. Students who have not had appropriate coursework or acceptable experience to meet the knowledge requirements may be admitted to the program if they meet the other minimum requirements. However, these students will be required to meet the knowledge requirement by satisfactory completion of specified knowledge support courses as part of their program of study. These courses are:

HIMS 701 Foundations in Healthcare Information  and
HIMS 702 Foundations of Health Information Classification Systems 

6.  Essential knowledge of fundamental statistics.  The knowledge requirement can be met in a variety of ways, including: related undergraduate degree in statistics or related field; specific undergraduate or graduate coursework that covers required knowledge; appropriate, verifiable experience working with statistics.  Students using experience to meet the knowledge requirements may be required to demonstrate competency in the subject.  Students who have not had appropriate coursework or acceptable experience to meet the acknowledge requirements may be admitted to the program if they meet the other minimum requirements.  However, these students will be required to meet the knowledge requirement by satisfactory completion of specified knowledge support courses as part of their program of study.  This course is:
       INFS 608 Applied Statistics  

MSHIIM Knowledge Requirements

All entering students must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge in information systems, healthcare delivery, and statistics.  Students who do not meet knowledge requirements in the healthcare, statistics, or information technology areas may be required to take additional knowledge support courses. These courses may also be recommended for students wishing to refresh their knowledge or reinforce what they have gained through experience. The DSU knowledge courses are included in the individual’s program of study if they are required of the student. Individuals who use relevant experience in information systems, statistics or healthcare to meet the knowledge requirements may be asked to demonstrate that their experience is applicable by taking a test prepared by the course instructor.

Students using experience to meet the knowledge requirements may be required to demonstrate competency in the subject; students who have not had appropriate coursework or acceptable experience to meet the knowledge requirements will be admitted to the program if they meet the other minimum requirements. However, these students will be required to meet the knowledge requirement by satisfactory completion of specified knowledge support courses as part of their program of study.

Program Faculty

Renae Spohn, Program Coordinator

Dorine Bennett, Omar El-Gayar, Cheri Noteboom, Linda Parks, Ronghua Shan, Julie Wulf Plimpton

MSHIIM Program Requirements

The program requires 33 hours beyond the baccalaureate. All students must take:

• Core courses (33 credits): These courses build background and skills that should be common to all masters-level health informatics professionals.

Students who do not meet knowledge requirements in the healthcare or information technology areas will be required to take additional knowledge support courses. See the knowledge requirement section for more information.

It is possible to complete the program in four to five semesters of full-time study depending upon how the basic knowledge requirements are met. On a part-time basis, the time to complete will depend upon the number of credit hours taken per semester.