Master of Science in Health Informatics and Information Management

Drive change with a flexible master’s in health informatics degree

There’s never been a more exciting time to work in health informatics. As health care facilities seek to automate processes and ensure technology’s effective use, your career possibilities increase. Yet so, too, does your competition. Get a comprehensive, hands-on education to land your career or promotion with a master’s in health informatics at East Carolina University. At ECU, we’ll prepare you for the leadership or technology role you desire so that you can drive change in your organization amid health care’s digital revolution.

Complete a health informatics master’s degree on your terms

With ECU’s Master of Science in Health Informatics and Information Management degree, you’ll learn about the design, development, and management of enterprise-level health information systems with the flexibility to meet your needs.

Our health informatics degree program, though intensive and fast-paced like the field, offers convenience to take courses on a full- or part-time schedule, as well as entirely online or in combination with on-campus classes. No matter which route you take, you’ll enjoy a high level of interaction with our instructors and some of the more affordable tuition rates. Discover other ways ECU offers exceptional value for your health informatics and information management career.

Why study health informatics at ECU?

Take advantage of these resources to enhance your college education and career potential, whether you complete your master of health informatics online or on campus:

Health care partnerships for engagement

ECU’s centralized location gives us access to modern medical facilities, which affords us—and you—tremendous research, learning, and engagement opportunities. We maintain partnerships with two major hospitals—ECU Health and Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center. You can complete your internship, which serves as your capstone, at one of these hospitals or at other healthcare facilities across the state for real-world experience that boosts your resume.

Use of modern health care technology

Get hands-on with advanced computer technology and the latest solutions used in today’s health care facilities.

Support of expert faculty

ECU faculty for our Master of Science in Health Informatics have diverse expertise that lends itself to your health care-related technology interests. Their focus areas range from database design and management to data visualization to consumer health informatics. You’ll receive personal advisement by ECU faculty to help ensure your success.

Scholarship opportunities

East Carolina University and our Health Services and Information Management department offer multiple scholarships for students completing our master of health informatics online or on campus. Use ECU’s scholarship application portal to search and apply for opportunities.

Courses you will take in the health informatics master’s degree program

Understand vital concepts and develop technical skills that allow you to effectively lead when you complete your master’s in health informatics degree at ECU. Our comprehensive curriculum includes courses such as:

• Electronic Health Records
• Health Data Structures
• Evaluation Methods in Health Informatics
• Health Information Privacy and Security
• Social and Organizational Issues in Health Informatics
• Consumer Health Informatics

For a complete look at coursework for this health informatics degree, visit ECU’s course catalog.

Hear from our Master of Science in Health Informatics and Information Management students

Obtaining a Master of Science in Health Informatics and Information Management (MS-HIIM) degree from East Carolina University was a valuable investment in my education. Through ECU’s MSHIIM program, I gained invaluable knowledge, skills, and experience that prepared me for a career in health informatics.

I am passionate about making a change in rural health care. ECU’s model for rural health care delivery provided me with a better understanding of the strategies and policies for improving health outcomes and reducing disparities in rural populations.

The program offers a curriculum with practical courses, and although rigorous, its faculty is supportive, knowledgeable, and readily available. I got extensive hands-on experience with electronic documentation systems, enabling me to use, explore, and evaluate EHR systems. I enhanced my research skills, which led me to work as a graduate research assistant. Significantly, the Data Management and Analytics courses sparked my interest in medical databases and analytics. From basic SQL queries and Python scripts to CTEs and ETL techniques, the challenges of this degree have given me a competitive advantage in the job market.

Fernando Chivela, MS in Health Informatics and Information Management ’22
Graduate Assistant, East Carolina Heart Institute
Intern, ECU Health

What can you do with your health informatics master’s degree?

Aside from necessary skills you’ll gain as part of the curriculum, including data management, the diverse technical content will enable you to demonstrate keen critical-thinking abilities. Other vital skills you’ll sharpen while you complete your master of health informatics online or on campus include project management and communication, which offer value for any leadership or team position.

Where are master’s in health informatics graduates working?

ECU’s most recent job placement rate was 100% for graduates of our master’s in health informatics program. Some of the titles they’ve assumed—among a long list—include:

• Data engineer
• Data science and business intelligence analyst
• Electronic medical record (EMR) system analyst
• Assistant director, health information management services
• Chief of patient administration
• Applications manager
• Director, information services planning

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the demand for health information managers will rapidly increase—by 32%—between now and 2030. Whether you’re a health care professional wanting to transition to health informatics or already working in the field, you can launch the career or earn the promotion you seek with our master’s in health informatics degree.

Get started on your health informatics master’s degree

Take the next step toward launching or advancing your health care information technology career when you earn your master of health informatics online, on ECU’s campus, or a combination of both. We have the resources to answer all your questions and help you get started.

Degree programs related to master’s in health informatics

Master of Science in Data Science

Accreditation for Master of Science in Health Informatics and Information Management at ECU

ECU’s Master of Science in Health Informatics and Information Management program holds accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM), which maintains standards developed by the American Medical Informatics Association. Be confident in your choice of East Carolina University—knowing you’ll not only get a top-quality education through our adherence to their standards, but that we also offer the state’s only CAHIIM-accredited health informatics master’s program.