Health Informatics, M.S.
Health informatics, focused on advances in health technology, has the potential to facilitate and improve patient-centered care. Patients, providers, payers, policy-makers, and technology vendors all benefit from its growth and implementation. With a Master of Science in Health Informatics (MSHI), you will acquire the skills to enhance the healthcare system in our society and a broad range of career opportunities.
Benefits and Advantages
There are many reasons why Governors State's MSHI program is perfect for you:
- Learn how to access health data to forecast healthcare trends and improve operations
- Develop leadership and change management skills
- Demonstrate the ability to advance the delivery of quality patient care through the use of analytics
- Gain insight into the resources needed to optimize the use of information technology in healthcare research and clinical services delivery
- Be eligible for mid-level administrative/management positions in healthcare delivery systems, consulting firms, governmental organizations, and research organizations
What can you expect from being a student of the Health Administration program?
What can you expect from being a student of the Health Administration program?
- You will acquire skills necessary for non-clinical careers in healthcare
- You will gain a strong foundation in health care management and current policies
- You will be taught by highly qualified faculty with years of industry experience. Governors State University has nationally recognized faculty for their teaching and research experiences.
- You will study along with peers who could share decades of professional experience and enrich your classroom learning with practical healthcare examples.
- You will participate in a strong Practicum program. The undergraduate Practicum offers Health Administration students an opportunity to work side by side with healthcare administrators, to gain valuable experiences in different healthcare settings, and to identify career prospects.
- You can be seamlessly admitted into Governors State University Master of Health Administration program.
Career Paths
With a MSHI, you will have the chance to advance your career, or even change it. Here are just a few of the potential opportunities that will become available with your degree:
- Health Informatics Specialist
- Clinical Informatics Specialist
- Informatics Nurse
- Clinical Analyst
- Clinical Informatics Manager
- Chief Information Officer
- Chief Information Security Officer
- Clinical Application Developer
- Clinical Coding Specialist
- Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist
- Clinical Informaticist
- Clinical IT Analyst
- Clinical Systems Technician
- Coding Manager
- Corporate Director of Hospital Coding
- Data Analyst / Data Scientist
- Digital Transformation Consultant
- Director Health Care Leadership
- Director of Clinical Informatics
- Director of Clinical Information Systems
- Director of Health Information Management
- Director of Health IT
- Director of Meaningful Use Program
- Director of Medical Informatics
- EHR Application Specialist
- EHR Implementation Expert
- Health Information Management
- Health Care Informatics Integration Engineer
- Informatics Educator Informatics Outreach Architect
- Informatics Portfolio Manager
- Manager of Clinical Analytics
- Manager of Coding Integrity
- Medical Coder
- Pharmacy Informatics Analyst
- Population Health Manager
- Privacy Administration Specialist
- Program Manager Clinical Informatics
- Programmer Analyst
- Senior Clinical Informaticist/Pharmacist
- Senior Programmer/Analyst
- Senior Director, Clinical Applications and Practice Affiliations
- Senior Systems Analyst
- Senior Director, Technology Development
- Senior IT Analyst
- Senior Privacy Analyst
- Senior Systems Engineer
- Supervisor, Analytics
- Supervisor, IT Network Services
- Senior Vice President, Strategic Transformation
- System Director Health Information Management & Revenue Cycle System Integration
- Systems Analyst
- Vice President & Chief Information Officer
- Vice President of Enterprise Analytics
- Vice President of Information Systems
Alumni Spotlight
Zuha Sha: From Perseverance to Success in Health Informatics
For Zuha Sha, education was about earning degrees and breaking barriers. Growing up in a family where opportunities had to be fought for, she understood early on that knowledge is a powerful tool. Her academic journey was filled with challenges, but each obstacle strengthened her resolve. She excelled academically, ranking among the top students in her state, proving that hard work and persistence lead to excellence.
As a first-generation college graduate, Zuha's path to higher education was anything but conventional. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy, she worked full-time in Dubai to finance her dream of studying in the United States. However, her journey was met with visa rejections three times. Each setback tested her determination, but instead of giving up, she kept pushing forward. On her fourth attempt in Abu Dhabi, her visa was finally approved, proving that rejection is not failure-it's redirection.
Zuha's background in pharmacy and healthcare sparked her interest in health informatics, where technology meets patient care. She saw how data and digital solutions could revolutionize healthcare, making systems more efficient and patient-centered. This realization led her to Governors State University (GovState), a decision that would become a turning point in her career
Master of Science in Health Informatics Program Mission, Vision, and Values
The Master of Science in Health Informatics program (MSHI) prepares diverse and emerging professionals to lead and innovate at the intersection of healthcare, information technology, and data-driven decision-making. Rooted in our institution’s commitment to equity and access, we empower students, particularly those traditionally underserved in higher education, to apply informatics knowledge and skills to improve health outcomes, advance health equity, and strengthen communities.
The MSHI program aspires to be a leading, inclusive center for health informatics education, recognized for developing skilled, compassionate, and equity-minded professionals who leverage technology and data to improve health outcomes and strengthen the well-being of diverse communities.
· Equity and Inclusion: We advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in health informatics education and practice.
· Integrity: We uphold ethical standards and accountability in data stewardship, research, and professional practice.
· Innovation: We embrace creativity, technology, and evidence-based solutions to address emerging healthcare challenges.
· Collaboration: We foster partnerships among students, faculty, healthcare organizations, and communities to drive shared learning and progress.
· Lifelong Learning: We prepare graduates for continuous growth in a rapidly evolving healthcare and technology landscape.
· Community Impact: We are committed to using informatics to improve access, quality, and equity in healthcare for all populations.
Program Requirements
The MSHI Degree Program at GovState is a rigorous academic program that requires students to meet all university requirements for a master's degree. In addition, MSHI students must fulfill specific degree requirements to receive a Master of Science in Health Informatics degree. These requirements include entering degree candidacy, maintaining a certain grade standard, and completing a field experience/culminating course.
1. Enter degree candidacy with an approved Degree Candidacy Application.
2. Apply no more than one course with a grade of "C," including "C-" and "C+" toward degree requirements. When a student makes a second "C+, C, or C-" in a class, the student must repeat the "C+, C, or C-" course only once to meet the degree requirements.
3. Earn a "B" or better grade in the field experience/culminating course HLIN 8900.
The student is no longer eligible to continue studying for an MSHI degree if earned a D or F in any courses. For any course with a grade of D or F, the student must meet with the advisor to get permission to immediately repeat the course successfully with a B- or better grade to reinstate eligibility to continue in the MSHI degree program.
Each MSHI student must have completed the following deficiency course listed below before taking MSHI core courses as part of the foundation requirements in the MSHI coursework. If you have completed these courses in your undergraduate study, please get in touch with your advisor. You need to demonstrate your proficiency in these areas and submit your undergraduate transcript to the Program Director to determine if you can be waived for these deficiency courses.
What You'll Study
Our academic catalog has detailed information about what you'll study, like courses, hours needed for completion, and other requirements.
How to Apply
The Master of Science in Health Informatics program at GovState admits students twice a year in the Fall and Spring semesters. You'll need certain documents and meet certain requirements in order to apply. Read about them on our admissions pages.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Governors State’s mission is to offer accessible and exceptional education, which is why GovState offers the most affordable tuition rates in the Chicagoland area—all while maintaining our top accreditations.
As a student at Governors State University, you have many available ways to cover the cost of your tuition.
Contact Us:
- Kerri O'Shea
- MSHI Academic Advisor
- 1 University Parkway, University Park,IL, 60484-0975
- 708.534.6980
- koshea@govst.edu
- Dr. Ning Lu
- Chair, Department of Health Administration and Informatics
- 1 University Parkway, University Park,IL, 60484-0975
- 708.534.4916
- nlu@govst.edu