Hood College Launches Health Informatics Master’s Program

New program combines computer science, information technology and health sciences to meet emerging workforce needs

Oct 30, 2023

By Matthew Lee

The Graduate School at Hood College has announced a new Master of Science in Health Informatics as well as a post-baccalaureate health informatics certificate. Now accepting applications, the program will begin classes in January 2024. Classes will be offered in a hybrid modality, with in-person and online options.

An emerging and multidisciplinary field, health informatics uses information technology to collect, analyze and safeguard healthcare data. Health informatics professionals are an essential part of the physician-patient relationship, as they are responsible for processing and managing biomedical data. Doctors, nurses, administrators, insurance companies and patients all rely on health informatics to access electronic medical records.

Students who have earned a bachelor’s degree in the fields of life science, health science or computer science and information technology are eligible to pursue the health informatics M.S. or certificate. As part of the curriculum, students can focus on either bioinformatics or artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Prospective students should apply by December 1 for the spring 2024 semester.

There is increasing demand for health informatics experts, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting 16% growth in the health information technology sector by 2031. Graduates of the health informatics program at Hood will be equipped to pursue careers as software engineers, project managers and healthcare data analysts, among others.

Timothy Coffin, Ph.D., will serve as program director for both health informatics and bioinformatics at Hood College. Coffin, a U.S. Air Force veteran, earned a bachelor’s in engineering from the Air Force Academy, an MPA in public relations from the University of Dayton and a Ph.D. in health research sciences from George Mason University. He is also the founder and CEO of Celtiq, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in government healthcare solutions.

“Health informatics professionals are the Rosetta Stones of modern healthcare, decoding the complex language of data into actionable insights that bridge the gap between medical expertise and technological innovation. Health informatics empowers healthcare professionals and patients to make better decisions and transform the way we deliver care.”