Study Health Analytics Online

The health analytics track for the online MS in Health Informatics & Analytics program at Tufts School of Medicine prepares health professionals like you to employ data systems and advanced statistical methods to effectively analyze and interpret aggregate health data that can improve outcomes for patients, communities, and organizations.

Specialization Courses

The online MS in Health Informatics & Analytics is a 36-credit program. All students in the program will complete five core courses and attend an on-campus immersion experience in Boston. To specialize in health analytics, you will take 12 track-specific credits, six additional credits of electives, and a capstone practicum. You can complete the program with a specialization in health analytics in as few as 20 months.

Track-Specific Required Courses:

Data Wrangling and Exploratory Analysis (3 credits)
An introduction to the statistical software R and how to use it for data retrieval, management, examination, and basic cleaning, and to derive statistics and graphs.

Multivariable Data Analysis and Visualization
(3 credits)
An exploration on how to disseminate quantitative results using more sophisticated data, as well as how to develop repeatable and replicable workflow analytics.

Big Data, Data Mining, and Knowledge Discovery
(3 credits)
An overview of common software used to process health data, the advantages and disadvantages of big data, and how big data can aid in data mining for healthcare.

GIS/Spatial Epidemiology (3 credits)
An overview of the basic skills needed to obtain, clean, analyze, and decipher spatial data in geographic information systems using a variety of use cases from public health.

Electives (choose an additional 6 credits)

  • Data Trust—Information Governance in Health Organizations (3 credits)
  • Project Management (1.5 credits)
  • Informatics Fundamentals (1.5 credits)
  • Informatics for Clinicians (1.5 credits)
  • Informatics for Public Health Professionals (1.5 credits)
  • Informatics for Clinical Research (1.5 credits)
  • Quality and Outcomes (3 credits)
  • Business of Healthcare (3 credits)
  • Fundamentals of Privacy and Security in Health IT (3 credits)
  • Organizational Behavior, Leadership, and Change Management (3 credits)
  • Introduction to Python for Health Informatics and Analytics (1.5 credits)

Health Analytics Capstone (3 credits)

The capstone is a practicum experience where you will integrate and apply the health analytics knowledge and skills gained in the classroom to a real-world health data problem. You will have the opportunity to complete your capstone at a local, national, or international organization, and you will have the flexibility to tailor your capstone project to your topic of interest within the health data field.

After completion, you will have a body of work that can be used in seeking employment or professional advancement. Examples of practicum settings and topics include:

  • Leveraging data to help improve hospital readmission rates
  • Using hospitalization records as a tool for evaluating business operation performance and quality of care
  • Analyzing hospitalization patterns due to selected infections and reporting findings
  • Supporting a patient recruitment campaign for a new healthcare facility
  • Developing artificial intelligence projects at healthcare organizations
  • Supporting data analytics for emergency preparedness

View All Courses and Full Course Descriptions

Leverage Data to Create Better Health Systems

Request information to learn how our online Master of Science in Health Informatics & Analytics can prepare you for a rewarding career in analytics.

Specialization Outcomes

The learning outcomes of the health analytics track include:

  • Ensuring data, knowledge, and information accuracy, integrity, and effectiveness 
  • Maintaining data privacy, confidentiality, and security in compliance with health laws and regulations and health information technology standards 
  • Developing and using analytical methods, tools, and techniques, like statistics and artificial intelligence, to support business strategies for healthcare delivery and assess business risks
  • Collaborating with other professionals to solve real-world health data challenges through face-to-face online classes, an on-campus immersion, and a capstone practicum

Health Analytics Career Outlook

Students who choose to specialize in health analytics may go on to work in a variety of roles. They may pursue a career as a data scientist, information security analyst, or IT project manager for various types of health organizations, including healthcare practices, public health agencies, and clinical research organizations.

Data Scientist

Data scientists use tools and methods like machine learning and statistics to interpret, collect, and clean data. They use their findings to create solutions and provide recommendations that result in more effective and efficient work environments.

Information Security Analyst

Information security analysts plan and implement security measures that protect computer networks, systems, and information. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for information security analysts and those in similar roles was $95,510 in 2017.1

IT Project Manager

IT project managers help determine the information technology goals of an organization and are responsible for planning and coordinating the necessary changes to meet those goals. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for IT project managers and those in similar roles was $139,220 in 2017.2

Tufts Career Services

When you enroll in Tufts University School of Medicine, you become part of a network of respected health professionals dedicated to improving human health. As a student in the program, you will have access to Visit student experience pagelifelong career services, including coaching sessions with career advisers on the phone or over video conference, virtual and in-person events and programs, and online access to career development seminars.

Pursue a Rewarding Career in Health Analytics

Develop the skills you need for a career as a data scientist, information security analyst, or IT project manager. Learn more about our online Master of Science in Health Informatics & Analytics program today.

¹Return to footnote reference Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Information Security Analysts , on the Internet (visited February 15, 2019)↑Return to footnote reference

²Return to footnote reference Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Computer and Information Systems Managers, on the Internet (visited February 17, 2019)↑Return to footnote reference