Margarete L. Zalon, R.N., ACNS-BC, FAAN, Program Director
margarete.zalon@scranton.edu 570-941-7655
Program Objectives
The on-line Master of Science in Health Informatics at The University of Scranton will provide graduates with a firm understanding of an emerging discipline located at the intersection of information science, computer science, and healthcare. The focus will be on the resources, devices, and methods required to optimize the acquisition, storage, retrieval, and use of information in health and biomedicine. The program will explore a number of health informatics tools that include not only computers but also clinical guidelines, formal medical terminologies, and information and communication systems. Graduates will understand how health informatics applies to the areas of nursing, clinical care, dentistry, pharmacy, public health, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and biomedical research.
Program of Study
The program of study consists of eleven, three-credit hour on-line modules, for a total of 33 graduate credit hours. Each module is offered on-line in an eight-week format. Courses are offered sequentially, and learning is cumulative.
Admission Requirements
An applicant for the program must possess a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university and have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.00 on a grading scale of 4.00. Applicants falling below this level may submit other evidence of their ability to complete graduate work such as grades in other graduate level courses, scores on the Graduate Record Examination, and/or a record of progressively higher work responsibilities. A completed application, together with official transcripts of undergraduate and graduate work taken elsewhere, letters of recommendation, any required test scores, and other supporting documents, should be received at least ten days before the term in which the student wishes to begin graduate study. If an applicant does not have the necessary background in either healthcare or information technology, the student will be required to complete a foundational one-credit module in either or both areas (HINF 501 and/or HINF 502 ). Students may also opt to take an examination to place out of the one-credit modules. These modules are taken concurrently with the Introduction to Health Informatics HINF 520 ) course. International students, whose native language is not English, must demonstrate their proficiency in English by meeting the established graduate program criteria.
Scheduling
*May be required of students who fail the healthcare and/or technology placement exams