The University of Washington offers two graduate paths in health informatics. The Master of Health Informatics and Health Information Management is a part-time, hybrid professional degree for working adults. The MS and PhD in Biomedical and Health Informatics are full-time, in-person research degrees. UW also offers an online MS in Clinical Informatics and Patient-Centered Technologies, covered in our UW clinical informatics profile.
- Master of Health Informatics and HIM: hybrid, part time, professional
- MS and PhD in Biomedical and Health Informatics: in person, full time, research
Master of Health Informatics and Health Information Management
The University of Washington offers a part-time Master of Health Informatics and Health Information Management that combines leadership training with health IT, data analytics, privacy, and information governance. Students take live classes in a flexible hybrid format and finish with a capstone project at a health care organization.
Quick Facts
| School | University of Washington, School of Public Health |
| Location | Seattle, Washington |
| Degree | Master of Health Informatics and Health Information Management (MHIHIM) |
| Credits | 54 quarter credits (18 courses, including a capstone) |
| Format | Hybrid-flexible: five Saturdays per quarter (in person or online) plus a weekly Thursday evening online session |
| Typical Length | 18 months (six consecutive quarters, part time) |
| Estimated Tuition | $53,460 in program fees at the 2026–27 rate of $990 per credit; same rate for residents and nonresidents |
| Admissions | Bachelor’s degree and 3.0 GPA; Autumn 2027 deadlines of December 1, 2026 (priority) and February 4, 2027 |
| Accreditation | CAHIIM (reaffirmed through 2027); School of Public Health accredited by CEPH |
| Other Informatics Degrees | UW also offers a separate MS and PhD in Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education and an online MS in Clinical Informatics |
Program Overview
The University of Washington Master of Health Informatics and Health Information Management is offered by the Department of Health Systems and Population Health in the UW School of Public Health, in partnership with UW Continuum College. The program launched in 2012 and is run as a self-sustaining, fee-based degree.
The program is aimed at working professionals who want to move into leadership roles that involve enterprise health information systems. UW says the curriculum is built around five areas: health information systems, health care data analytics, information governance, privacy and security, and health systems leadership. Courses are taught in partnership with faculty from UW’s Master of Health Administration program.
UW also offers a separate research-oriented MS and PhD in Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education, and an online MS in Clinical Informatics. Those programs have different goals and admissions, so applicants should confirm which degree fits their background before applying.
Curriculum and Capstone
According to the official courses and requirements page, students complete 18 required courses for a total of 54 credits. Every course carries 3 credits, and students move through a set sequence with their cohort, taking three courses each quarter. There are no electives or tracks.
The first year covers the foundations of the field:
- Autumn: Health Information Systems and Leadership; Introduction to Health Informatics; Organizational Behavior
- Winter: Enterprise Systems and Electronic Health Records; Health Data Analytics; Clinical Vocabularies and Terminologies
- Spring: Law, Policy, and Ethics in Health Information; Health Care Privacy and Security in the e-Environment; Project Management
The second year continues through summer and moves into applied and management topics:
- Summer: Health Care Databases and Applications; Health Care Information Governance; Epidemiology/Critical Evidence Appraisal
- Autumn: Consumer Health Informatics; Health Care Business Intelligence; Performance Management in Health Informatics
- Winter: Health Care Quality and Technology; Capstone Project; Strategic Management of Health Care Organizations
The capstone project asks students to apply technical and management skills to a real health informatics or health information management problem at a health care or community organization. Past examples listed by UW include an electronic medication administration record implementation, a HITRUST compliance evaluation, guidelines for using Bulk FHIR, and dashboards and program evaluations for the Washington State Department of Health.
Admissions Requirements
Applicants need a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an international equivalent. UW prefers degrees in business, information technology, health informatics, health information management, or a health-related field, but it also considers applicants with other degrees and relevant work experience.
The minimum GPA is 3.0, measured either for the degree-granting institution or for the last 90 graded quarter credits (60 semester credits). The admissions page does not list specific prerequisite courses, such as statistics, anatomy, or medical terminology, and it does not set a minimum number of years of work experience. It does say the program is designed for professionals working in health care, as well as IT and business professionals moving into health care.
The application is submitted through the UW Graduate School and includes:
- Unofficial transcripts and a resume or CV
- Four short statements (about 250 words each): academic history, statement of interest, personal history, and teams experience
- Three letters of recommendation, with professional references preferred
- A $90 application fee, or an approved fee waiver
- English proficiency scores when required; GRE scores are optional
For the Autumn 2027 cohort, the application opened September 1, 2026. The priority deadline is December 1, 2026, and the general deadline is February 4, 2027, with decisions sent within about six weeks. Space-available applications may be accepted later. Because the program is part time, international students who need F-1 or J-1 visa status are not eligible. Applicants should confirm current requirements with the UW MHIHIM admissions team before applying.
Tuition, Fees, and Funding
Because the MHIHIM is fee-based, it charges the same per-credit rate to Washington residents and nonresidents. The program’s cost and aid page lists $990 per credit for Autumn 2026 through Spring 2027. At that rate, 54 credits × $990 = $53,460 in program fees.
Students also pay required quarterly fees. The UW fee-based degree fee schedule for 2026–27 lists $458 per quarter for a Seattle graduate student taking 9 credits, made up of a technology fee, a services and activities fee, a U-PASS transit fee, and a $55 registration fee. Over six quarters, that adds about 6 × $458 = $2,748, for an estimated total of about $56,208.
This estimate excludes textbooks and course materials, the application fee, travel to Seattle, and rate increases. UW says program fees and other fees are expected to rise each year, so a student who starts in Autumn 2027 will likely pay more than the 2026–27 rate. Fee-based students are not eligible for the Washington State Employee Tuition Exemption Program.
Program scholarships include the HSEED Award (up to $5,000 for one incoming student), the Gretchen C. Murphy Award for second-year students (up to $1,250), and the Lakhdhir Family Award ($4,000). The program also points students to scholarships from the Washington State Health Information Management Association and Washington HIMSS.
Hybrid Format and Time to Completion
Some older UW listings describe a monthly Thursday–Saturday weekend schedule. The program’s own hybrid format page says that starting with the Autumn 2026 cohort, the schedule changed. Students now meet five Saturdays per quarter, about every other Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. Pacific time. They also attend a weekly online session on Thursdays from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Pacific time.
Saturday classes use a HyFlex model. For each session, students can attend in person on the Seattle campus or join live online, taught by the same instructor at the same time. UW does not list any required on-campus sessions. It does say that “a few highly recommended in-person sessions” are held in Seattle, so students outside the region should ask about those dates. All instruction is live, and there are no self-paced courses.
The degree takes 18 months, or six consecutive quarters including summer. Students start in September and finish at the end of winter quarter in their second year of study. The program does not publish a slower or faster track.
Career Preparation
The curriculum prepares students for roles in health information management, clinical and applied informatics, data analytics, privacy and compliance, and health IT project leadership. UW’s careers page lists alumni positions such as senior clinical informatics analyst, business data analyst, supervisor of health information integrity, and director of information security. The program also brings Seattle-area industry professionals into class as guest speakers.
UW’s master’s program pages do not say that graduates can sit for the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) exam. CAHIIM lists the master’s program under health informatics, and AHIMA currently accepts only CAHIIM-accredited health information management programs for RHIA eligibility. Students who want the RHIA should confirm eligibility with the program. UW separately offers RHIA-qualifying coursework through its bachelor’s-level HIHIM program.
Career fit depends on each student’s prior health care, technical, or management experience. The program does not promise a specific job title, salary, or professional credential.
Who Is This Program For?
The UW MHIHIM may fit working professionals who want a leadership-focused degree that covers both health informatics and health information management. It may suit applicants in the Puget Sound area who want to attend some classes in person, and remote students who can join live Saturday and Thursday evening sessions on Pacific time.
Students who need self-paced online courses, a research or thesis track, or programming-heavy training should compare other options, including UW’s biomedical informatics and clinical informatics degrees. International students who need an F-1 or J-1 visa are not eligible. Applicants whose main goal is RHIA certification should confirm eligibility first.
MS and PhD in Biomedical and Health Informatics
The University of Washington offers research-focused MS and PhD programs in Biomedical and Health Informatics through the School of Medicine’s Department of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education (BIME). Both degrees are in person at the Seattle campus and share one core curriculum, with the MS ending in a thesis and the PhD in a dissertation.
Quick Facts
| School | University of Washington, School of Medicine (Department of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education) |
| Location | Seattle, Washington |
| Degree | MS and PhD in Biomedical and Health Informatics |
| Credits | MS: at least 60 quarter credits; PhD: at least 90 quarter credits |
| Format | In person, research focused |
| Typical Length | MS: about 2 years; PhD: about 4 years |
| Estimated Tuition | MS: about $41,406 resident or $72,408 nonresident for six full-time quarters at 2026–27 rates; most PhD students are funded through assistantships |
| Admissions | Bachelor’s degree, 3.0 GPA, math, programming, and biology prerequisites; GRE optional |
| Completion Options | MS thesis and defense; PhD dissertation and defense |
| Admissions Status | Fall 2027 application opens November 1, 2026 and closes December 1, 2026 |
| Other Informatics Degrees | Optional Data Science and Advanced Data Science specializations |
Program Overview
The University of Washington MS in Biomedical and Health Informatics and the University of Washington PhD in Biomedical and Health Informatics are offered by BIME in the School of Medicine. Both programs aim to train researchers who advance the science of biomedical and health informatics.
BIME describes the programs as multidisciplinary. Subareas include clinical informatics, translational bioinformatics, public health informatics, and consumer health informatics. Students come from biology and health sciences, computer and information science, engineering, and clinical or public health practice.
Research starts in the first quarter. Students work with an academic advisor, a research rotation advisor, or a research assistantship supervisor. The PhD emphasizes the science of informatics rather than computer implementation or technology transfer of known methods.
Curriculum and Specializations
MS and PhD students complete the same core requirements, listed on the BHI curriculum page. The six core courses total 26 credits, are offered once a year, and must each be passed with a grade of at least 2.7:
- BIME 534 Informatics for Biology and Translational Science (5 credits, autumn)
- BIME 543 Consumer and Clinical Informatics (4 credits, autumn)
- BIME 537 Informatics Research and Evaluation Methods (4 credits, winter)
- BIME 550 AI and Large Language Models for Biomedical Applications (5 credits, winter)
- BIME 533 Public Health and Clinical Informatics (4 credits, spring)
- BIME 554 Biomedical Information Interactions and Design (4 credits, spring)
All students also take three 1-credit professionalism and communication seminars (BIME 585–587) in their first year. MS students complete 6 research seminar credits, and PhD students complete 12. Electives come from BIME and other UW units, such as biostatistics, computer science, and health services.
MS requirements. The MS requires at least 60 credits, including 9 thesis credits (BIME 700) over at least two quarters. Students need a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 and must write and defend a thesis before a supervisory committee chaired by a BHI core faculty member.
PhD requirements. The PhD requires at least 90 credits. Of these, 60 must be completed before the General Examination, and 27 must be dissertation credits (BIME 800) over at least three quarters. PhD students pass a qualifying exam after the core courses, then the General Exam, then a dissertation defense. Up to 30 credits from an appropriate master’s degree may transfer with program approval.
Data science specializations. The UW General Catalog lists Data Science and Advanced Data Science options for both degrees. The Data Science Specialization uses electives in software development, statistics or machine learning, and data management or visualization, plus eScience seminars. The advanced option is intended for students with a strong computer science background.
Admissions Requirements
BIME’s admission requirements apply to both degrees. No specific undergraduate major is required. Applicants need a bachelor’s degree and a GPA of at least 3.0 for the last 90 graded quarter credits or 60 graded semester credits.
Prerequisite coursework must include one advanced math course (calculus or above, or statistics or biostatistics), two computer programming courses, and one biology course. SQL and other query languages do not count as programming. Missing prerequisites may be completed after applying but before enrollment, and work experience does not substitute for coursework.
The application goes through the UW Graduate School with a $90 fee. It includes a CV, unofficial transcripts, a prerequisite list, three letters of recommendation, and a personal statement on background, research interests, faculty fit, and career goals. GRE, GMAT, MCAT, or DAT scores are optional for Fall 2027. International applicants who need an English test must submit the TOEFL, since BIME does not accept IELTS or Duolingo.
Admission is for autumn quarter only. The Fall 2027 cycle opens November 1, 2026 and closes December 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific. According to the program FAQ, selected applicants are interviewed in late January, and admitted students hear in February. Confirm current requirements with BIME before applying.
Tuition, Fees, and Funding
BIME’s funding and tuition page places MS students in Graduate Tier II and PhD students in Graduate Tier I. UW charges a flat full-time rate for graduate students taking 7–18 credits per quarter.
For 2026–27, the UW Seattle quarterly tuition schedule lists Tier II tuition and required fees of $6,901 per quarter for Washington residents and $12,068 for nonresidents. Over six full-time quarters, that is $6,901 × 6 = $41,406 for residents and $12,068 × 6 = $72,408 for nonresidents.
Tier I tuition and fees for PhD students are $6,337 per quarter for residents and $11,104 for nonresidents. The annual schedule lists $19,011 and $33,312 for three quarters. These figures use 2026–27 rates. Students entering in Fall 2027 will pay later rates that have not yet been published.
The estimates exclude the $81 quarterly U-PASS fee, the application fee, summer quarters, credits above 18 in a quarter, health insurance, books, housing, and living costs.
BIME does not guarantee funding with admission, and funding decisions are separate from admission decisions. Most students are funded through research assistantships, which provide tuition coverage, a stipend, and health benefits. BIME does not offer teaching assistantships, though TA positions may exist in other UW departments.
A National Library of Medicine training grant supports a small number of PhD students for up to three years with tuition, a stipend, health insurance, and conference travel. It requires full-time enrollment and U.S. citizenship or permanent residency. BIME states that it offers no guaranteed funding for international students.
In-Person Format and Time to Completion
BIME describes both programs as fully residential at the Seattle campus, with no online option. Core courses meet in the morning or afternoon, usually twice a week for about 1.5–2 hours. The FAQ says working full time during the MS is possible for students with flexible schedules.
MS students typically finish in two years. With prior approval, an MS student may study part time and is expected to finish within three years. The MS must be completed within six years and the PhD within ten years, including leave. PhD students typically finish in about four years.
Research Areas and Career Preparation
PhD research centers on biomedical data and knowledge representation, knowledge and information retrieval, and information and technology use. Students may work with faculty outside BIME and take electives in departments such as Computer Science and Engineering. The FAQ describes bioinformatics in the program as translational, focused on improving health care.
BIME reports that most graduates work in academic or research settings in universities, health care, government, and industry. PhD graduates have become faculty members and research scientists. MS graduates have worked as project managers and informatics specialists at pharmaceutical companies, technology firms, healthcare organizations, foundations, and medical centers.
Career fit depends on each student’s prior clinical, technical, or research experience. The program does not promise a specific job title, salary, or professional credential.
Who Is This Program For?
UW’s programs may fit students who want to do original informatics research in Seattle, have programming and quantitative preparation, and are interested in clinical, translational, public health, or consumer health informatics. The PhD may suit applicants aiming for faculty or research scientist roles who want to pursue assistantship funding.
Students who need an online or course-based professional degree should compare other options. At UW, BIME points clinicians to the online MS in Clinical Informatics and Patient-Centered Technologies. It also points working professionals to the School of Public Health’s hybrid Master of Health Informatics and Health Information Management.
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