College of Computing; School of Interdisciplinary Health • Grand Rapids, MI • Online • $900/Credit
Grand Valley State University offers 3 Health Informatics programs:
- MS (Health Informatics and Bioinformatics)
- Graduate Certificate
- BS in Health Information Management
Program Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS in Health Informatics and Bioinformatics | $32.4K (all residencies) | 2 years (4 semesters) | 36 |
| Interprofessional Health Informatics Graduate Certificate | $7.7K | 2–4 semesters | 9 |
| BS in Health Information Management | $727/credit upper division (Michigan resident) | About 2 years in the professional program | 129 |
Grand Valley’s master’s is a Professional Science Master’s, so a supervised internship at a sponsoring employer is part of the degree rather than an add-on. Students choose a health informatics or bioinformatics track, and classes run online, hybrid, or in late-afternoon and evening sessions in downtown Grand Rapids.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MS (PSM), Graduate Certificate, BS in Health Information Management |
| Format | MS: online, hybrid, or evening classes in Grand Rapids; BS: HIM courses fully online |
| Practicum Hours | MS: required internship (3 credits); BS: 11-credit field practicum |
| Practicum Placement | MS: approved mentor at a sponsoring employer; who arranges it is not stated |
| RN License Required | No |
| Who It’s For | Working professionals in Grand Rapids’ health and life sciences sector |
| Distinctive Coursework | Data mining, data engineering, visualization, clinical information systems, machine learning |
| Certification Pathway | MS fits AMIA AHIC Track 1; BS leads to RHIA eligibility |
| Tuition | MS $900 per credit, same for all residencies (2026-27) |
| Accreditation | BS HIM CAHIIM-accredited through 2033; MS not CAHIIM; HLC institutional |
| Start Terms | MS: fall or winter, rolling admission |
MS in Health Informatics and Bioinformatics
The estimated tuition for the MS in Health Informatics and Bioinformatics at Grand Valley State University is approximately $32,400 (36 credits at $900/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about two years at 9 credits per semester.
MS Curriculum
The core pairs data courses from the College of Computing with Professional Science Master’s courses in ethics and professional practice. The health informatics track adds clinical information systems; the bioinformatics track adds machine learning.
- CIS 661 Introduction to Health and Bioinformatics (3)
- PSM 650 Ethics and Professionalism in Applied Science (3)
- PSM 662 Seminar in Professional Science Practice (3)
- CMB 501 Scientific Communication or CMB 610 Foundations of Biotechnology (3)
- STA 610 Applied Statistics for Health Professions or STA 622 Statistical Methods for Biologists (3)
- CIS 635 Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining, CIS 660 Data Engineering, CIS 671 Information Visualization (3 each)
- Health informatics track: CIS 665 Clinical Information Systems plus one elective, e.g., CIS 662 Privacy and Security in Health Care or AI 588 Introduction to AI and Healthcare (6)
- Bioinformatics track: CIS 678 Machine Learning plus one elective (6)
- CIS 691 Health Informatics and Bioinformatics Capstone (3)
- PSM 691 Internship (3)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The catalog’s department page says at least four internship credits are required, while the program requirements list a 3-credit internship. Four credits would bring the total to 37.
- The plan-of-study PDF lists fewer health informatics electives than the catalog; the catalog list is used here.
MS Practicum and Capstone
- PSM 691 Internship: on-the-job work at a sponsoring organization under an approved mentor; offered every semester; full-time or part-time.
- PSM 691 is a 1–9 credit course; the degree requires 3 (or 4, see above).
- CIS 691 Capstone (3) completes the degree. No thesis option is listed.
- Clock hours and who finds the placement are not clearly stated.
A required internship gives graduates documented work experience, which matters for students coming from outside health care. Students already working in a health system may be able to complete it with their employer if a mentor is approved, but the rules for that are not published.
MS Admissions
Applicants are expected to bring at least one technical skill and some health or biology knowledge.
- Bachelor’s degree; 3.0 GPA (below 3.0 considered with experience or other evidence).
- No GRE.
- Expected background: a technical skill such as programming or databases, plus basic health care or life science knowledge; prerequisite courses may be assigned.
- Two recommendations, personal statement, resume; $30 application fee.
- Rolling admission. Domestic deadlines July 1 (fall) and December 1 (winter); international May 1 and October 15.
- RN license: not required.
Interprofessional Health Informatics Graduate Certificate
The estimated tuition for the Interprofessional Health Informatics Graduate Certificate at Grand Valley State University is approximately $7,731 (9 credits at $859/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about two to four semesters.
Graduate Certificate Curriculum
Run by the Kirkhof College of Nursing, the certificate mixes nursing and computing courses in a hybrid format with in-person classes at the Grand Rapids health campus.
- One of: CIS 661 Introduction to Health and Bioinformatics, CIS 665 Clinical Information Systems, or NUR 703 Health Care Informatics (3)
- Two of: CIS 635 Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining, CIS 660, NUR 705 Health Care Decision Support, NUR 706 Telehealth, PHN 646 Managerial Epidemiology (6)
You Should Know
- Applicants without health care experience must first take a 3-credit health administration course, outside the 9 credits.
- Whether certificate credits transfer into the MS is not clearly stated, though several courses overlap.
Graduate Certificate Admissions
- Bachelor’s degree in a health profession, health administration, or computing; goal statement and resume.
- Fall cohort; applications accepted year-round.
BS in Health Information Management
The estimated tuition for the BS in Health Information Management at Grand Valley State University is $727 per upper-division credit for Michigan residents; a full-program total is not published.
The program can generally be completed in about two years after admission to the professional program.
BS Curriculum and Practicum
- 129 total credits, including a required minor in computer information systems.
- All HIM and CIS courses are fully online.
- Coding (ICD and CPT), health care law, reimbursement, quality management, and data systems.
- HIM 495 Field Practicum in Health Information Management (11 credits) in the final winter semester.
- Secondary admission program; applications due March 1.
You Should Know
- The catalog’s listed major and minor courses add up to more than its stated 76-credit major and minor total; confirm the plan with an advisor.
- Practicum hours and nonresident tuition are not clearly stated.
Tuition
Grand Valley charges $900 per credit for the MS and $859 per credit for the certificate, with no residency difference and no online surcharge.
| Program (2026-27) | Rate | Credits | Estimated Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS in Health Informatics and Bioinformatics | $900/credit | 36 | $32,400 |
| Interprofessional Health Informatics Certificate | $859/credit | 9 | $7,731 |
| BS in HIM (Michigan resident) | $692 lower / $727 upper division per credit | 129 | Not published |
- Rates from Grand Valley’s 2026-27 tuition and fees table.
Be aware that:
- Some courses carry per-credit or per-course surcharges that are not included here.
- If four internship credits are required, the MS rises to 37 credits, or $33,300.
- Certificate students pay $859 per credit for some of the same CIS courses MS students take at $900.
At $900 per credit for every state, the MS is priced well for out-of-state students who can study online.
Why Choose This Health Informatics Program?
Built for students who want a data-heavy master’s with real workplace experience written into the requirements.
The trade-off. The internship and professional seminar add structure and experience, but they also add scheduling demands that a coursework-only program avoids. Students who cannot fit a supervised work placement should weigh that before applying.
Two tracks in one degree. The health informatics track leans toward clinical systems; the bioinformatics track leans toward genomics and machine learning. The shared data core means students can lean either way.
The HIM alternative. Students aiming for coding, compliance, and RHIA should look at the CAHIIM-accredited BS instead; the MS does not lead to RHIA.
Accreditation
The BS in Health Information Management is accredited by CAHIIM, reaffirmed through 2033. The MS and the certificate make no CAHIIM claim, and none is assumed here.
Grand Valley State University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
The MS fits Track 1 of the AMIA Health Informatics Certification, which also requires 4 years of informatics work in the past 6 at 50% or more of work time. Graduates of a CAHIIM-accredited HIM bachelor’s are eligible for AHIMA’s RHIA exam.
Explore Michigan Health Informatics Programs
See all Michigan health informatics programs, browse the health informatics school directory, or read the health informatics degree guide.