McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics • Houston, TX • Online or Campus • $260/Credit In-State (2026-27)
UTHealth Houston offers 4 Health Informatics programs:
- MS in Biomedical Informatics, Applied Track
- MS in Biomedical Informatics, Research Track
- Graduate Certificates in Biomedical Informatics
- PhD in Biomedical Informatics
Program Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS, Applied Track | $10.1K in-state; $43.5K out-of-state | About 2 years | 39 |
| MS, Research Track | $10.1K in-state; $43.5K out-of-state | About 2 years | 39 |
| Graduate Certificates | About $3.9K in-state (15 credits) | About 1 year | 15 to 16 |
| PhD in Biomedical Informatics | Not clearly stated | 4 to 5 years | 93 |
UTHealth Houston’s applied biomedical informatics master’s, CAHIIM-accredited since 2019, can be completed fully online and includes a required practicum. Texas residents pay $260 per credit in tuition, so the 39-credit degree costs about $10,000 before online and term fees.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | Master’s (applied or research), certificates, PhD, and a Doctor of Health Informatics |
| Format | Master’s and certificates fully online or on campus; PhD on campus |
| Practicum Hours | Required 3-credit practicum (BMI 6000); hours Not clearly stated |
| RN License Required | No |
| Who It’s For | Students who want an accredited informatics master’s from a health science center at in-state public tuition |
| Distinctive Coursework | Workflow process modeling, health information visualization, change management, pharmacy informatics |
| Certification Pathway | CAHIIM accreditation (applied master’s); HIMSS Approved Education Partner |
| Tuition | $260 per credit Texas resident, $1,116 nonresident, plus $125 per credit for web courses (2026-27) |
| Accreditation | CAHIIM (MS in Biomedical Informatics); SACSCOC institutional |
MS in Biomedical Informatics, Applied Track
The estimated tuition for the MS in Biomedical Informatics, Applied Track at UTHealth Houston is approximately $10,140 for Texas residents (39 credits at $260/credit), or $43,524 for nonresidents, before the $125 per-credit web course fee.
UTHealth Houston lists the master’s at about 2 years full time.
Applied Track Curriculum
Twelve required 3-credit courses and one elective.
- BMI 5300 Introduction to Biomedical Informatics; BMI 5301 The U.S. Healthcare System
- BMI 5305 Legal and Ethical Aspects of Health Informatics
- BMI 5313 Foundations of Electronic Health Records and Clinical Information Systems
- BMI 5315 Quality and Outcome Improvement, or BMI 5390 Methods in Pharmacy Informatics
- BMI 5317 Applied Data Management; BMI 5328 System Analysis and Project Management
- BMI 5329 Workflow Process Modeling; BMI 5371 Business and Technical Communication
- BMI 6316 Change Management; BMI 6340 Health Information Visualization and Visual Analytics
- BMI 6000 Practicum in Biomedical Informatics
You Should Know
- Fall, spring, and summer starts, with deadlines of July 1, November 1, and March 1.
- The GRE is required only for the PhD.
Applied Track Practicum and Capstone
- BMI 6000 Practicum (3 credits).
MS in Biomedical Informatics, Research Track
The estimated tuition for the Research Track at UTHealth Houston is approximately $10,140 for Texas residents, or $43,524 for nonresidents, for 39 credits.
Research Track Curriculum
- Seven required courses, including BMI 5300, 5310, 5311, 5351, 5352, 6313, and the BMI 6000 practicum, plus six research-concentration electives.
Graduate Certificates
The estimated tuition for UTHealth Houston’s 15-credit certificates is approximately $3,900 for Texas residents, before web course fees.
Certificate Curriculum
- Fully online certificates in Applied Biomedical Informatics, Biomedical Informatics, Health Data Science and AI, Pharmacy Informatics, Public Health Informatics (16 credits), and Dental Informatics.
PhD in Biomedical Informatics
The estimated tuition for the PhD in Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth Houston is Not clearly stated.
PhD Curriculum
- 93 credits, including a 9-credit preceptorship, 21 credits of research, and a 9-credit dissertation.
Tuition
UTHealth Houston charges $260 per credit for Texas residents and $1,116 for nonresidents at its biomedical informatics school in 2026-27, plus $125 per credit for web courses and a $275 technology fee each semester.
| Residency | Tuition (39 credits) | With Web Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | $10,140 | $15,015 |
| Nonresident | $43,524 | $48,399 |
- Rates come from UTHealth Houston’s bursar tuition page.
Be aware that:
- ⚠️ UTHealth Houston’s accreditation page names the MS in Biomedical Informatics without saying whether both tracks are covered; CAHIIM’s 2019 action was for the applied master’s.
Online students should budget for the $125 per-credit web fee, which adds about $4,900.
Why Choose This Health Informatics Program?
A pathway choice between applied and research master’s tracks, with certificates that stack.
Choosing a pathway. The applied track suits students heading into EHR, workflow, and analytics roles; the research track suits those planning a PhD; certificates suit professionals who want a single focus such as pharmacy or public health informatics.
The trade-offs. Nonresidents pay more than four times the Texas rate, and practicum hours are not published.
Accreditation
CAHIIM granted initial accreditation to UTHealth Houston’s applied master’s in April 2019, and CAHIIM’s directory lists its master’s and doctoral health informatics programs as active.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Check the AMIA Health Informatics Certification eligibility rules for how a CAHIIM-accredited informatics master’s counts toward the AHIC.
Compare More Health Informatics Programs
See all Texas health informatics programs, browse the health informatics master’s directory, or read the health informatics degree guide.