Department of Health Services Administration, School of Health Professions • Birmingham, AL • Mostly Online • $682–$702/Credit
University of Alabama at Birmingham offers 4 Health Informatics programs:
- MS in Health Informatics
- Graduate Certificate in Clinical Informatics
- Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence in Health Services
- PhD in Biomedical and Health Informatics
Program Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS in Health Informatics | $32.2K (all residencies) | 2 years (6 terms) | 45 |
| Graduate Certificate in Clinical Informatics | $10.5K | 2 terms | 15 |
| Graduate Certificate in AI in Health Services | Not clearly stated | Not clearly stated | 15 |
| PhD in Biomedical and Health Informatics | Not clearly stated | Not clearly stated | 74 |
UAB’s CAHIIM-accredited master’s runs as a fixed online cohort that meets on campus in Birmingham twice a year. In year two, students pick one of four tracks, including a Healthcare AI track taught with the medical school, and finish with a three-part capstone instead of a practicum.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MS, two graduate certificates, PhD |
| Format | MS: online with two mandatory campus visits a year; certificates: fully online |
| Practicum Hours | None required; three-course capstone in year two |
| RN License Required | No |
| Who It’s For | Working professionals with some statistics and SQL who want a structured cohort |
| Distinctive Coursework | Systems analysis and design, databases, security, plus analytics, UX, AI, or research tracks |
| Certification Pathway | MS fits AMIA AHIC Track 1 with work experience |
| Tuition | One rate for Alabama and out-of-state students; $682–$702 per credit on undated flyers |
| Accreditation | MS: CAHIIM, next review 2028-29; SACSCOC institutional |
| Start Term | MS and certificates: fall only; May 31 deadline |
| Prerequisites | Statistics (B or better, within 5 years) and SQL |
MS in Health Informatics
The estimated tuition for the MS in Health Informatics at University of Alabama at Birmingham is approximately $32,190 (45 credits, per UAB’s program tuition flyer).
The program can generally be completed in about 24 months.
MS Curriculum
Year one is a shared core in systems, databases, security, and research methods. Year two is a track of about 19 credits: Data Analytics, User Experience, Artificial Intelligence (with the Heersink School of Medicine), or Research.
- HI 611 Introduction to Health Informatics and Healthcare Delivery (4)
- HI 613 Analysis and Design of Health Information Systems (4)
- HI 614 Clinical and Administrative Systems (3)
- HI 617 Principles in Health Informatics (3)
- HI 618 Research Methods (3)
- HI 619 Databases and Data Modeling (3)
- HI 620 Security and Privacy (3)
- HI 621 Strategic Planning, Project Management, and Contracting (3)
- HI 624 Leadership (2)
- Track courses, e.g. HI 641–646 analytics or HCI 611–614 AI courses (12–13)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- Courses are asynchronous and synchronous, usually one evening a week per course.
- The program page’s year-one courses (26 credits) plus a year-two track (19 credits) reconcile to the catalog’s 45.
- The Research track uses INFO 696 and 697 from the Department of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science.
MS Practicum and Capstone
- No practicum is required. HI 690 Internship exists as an option.
- Every track ends in a three-course capstone sequence across year two (for example HI 671, 673, and 675; 1, 1, and 3 credits).
- The capstone is “a focused investigation of a health informatics problem in a real-world setting,” moving from project selection to proposal to execution, with a paper and presentation.
- Hours and how project sites are found are Not clearly stated.
The capstone builds applied work into the degree, but it is not a supervised placement. Students without health care or IT jobs should consider the optional internship to gain documented experience.
MS Admissions
Applicants need statistics and SQL before starting, though no health care or IT experience is required.
- Bachelor’s degree with a 3.0 GPA (overall or last 60 hours).
- Three credits of statistics within five years, with a B or better.
- SQL coursework or equivalent experience.
- Two letters, personal statement, resume, and interview. No GRE.
- No RN license or health care experience required.
- Fall start only. Applications open August 1 and close May 31; March 1 for early consideration.
You Should Know
- The two campus visits each year, in fall and spring, are mandatory under the 2026-27 handbook. The 2026-27 dates are August 19–21, 2026 and January 13–15, 2027.
Graduate Certificate in Clinical Informatics
The estimated tuition for the Graduate Certificate in Clinical Informatics at University of Alabama at Birmingham is approximately $10,530 (15 credits at $702/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about two terms.
Clinical Certificate Curriculum
All four courses come from the MS core and are delivered completely online.
- HI 611 Introduction to Health Informatics and Healthcare Delivery (4)
- HI 613 Analysis and Design of Health Information Systems (4)
- HI 614 Clinical and Administrative Systems (3)
- HI 617 Principles in Health Informatics (3)
You Should Know
- ⚠️ The catalog lists 15 credits, but these four courses sum to 14. The certificate flyer bills 15 credits ($10,530).
- Despite its name, the certificate is in the School of Health Professions, open to non-clinicians, and does not lead to physician board certification.
- Fall entry only, with a May 31 deadline.
Graduate Certificate in AI in Health Services
The estimated tuition for the Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence in Health Services at University of Alabama at Birmingham is Not clearly stated (15 credits; no certificate-specific rate published).
The program can be taken completely online; its length is not published.
AI Certificate Curriculum
- HI 633, HI 634, HI 635, and HI 636 artificial intelligence courses (3 each)
- HI 620 Security and Privacy (3)
You Should Know
- UAB says the credits can stack toward an interdisciplinary master’s. Fall entry, May 31 deadline.
PhD in Biomedical and Health Informatics
The estimated tuition for the PhD in Biomedical and Health Informatics at University of Alabama at Birmingham is Not clearly stated (74 credits; funding not published).
The program’s length is not published.
PhD Curriculum
The PhD is run by the Heersink School of Medicine’s Department of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science and was announced in April 2025.
- 18 core credits
- 20 credits in one track: translational bioinformatics, clinical and health informatics, or AI in medicine
- 12 elective credits
- INFO 799 Dissertation research (24)
You Should Know
- The department lists a domestic application deadline of August 1, 2026. Format, funding, stipends, and the first cohort term are Not clearly stated.
Tuition
UAB charges the MS the same rate for Alabama and out-of-state students. Its program flyer lists $682 per credit and a two-year total of $32,190; the certificate flyer lists $702 per credit.
| Program | Year 1 | Year 2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS in Health Informatics | $18,482 | $13,708 | $32,190 |
| Clinical Informatics certificate | $5,616 fall + $4,914 spring | None | $10,530 |
- Totals come from UAB’s MSHI tuition flyer and certificate flyer.
- $682 times 45 credits is $30,690, so the flyer’s $32,190 total likely includes fees.
Be aware that:
- Neither flyer is dated, and the two list different per-credit rates ($682 and $702). UAB’s 2026-27 tuition page could not be read.
- Travel and lodging for four campus visits are extra.
- PhD funding is not published.
At about $32,000 for any student, the MS costs the same whether you live in Alabama or not. Out-of-state students should add travel for the twice-yearly visits to Birmingham.
Why Choose This Health Informatics Program?
The ideal student has some statistics and SQL, wants a cohort, and can travel to Birmingham twice a year.
Structure. A fixed fall start, a set sequence, and in-person visits keep students moving through the program with the same classmates. The year-two tracks let students specialize in analytics, user experience, AI, or research.
The trade-offs. There is no required practicum, the visits are mandatory, and the prerequisites screen out students starting with no technical background. Students who need flexible starts will have to wait for fall.
Growth path. The new PhD gives strong MS students a route into research, and the AI certificate adds a shorter technical credential.
Accreditation
The MS in Health Informatics is accredited by CAHIIM, and the CAHIIM directory lists the next review in 2028-29. The certificates and PhD are not separately accredited.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
A master’s in health informatics fits Track 1 of the AMIA Health Informatics Certification, which also requires informatics work experience. The MS does not lead to the RHIA, which requires a CAHIIM-accredited HIM program.
Other Health Informatics Schools
See all Alabama health informatics programs, browse the health informatics school directory, or read the health informatics degree guide.