George Mason University MS in Health Informatics

George Mason University offers a CAHIIM-accredited Master of Science in Health Informatics through its College of Public Health, with an on-campus program in Fairfax and a separate fully online program. The degree combines health data, information systems, and public health coursework with five concentrations, and students finish with a capstone practicum or a master’s thesis.

Quick Facts

SchoolGeorge Mason University
LocationFairfax, Virginia
DegreeMaster of Science in Health Informatics (MSHI)
Credits30–36 credits (36 before course waivers)
FormatOn campus in Fairfax, or fully online with 8-week courses
Typical LengthAbout 2 years full time on campus; 2.5–3 years part time; about 2 years online
Estimated TuitionOn campus: about $20,010–$24,012 in state or $48,840–$58,608 out of state (2026–27). Online: about $28,800 for 36 credits
AdmissionsFall and spring starts; 3.25 GPA preferred; no GRE required
Completion OptionsCapstone practicum (6 credits) or master’s thesis (6 credits)
AccreditationCAHIIM (master’s level, campus and online)
Other Informatics DegreesPhD in Health Services Research, Knowledge Discovery and Health Informatics concentration

Program Overview

The George Mason University Master of Science in Health Informatics is housed in the Department of Health Administration, Policy, and Informatics in the College of Public Health. The program focuses on analyzing health data, managing health information systems, and supporting the use of electronic health records.

Mason runs two versions of the degree. The on-campus program is taught mainly at the Fairfax Campus, with some hybrid and online sections. The online MS in Health Informatics is a premium-priced program with courses taken one at a time. The curriculum is the same, but each format has its own application, and students enroll in only one.

The CAHIIM program directory lists the master’s degree as accredited, with campus and online delivery and a next review cycle of 2027–2028. The department reports that its CAHIIM accreditation has been reaffirmed through 2027.

Curriculum and Concentrations

According to the 2026–2027 university catalog, the degree requires 30–36 credits: 9–15 core credits, 15 concentration credits, and 6 credits for the practicum or thesis. The core covers computational tools, an introduction to health informatics, health care databases, health data vocabulary and standards, and foundations of public health.

Computational Tools in Health Informatics can be waived for students with strong computing skills, and Foundations of Public Health can be waived for graduates of a CEPH-accredited public health degree. No more than 6 credits can be waived, so every student completes at least 30 credits.

The catalog lists five concentrations:

  • Health Data Analytics: advanced statistics, data mining in health care, and causal artificial intelligence, plus two electives
  • Health Informatics Management: statistics in health services management, health IT project management, and health care security policy, plus two electives
  • Public Health Informatics: population health informatics, consumer health informatics, and advanced statistics, plus two electives
  • Quality Analytics: advanced statistics and statistical process control in health care, plus three electives
  • Artificial Intelligence in Health: ethics and regulation of AI and machine learning, AI in health, and data mining, plus two electives such as large language models in health care

The department states that Public Health Informatics and Quality Analytics are currently offered on campus only. The online course sequence includes only the Health Data Analytics and Health Informatics Management concentrations.

After coursework, and with advisor approval, students choose a capstone practicum or a thesis. Both take two semesters. The practicum includes a workshop course, a zero-credit pre-capstone, and a 3-credit capstone practicum. Per the health informatics FAQ, students find their own site, typically spend about 20 hours per week there, and finish with a comprehensive exam. The 6-credit thesis is aimed at students planning doctoral or research study.

Admissions Requirements

The MSHI admission requirements page asks for a bachelor’s degree in any major. Applicants are expected to have basic coursework in computer science, mathematics, and statistics, and those without it may be asked to take prerequisites. An undergraduate GPA of 3.25 is preferred. The GRE is not required.

Work experience is not required, but applicants with one year of experience in a health-related organization or in information technology are preferred. Application materials include:

  • The graduate application and nonrefundable fee ($75 for the online program)
  • A resume and transcripts, with evaluations for degrees earned outside the U.S.
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • An expanded goals statement that describes prior math and IT coursework or experience
  • English proficiency scores, if required

The College of Public Health deadlines page lists April 1 as the fall priority deadline and August 1 as the fall standard deadline. Spring deadlines are November 1 for the campus program and December 1 for the online program. The Mason Online page lists a 3.0 minimum GPA for the online program, with a GPA addendum essay for applicants below 3.0. Confirm current requirements and deadlines with the Department of Health Administration, Policy, and Informatics before applying.

Tuition, Fees, and Funding

Mason’s 2026–2027 tuition and fee rate sheet sets a College of Public Health graduate rate that is higher than the university’s standard graduate rate of $610 in state. The campus MSHI uses the college rate, and the online MSHI has its own flat rate for all students.

  • On campus, Virginia resident: $667 × 30 = $20,010; $667 × 36 = $24,012
  • On campus, nonresident: $1,628 × 30 = $48,840; $1,628 × 36 = $58,608
  • Online, any state: $800 × 36 = $28,800; $800 × 30 = $24,000 if two courses are waived

These totals cover tuition only. Campus students also pay a mandatory student fee of $169 per credit, which adds $5,070–$6,084. Online students pay a $35-per-credit distance learning fee instead, which adds $1,050–$1,260. The totals also exclude course fees, books, the application fee, and any rate changes after 2026–27.

Students can apply for loans and scholarships through Mason’s Office of Student Financial Aid. The Mason Online page says questions about grants, tuition waivers, and merit aid should go to the graduate department. The FAQ notes that some students work as graduate research or teaching assistants.

Campus and Online Formats and Time to Completion

Campus courses meet in the afternoons and evenings in Fairfax. The department estimates about 2 years for full-time students and 2.5–3 years for part-time students. Some courses run in summer, and students have up to six years to finish.

Online students take one 8-week course at a time in a fixed order, with fall and spring cohorts. Coursework is asynchronous, with optional live office hours. Mason Online estimates 22–28 months to finish. Students who pause may have to skip a full semester or more to rejoin the sequence, so the department advises planning any break with an advisor.

PhD in Health Services Research: Knowledge Discovery and Health Informatics

For doctoral study, the George Mason University PhD in Health Services Research offers a Knowledge Discovery and Health Informatics concentration. It focuses on machine learning, predictive analytics, and large-scale data modeling in clinical, administrative, and public health settings. The 72-credit program includes a 30-credit research methods core, 30 concentration credits, and a 12-credit dissertation sequence.

The PhD is a post-master’s program, and it has been CEPH-accredited since June 2025. It admits for fall only, with a January 15 priority funding deadline and an April 1 standard deadline. The 2026–27 rate sheet does not list the PhD separately, so the College of Public Health rate of $667 per credit in state and $1,628 out of state applies.

Career Preparation

The program lists roles such as health IT specialist, health data analyst, health care manager, and consultant. Graduates work in health care organizations, health IT firms, public health agencies, and government. The department notes that Health Data Analytics graduates often do analytics work, while Health Informatics Management graduates often lead IT projects.

For 2023–24, the department reported an 89.6% graduation rate within the average completion time and an average of 2.7 years to graduate. It also reported that 50.7% of graduates were employed or in further study within one year, and that 61.1% of survey respondents were satisfied. The MSHI has a STEM CIP code (51.2706), which matters for international students seeking OPT. The Health Informatics Management concentration does not make students eligible for the RHIA exam.

Career fit depends on each student’s prior technical, clinical, and management experience. The program does not promise a specific job, salary, or professional credential.

Who Is This Program For?

The Mason MSHI may fit clinicians, health administrators, and IT or data professionals who want a CAHIIM-accredited degree with a choice of concentration. Virginia residents near Fairfax get the lowest campus rate and access to all five concentrations. Working professionals elsewhere may prefer the online program’s fixed sequence of one course at a time.

Online students who want Public Health Informatics, Quality Analytics, or AI in Health should confirm availability, since the online sequence currently covers only two concentrations. Students seeking RHIA eligibility should compare CAHIIM-accredited health information management programs, and nonresidents should compare the campus rate with online alternatives.

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