School of Information, College of Sciences and Humanities • Kent, OH • Online • $829–$839/Credit
Kent State University offers 2 Health Informatics programs:
- MS
- Graduate Certificate
Program Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS in Health Informatics | $29.8K Ohio / $30.2K non-Ohio | 2 years (6 semesters) | 36 |
| Health Informatics Graduate Certificate | $14.9K Ohio / $15.1K non-Ohio | Not clearly stated | 18 |
Kent State’s MS ends with a substantial culminating experience: an internship, project, or research paper logged at 150 or more hours, written up in a 30–50 page paper, and done wherever the student lives. Both the MS and the certificate are CAHIIM-accredited, and up to 12 certificate credits carry into the degree.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | MS in Health Informatics, Graduate Certificate |
| Format | Online, 7-week courses; no campus visits stated |
| Practicum Hours | At least 150 logged hours in the culminating experience |
| Practicum Placement | Arranged where the student lives, with a preceptor; allow up to two months |
| RN License Required | No; no work experience required |
| Who It’s For | Career changers wanting documented applied experience from an accredited online program |
| Distinctive Coursework | Clinical analytics, records management, standardized terminologies, human factors and usability |
| Certification Pathway | MS fits AMIA AHIC Track 1 with work experience |
| Tuition | $829 per credit, plus $10 for non-Ohio residents (2026-27) |
| Accreditation | CAHIIM (MS and certificate) through 2030; HLC institutional |
| Start Terms | Fall, spring, and summer |
MS in Health Informatics
The estimated tuition for the MS in Health Informatics at Kent State University is approximately $29,844 for Ohio residents or $30,204 for nonresidents (36 credits at $829 or $839/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about two years.
MS Curriculum
Seven required courses cover management, law, systems, records, analytics, usability, and terminologies. Electives can come from knowledge management, library science, and user experience, or any graduate health informatics course.
- HI 60401 Health Informatics Management
- HI 60402 Legal Issues in Health Informatics
- HI 60403 Health Information Systems
- HI 60410 Health Records Management
- HI 60411 Clinical Analytics
- HI 60414 Human Factors and Usability in Health Informatics
- HI 60636 Standardized Terminologies in Healthcare
- Electives: 12 credits (9 on the thesis path), e.g., UX 60511, KM 60301, or HI electives such as clinical decision support
- Culminating course: internship, project, research paper, or thesis (3–6)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The 36 credits are a minimum. A non-thesis student who takes a 6-credit internship plus 12 elective credits would reach 39.
- Credits for each required course are not listed individually; 21 credits across seven courses implies 3 each.
MS Practicum and Capstone
- Choose HI 66092 Master’s Internship (3–6), HI 66099 Master’s Project, HI 66198 Master’s Research Paper, or HI 66199 Thesis I.
- Internships, projects, and research papers each require a log of at least 150 hours and a 30–50 page summary paper.
- Taken after at least 30 program hours; notify the advisor the semester before.
- Each has a preceptor, sometimes an on-site preceptor plus a faculty supervisor.
- It does not have to be completed at Kent; out-of-town arrangements can take up to two months.
About 150 hours over a 7-week or full term is roughly 10–20 hours a week (our estimate), manageable with a job. The written report gives graduates a portfolio piece, which helps students without informatics work history.
MS Admissions
The GPA bar is modest and there is no stated experience requirement.
- Bachelor’s degree; 2.75 GPA (conditional admission possible below that with a statement).
- RN license or health care experience: not required. GRE: not mentioned.
- Transcripts, resume, goal statement, and two recommendations (from spring 2026; earlier catalog text says three).
- Deadlines: April 15 (fall), November 15 (spring), March 15 (summer).
Health Informatics Graduate Certificate
The estimated tuition for the Health Informatics Graduate Certificate at Kent State University is approximately $14,922 for Ohio residents (18 credits at $829/credit).
Program length is not clearly stated.
- Required: HI 60401 Health Informatics Management (3) and HI 60403 Health Information Systems (3).
- Electives: 12 credits from HI courses, including an optional elective internship.
- Up to 12 credits can be applied to the MS.
- CAHIIM-accredited along with the MS.
You Should Know
- The certificate is not listed separately in the fee register; the program’s own estimate of about $14,900 matches the MS rate.
Tuition
Kent State’s 2026-27 fee register sets the online MS at $829 per credit, with a $10 per-credit surcharge for non-Ohio residents in fully online programs.
| Program (2026-27) | Credits | Ohio | Non-Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS in Health Informatics | 36 | $29,844 | $30,204 |
| Graduate Certificate | 18 | $14,922 | $15,102 |
- Rates from Kent State’s 2026-27 University Fee Register.
Be aware that:
- A $15 per-credit distance learning course fee may apply, adding up to $540 to the MS.
- The online degrees page lists part-time rates of $860 and $870 per credit that do not appear in the fee register.
- The School of Information page still shows $825 and $835 per credit, likely the prior year’s rates.
At about $30,000 with almost no residency difference, Kent’s MS costs about $5,000 more than Cincinnati’s accredited online MHI, with a longer culminating experience.
Why Choose This Health Informatics Program?
A good fit for people moving into health informatics who need applied experience they can document.
Career-entry fit. The 150-hour culminating experience and 30–50 page report give career changers something concrete for interviews, and it can be done in the student’s home region.
Breadth through electives. Electives from user experience, knowledge management, and library science suit students interested in usability or information organization rather than pure analytics.
Dual degrees. Kent offers online dual degrees pairing the MS with an MPH in Epidemiology (66 credits) or an MS in Clinical Epidemiology (60 credits), plus combined options for RN-to-BSN students.
Accreditation
Kent State states that CAHIIM accreditation for its health informatics master’s degree and graduate certificate has been reaffirmed through 2030.
Kent 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.
Other Ohio Health Informatics Programs
See all Ohio health informatics programs, browse the health informatics school directory, or read the health informatics degree guide.