Norfolk State University offers a Master of Health Informatics (M.H.I.) through its Department of Nursing and Allied Health. The 33-credit program pairs online coursework in electronic health records, health data management, and population health analytics with a required 240-hour in-person internship at a healthcare organization.
Quick Facts
| School | Norfolk State University |
| Location | Norfolk, Virginia |
| Degree | Master of Health Informatics (M.H.I.) |
| Credits | 33 (27 core + 6 internship) |
| Format | Online coursework; in-person internship (240 hours) |
| Typical Length | Four terms, fall start (full-time only) |
| Estimated Tuition | $27,621 in-state; $53,163 out-of-state (2026–27 hourly rates) |
| Admissions | Bachelor’s degree, 3.0 GPA (fall 2026 cycle), resume; no GRE |
| International Students | Not eligible |
Program Overview
The Norfolk State University Master of Health Informatics is administered by the Department of Nursing and Allied Health in the College of Science, Engineering, and Technology. Norfolk State is a public historically Black university in Norfolk, Virginia.
The program focuses on using electronic health records (EHR) to support healthcare delivery. Students learn to extract, organize, and analyze health data and to present results to healthcare providers. NSU describes the degree as preparing generalist health informaticians rather than specialists in one area.
The program was established with funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. Its listed consortium partners are the Virginia Department of Health and Hampton Roads Community Health Center. NSU states that the program is approved by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the university’s institutional accreditor. The program pages do not list CAHIIM accreditation.
Curriculum and Internship
The 2025–2026 NSU graduate catalog lists 27 credits of core courses and a 6-credit internship. All courses follow a fixed plan of study:
- First fall: HCA 501 Healthcare Organizations; HCA 540 Epidemiology and Population Health; HCA 599 Law of Healthcare Administration
- Spring: MHI 610 Electronic Health Records; MHI 620 Population Health Analytics; MHI 630 Health Data Management
- Summer: MHI 650 Health Informatics Internship (6 credits)
- Second fall: HCA 674 Health Informatics; MHI 690 Health Equity and Health Informatics; MHI 699 Emergency Response/Health Informatics
Three of the courses are shared with NSU’s healthcare administration program. The MHI courses cover EHR systems and interoperability, data extraction and analysis, data standards, privacy and security, and data visualization. Later courses apply informatics to health equity and to disaster preparedness and response.
The internship takes place after students complete 18 credits. According to the program’s student handbook, it requires 240 clock hours on weekdays during the day, in a healthcare setting under a preceptor. Prior work experience cannot be substituted. Students submit a final report and give an in-person presentation to the host organization and the NSU community. Students must earn a B or better in every course, and failing the internship twice leads to dismissal.
Admissions Requirements
The program admits one full-time cohort each fall. NSU lists these requirements:
- Online application through the School of Graduate Studies and Research
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, in any major
- A minimum GPA of 3.0 for the fall 2026 cycle, according to the program page (the 2025–2026 catalog lists 2.8)
- Unofficial transcripts for review, and official transcripts if admitted
- A resume
The GRE and letters of recommendation are not required. The Graduate School must receive the application, transcripts, and resume by May 1 for fall enrollment. The program notes that admission is competitive and that there may be more applicants than available slots.
International students are not eligible. NSU does not issue I-20s for this program, and international students already in the U.S. also cannot enroll. Up to 12 transfer credits may be considered if they are comparable courses completed with a B or better within five years. Confirm current requirements, including the GPA minimum, with Norfolk State’s School of Graduate Studies and Research before applying.
Tuition, Fees, and Funding
Norfolk State’s 2026–27 tuition and fee schedule lists part-time graduate hourly rates of $837 per credit for Virginia residents and $1,611 per credit for nonresidents. The program does not publish a separate MHI rate. At those hourly rates:
- In-state: 33 credits × $837 = $27,621
- Out-of-state: 33 credits × $1,611 = $53,163
Because the plan of study includes 9 credits in each fall and spring term, those terms fall in NSU’s 9–15 credit full-time graduate band. For 2026–27, that band is $7,135 per semester in-state ($4,937 tuition plus $2,198 mandatory fees) and $14,101 out-of-state ($11,523 tuition, $380 capital outlay fee, and $2,198 mandatory fees). An estimate using three full-time semesters plus a 6-credit summer at the hourly rate is 3 × $7,135 + 6 × $837 = $26,427 in-state, or 3 × $14,101 + 6 × $1,611 = $51,969 out-of-state. Rates for the second year may change.
These estimates do not include the $50 graduate application fee, the $30 graduation application fee, the $130 commencement fee, textbooks, background checks required by internship sites, or travel and temporary lodging for the internship. The program states that it does not pay tuition and fees. Earlier cohorts received grant-funded textbooks and a paid internship stipend, but NSU’s program page says the grant supporting the MHI program expires September 20, 2026. Students can apply for federal aid through the FAFSA and may qualify for Graduate School scholarships or assistantships.
Online Format and Time to Completion
All courses except MHI 650 are delivered online through Blackboard, which NSU’s Office of Extended Learning manages. NSU says faculty teaching in the program complete an online teaching certification. The program is full-time only.
The internship is in person. The handbook schedules it for Summer Term A (May–June) and notes that the site may not be in the student’s home city, so students may need to arrange temporary lodging. The program page states that the first three cohorts must complete the internship in Virginia. The final internship presentation is also delivered in person.
The plan of study spans four consecutive terms: fall, spring, summer, and a second fall. A student entering in August would finish at the end of the following fall semester, about 16 months later. Earlier program materials described the schedule as a fall-to-fall program.
Career Preparation
NSU designed the program to train health informaticians for public health and healthcare organizations. Its stated learning outcomes include extracting and analyzing EHR data, building data visualizations, assessing interoperability, applying privacy and security rules, and using informatics tools for health equity and emergency response.
The internship gives students supervised experience in a healthcare setting before graduation. The program encourages students to join the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA).
Career fit depends on each student’s prior education and work experience. The program does not promise a specific job, salary, or professional credential.
Who Is This Program For?
This program may fit Virginia residents from any undergraduate major who want a short, structured master’s degree in health informatics with online coursework. It suits students who can study full time, keep a fixed cohort schedule, and complete a weekday, daytime internship in person during the summer.
Students who need a part-time schedule, a fully online degree with no in-person requirement, or a spring or summer start should compare other options. So should applicants outside Virginia who cannot travel for the internship, international students, and those looking for a CAHIIM-accredited program or a technical track in software or data engineering.
Related Health Informatics Programs
Compare Norfolk State’s M.H.I. with other health informatics programs in Virginia below.
- ECPI University - Virginia Beach
- George Mason University - Fairfax
- Liberty University - Lynchburg
- University of the Potomac - Falls Church
- Virginia Commonwealth University (Nursing Informatics) - Richmond