School of Global Health Management and Informatics • Orlando, FL • Online • $179.19–$891.07/Credit
The University of Central Florida offers 3 Health Informatics programs:
- MS (Professional Science Master’s)
- BS in Health Information Management
- BS in Health Informatics
Program Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS in Health Care Informatics (PSM) | $29.4K, all residencies | About 2 years | 38 |
| BS in Health Information Management | $21.5K / $103.0K online (120 cr) | 4 years (8 semesters) | 120 |
| BS in Health Informatics | $21.5K / $103.0K online (120 cr) | 4 years (8 semesters) | 120 |
UCF splits health information into three distinct routes: an accredited online master’s that requires students to sit for a HIMSS certification exam before graduating, an RHIA-track HIM bachelor’s, and a newer technical informatics bachelor’s still in CAHIIM candidacy.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Types | Online MS (PSM); two bachelor’s degrees |
| Format | MS online cohort; bachelor’s online or at UCF Downtown |
| Practicum Hours | MS internship hours not stated; BS Health Informatics internship 150+ hours |
| Practicum Placement | Internship Director helps students secure sites |
| RN License Required | No |
| Who It’s For | Clinicians and IT staff (MS); students choosing HIM or informatics careers (BS) |
| Distinctive Coursework | Systems analysis, health database management, AI in health care (BS HI) |
| Certification Pathway | MS: CAHIMS or CPHIMS exam required; BS HIM: RHIA eligible |
| Tuition | MS $772.69/credit flat; online bachelor’s $179.19 in-state, $857.98 out-of-state |
| Accreditation | CAHIIM (MS and BS HIM); BS HI in candidacy; SACSCOC |
| Start Terms | MS: fall and spring only |
MS in Health Care Informatics (Professional Science Master’s)
The estimated tuition for the MS in Health Care Informatics at the University of Central Florida is approximately $29,362 (38 credits at $772.69/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about two years as an online cohort; UCF does not publish an exact length.
MS Curriculum
Eight 4-credit courses carry the content, covering systems analysis, databases, and health data, followed by an internship and a final-semester capstone.
- HIM 5118C Health Care Informatics and Information Technology (4)
- HIM 6123C Systems Analysis and Design (4)
- HIM 6217C Health Care Database Management (4)
- HIM 6122C, 6119C, 6121C, 6464C, and 6124C, five more 4-credit informatics courses (20)
- HIM 6927 Orientation (1)
- HIM 6947 Internship (2)
- HIM 6125 Capstone (3)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- Students without enough background may add up to 3 credits of 1-credit foundation courses (HIM 6007, 6267, 6477) beyond the 38.
- Students must sit for the HIMSS CAHIMS or CPHIMS exam before graduating.
MS Practicum and Capstone
- HIM 6947 Internship (2 credits) and HIM 6125 Capstone (3 credits), in the final semester.
- UCF’s Internship Director helps students secure a site.
- Internship hours are Not clearly stated.
The internship is small, 2 credits, so most of the applied work sits in the capstone. Working professionals should ask early whether their own employer can host it.
MS Admissions
There are no prerequisite courses and no GRE, which keeps the door open to career changers.
- Bachelor’s degree; no RN license or clinical experience required.
- Fall (deadline July 1) and spring (deadline November 1) starts only.
BS in Health Information Management
The estimated tuition for the BS in Health Information Management at the University of Central Florida is approximately $21,503 in-state or $102,958 out-of-state (120 credits at the UCF Online rate of $179.19 or $857.98/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about four years, less for transfer students.
BS HIM Curriculum
The 60-credit upper-division core is built around coding, data management, and leadership, the content tested on the RHIA.
- HIM 4226C ICD Diagnosis Coding (5)
- HIM 4344C Health Information Leadership and Management (4)
- HIM 4624 Health Data Management (3)
- HIM 4656C Health Information Management Systems (3)
- HIM 4508C Quality Management (3)
- HSA 3423 Health Information Law (3)
- HIM 4676 Capstone (3)
- HIM 4838 Internship (3)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- UCF says the degree “may be completed fully online,” but some electives and prerequisites are offered only in person at UCF Downtown.
BS HIM Practicum and Capstone
- An orientation semester (HIM 4998) precedes the internship.
- HIM 4838 Internship (3 credits) at an affiliated facility in the final term; a background check is required.
- Internship hours are Not clearly stated.
BS HIM Admissions
- A 2.5 GPA is required to stay in the major and graduate.
- Deadlines: fall May 1 (first-year) or June 1 (transfer), spring November 1, summer March 1.
BS in Health Informatics
The estimated tuition for the BS in Health Informatics at the University of Central Florida is approximately $21,503 in-state or $102,958 out-of-state (120 credits at $179.19 or $857.98/credit online).
The program can generally be completed in about four years.
BS HI Curriculum
Launched in 2025, this degree leans technical, with programming, interoperability standards, data mining, and AI.
- HIM 3707 Programming for Healthcare Applications (3)
- HIM 4665 Health Data Standards and Interoperability (3)
- HIM 4218 EHR and Health Databases (3)
- HIM 4626 Data Mining and Analysis in Health (3)
- HIM 4710 AI in Healthcare (3)
- HIM 4700 Applied Informatics (3)
- HIM 4624 Health Data Management (3)
- HIM 4942 Internship (3)
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- ⚠️ Format sources disagree: the UCF Online page says “fully online,” the department page describes in-person classes at UCF Downtown, and the handbook mixes online, hybrid, and campus courses. This profile treats it as partly in person until UCF reconciles them.
- The degree prepares students for the CAHIMS and CHDA, not the RHIA.
BS HI Practicum and Capstone
- HIM 4942 Internship: at least 150 hours.
- Students find their own site with the Internship Director’s help.
- A major GPA of 2.75 is required to enter the internship.
BS HI Admissions
- A 2.5 GPA; deadlines match the HIM bachelor’s.
Tuition
The MS charges a flat $772.69 per credit for every student, while the bachelor’s degrees follow Florida’s state rates, which differ sharply by residency.
| Program | Rate | Credits | Total (est.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS Health Care Informatics | $772.69, all students | 38 | $29,362 |
| Bachelor’s, UCF Online | $179.19 / $857.98 | 120 | $21,503 / $102,958 |
| Bachelor’s, campus | $212.28 / $891.07 | 120 | $25,474 / $106,928 |
- Online undergraduate rates include an $18 per-credit distance learning fee; campus rates are the Board of Governors’ 2026-27 tuition plus required fees.
- Rates come from UCF’s online tuition page and student accounts.
Be aware that:
- The MS is an “enhanced rate” program, so state employee tuition waivers do not apply.
- UCF’s program catalog lists the MS at $309.32 in-state and $676.82 out-of-state. The program page’s $772.69 is used here because it names the program’s own rate.
- Bachelor’s totals assume all 120 credits at UCF; transfer students pay for fewer.
For a Florida resident, a UCF bachelor’s costs about $21,500 online. The master’s, at about $29,400, costs the same in any state.
Why Choose This Health Informatics Program?
A strong fit for students who want to pick between HIM and informatics within one school.
Choosing a route. Students aiming at the RHIA and HIM leadership should take the BS HIM. Students who want programming and analytics should consider the BS HI, which leads to CAHIMS and CHDA instead. The MS suits working adults with a bachelor’s in any field.
Certification built in. The MS requires students to sit for CAHIMS or CPHIMS before graduating, so graduates leave with a certification attempt already made.
The trade-offs. The MS costs the same in-state as out of state, so Floridians lose the usual public-school discount. The BS HI’s format is unsettled and its accreditation is pending.
Accreditation
CAHIIM accredits the MS in Health Care Informatics (next review 2028-2029) and the BS in Health Information Management (next review 2027-2028). The BS in Health Informatics is in CAHIIM candidacy and is not yet in CAHIIM’s directory.
The University of Central Florida is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
BS HIM graduates are eligible for AHIMA’s RHIA exam; UCF reports 83% of 2024-25 graduates employed within a year but does not publish a pass rate. MS graduates are not RHIA-eligible. A master’s in health informatics fits Track 1 of the AMIA Health Informatics Certification with informatics work experience.
Keep Exploring Health Informatics Programs
See all Florida health informatics programs, browse the health informatics school directory, or read the health informatics degree guide.