The University of Wisconsin–Madison offers a Master of Science in Clinical and Health Informatics through the School of Medicine and Public Health and its Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. The 30-credit program is delivered 100% online, combines coursework in data-driven health care, information systems, human factors, population health, and leadership, and ends with a capstone project.
Quick Facts
| School | University of Wisconsin–Madison |
| Location | Madison, Wisconsin |
| Degree | Master of Science in Clinical and Health Informatics |
| Credits | 30 |
| Format | 100% online; paced for working professionals |
| Typical Length | 18 months to 4 years |
| Estimated Tuition | $1,600 per credit; about $48,000 for 30 credits |
| Admissions | Fall, spring, and summer starts; bachelor’s degree, 3.0 GPA on last 60 credits, statistics or analytical course or equivalent experience, two recommendation letters |
| Completion Options | 9-credit online Capstone Certificate that can stack into the MS |
| Other Informatics Degrees | On-campus MS and PhD in Biomedical Data Science |
Program Overview
The University of Wisconsin–Madison Master of Science in Clinical and Health Informatics is an online graduate degree for people who want to work with health care data, clinical information systems, and health care operations. It is offered by the School of Medicine and Public Health and based at the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR).
UW–Madison announced the program in March 2020, and the first cohort began classes in September 2020. ICTR describes the curriculum as built on the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) core competencies, with courses drawn from five UW–Madison schools and colleges, including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, industrial and systems engineering, and population health.
The program is aimed at applicants from both clinical and technical backgrounds. The university lists electronic health record analysis, database design, clinical operations management, health modeling, and health care data security among the areas the degree brings together.
Curriculum
According to the UW–Madison Guide entry for the Clinical and Health Informatics MS, students complete 30 credits: 21 credits of required courses and 9 credits of electives. At least 18 credits must be taken in residence at UW–Madison, and students must keep a 3.00 overall graduate GPA.
The required courses are:
- BMI 573: Foundations of Data-Driven Healthcare (3 credits)
- ISYE 557: Human Factors Engineering for Healthcare Systems (3 credits)
- MEDICINE 700: Introduction to Clinical and Health Informatics (3 credits)
- MEDICINE 702: Clinical and Health Information Systems (3 credits), or NURSING 715: Evaluation of Health Informatics Solutions as a substitute
- NURSING 772: Leadership and Organizational Decision-Making in Health Care (3 credits)
- POP HLTH 795: Principles of Population Health Sciences (3 credits)
- MEDICINE 750: Capstone Project in Clinical and Health Informatics (3 credits)
The 9 elective credits come from an approved list. Options include Introduction to Biostatistics, Python Fundamentals, Data Exploration with SQL and Artificial Intelligence, Translational and Outcomes Research in Health and Health Care, Health System Pharmacy Data and Informatics, and a set of engineering professional development courses in technical project management, change management, ethics, negotiation, and professional writing.
The capstone course is taken in the final semester and includes a summative project assessed against the program’s competencies. Other assessments across the program take the form of case study presentations and strategic planning for data analysis.
UW–Madison also offers a 9-credit online Capstone Certificate in Clinical and Health Informatics at the same per-credit rate. ICTR says certificate coursework can stack into the MS, within the Guide’s limit of 12 transfer credits from UW–Madison special student coursework.
Admissions Requirements
Applicants need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on the last 60 credits of that degree. They must also have completed, or be completing, a college-level statistics course, an analytical or computational course, or have equivalent work experience.
The application includes transcripts, a resume or CV, a statement of purpose, and two letters of recommendation. The GRE is not required. Applicants whose native language is not English must meet the Graduate School’s English proficiency requirement. The program notes that work experience in IT, statistics, computer science, or health care, along with a focused area of interest in informatics or data analytics, is helpful but not required.
The program admits students in fall, spring, and summer. The Guide lists deadlines of August 1 for fall, December 15 for spring, and April 15 for summer; the next posted deadlines are December 15, 2026, for spring 2027 and April 15, 2027, for summer 2027. The UW–Madison Graduate School charges a $75 nonrefundable application fee. The program does not support F-1 student visas. Confirm current requirements and deadlines with UW–Madison before applying.
Tuition, Fees, and Funding
UW–Madison lists tuition for the MS at $1,600 per credit on its program page for 2026–27 enrollment. At that rate, 30 credits × $1,600 = $48,000 in tuition. Rates can change each year, so the total for a student who takes longer than 18 months may differ.
The program uses a single rate rather than separate resident and nonresident rates. Under UW–Madison’s tuition structures policy, residency status and the credit plateau do not apply to online programs with service-based pricing, and no segregated fees are charged.
The $48,000 figure does not include the $75 application fee, the university’s one-time new student and official document fees, textbooks or course materials, or a computer and internet access. The program page does not list program-specific scholarships; ask UW–Madison’s enrollment coaches about financial aid eligibility and employer tuition assistance.
Online Format and Time to Completion
All courses are online, and the university says they are paced so students can keep working full time. ICTR does not list any on-campus requirement.
Students can take one to four courses per term, and the Guide caps enrollment at 12 credits per term. UW–Madison lists a completion range of 18 months to 4 years, and ICTR describes this as 3 to 11 semesters depending on course load. Because the program admits students in three terms, students can start when it suits them rather than waiting for a single fall cohort.
Career Preparation
The coursework covers skills used in health system informatics and analytics roles: working with clinical information systems and EHR data, human factors design, population health, and leading change in health care organizations. The capstone gives students a finished project that shows how they apply these skills.
UW–Madison lists systems analyst, support and optimization analyst, research coordinator, information systems trainer, and clinical informatics analyst as example job titles. It names health care delivery systems, universities, health IT vendors, and health care consulting firms as common employers.
Career results depend on each graduate’s prior clinical, technical, or administrative experience. The program does not promise a specific job, salary, or professional credential.
Biomedical Data Science Degrees at UW–Madison
UW–Madison’s Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics offers a more technical and research-focused option. The MS in Biomedical Data Science is a 30-credit program taught in person on the Madison campus. Students take coursework in computer science, statistics, and biomedical data science, plus research credits, research ethics, and professional development.
Applicants to the MS need at least two semesters of calculus and coursework in linear algebra or in programming and data structures. They also need three letters of recommendation, and the program admits for fall only, with a December 15 deadline. The program does not guarantee funding. The department also offers a 51-credit on-campus PhD in Biomedical Data Science, where the Guide says almost all admitted students receive guaranteed funding for five years.
Who Is This Program For?
The online MS fits working clinicians, health IT staff, analysts, and administrators who want graduate informatics training without leaving their jobs or moving to Madison. The three start terms and 18-month to 4-year range make it workable for students who need to study part time.
Students who want heavy training in programming, statistics, or machine learning, or who plan to do research, should compare it with UW–Madison’s on-campus Biomedical Data Science degrees. Students focused on cost should also compare in-state public online programs, since the $48,000 total is the same for Wisconsin residents and out-of-state students.
Related Health Informatics Programs
- Herzing University (Nursing Informatics) - Milwaukee
- Milwaukee School of Engineering (Nursing Informatics) - Milwaukee
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee - Milwaukee