Curriculum

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the complex and multifaceted US healthcare system. Students will gain a foundational understanding of its historical development, current structure, financing mechanisms, and the various stakeholders involved.

This course is designed as a review and practical introduction to the fundamental statistical as well as basic analytics skills and concepts necessary for success in subsequent advanced coursework.

This course introduces graduate students to the fundamental concepts and applications of healthcare analytics. Students will learn how to use data to understand, analyze, and improve healthcare delivery, patient outcomes, and business operations. Introduction to key data sources and healthcare information technology. Overview of the healthcare industry, its challenges, and the role of data analytics in healthcare. The course covers key analytical techniques, data sources, and software tools relevant to the healthcare industry.

This course is designed to equip graduate students with the foundational skills needed to navigate and leverage data in a healthcare context. It focuses on developing data literacy-the ability to understand, interpret, and critically evaluate data-as well as the core principles of healthcare analytics. Students will learn how to ask the right questions, identify appropriate data sources, and apply analytical techniques to solve real-world healthcare challenges, all without requiring advanced programming skills.

This course introduces students to the essential programming skills needed to manage, analyze, and visualize healthcare data. Focusing on practical applications, the course covers fundamental programming concepts and data manipulation techniques using a language widely used in data science, such as Python or R. Students will learn to automate data cleaning tasks, perform statistical analyses, and build predictive models to address real-world health challenges.
Prerequisite: Take HDA-501 HDA-505

This course teaches graduate students how to effectively communicate insights from healthcare data through powerful and ethical visualizations. Students will learn the principles of visual design and apply them to various healthcare contexts, including patient outcomes, public health trends, and operational efficiency. The curriculum focuses on both the theoretical aspects of data storytelling and the practical application of visualization tools.
Prerequisite: Take HDA-501 HDA-505

This course provides a practical and theoretical foundation in statistical analysis tailored specifically for healthcare data. Students will go beyond basic statistics to learn advanced methods for answering complex questions related to patient outcomes, healthcare operations, and public health trends. The course emphasizes both the conceptual understanding of statistical models and the hands-on application using industry-standard software to analyze real-world health datasets.
Prerequisite: Take HDA-501 HDA-505

This course introduces graduate students to the theory and practical application of predictive modeling and machine learning techniques within the healthcare sector. Students will learn how to build, evaluate, and interpret models that can forecast disease risk, predict patient outcomes, optimize clinical workflows, and personalize treatment plans. The curriculum is designed to move students from foundational concepts to hands-on application using real-world health datasets.
Prerequisite: Take HDA-610

This course provides a comprehensive exploration of how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the healthcare landscape. Students will gain a deep understanding of core AI concepts and their practical applications in various healthcare domains, from clinical decision support and medical imaging to drug discovery and public health.
Prerequisite: Take HDA-615

This course introduces graduate students to the principles and applications of business intelligence (BI) in healthcare. Students will learn how to use data to optimize operational efficiency, improve financial performance, and enhance patient care delivery. The course focuses on the practical use of data and BI tools to address common challenges faced by healthcare managers and administrators.
Prerequisite: Take HDA-615

This capstone course provides students with the opportunity to synthesize and apply the knowledge and skills gained throughout their graduate program in a real-world health data analytics project. Working individually or in small teams, students will design, execute, and present a comprehensive data-driven project that addresses a significant challenge in healthcare, public health, or health administration. The course emphasizes independent research, project management, and professional communication of analytical findings

This course is designed for graduate students who want to deepen their skills in extracting valuable insights from large and complex datasets, with a specific focus on data mining and text analysis techniques. Students will move beyond basic statistical analysis to learn and apply sophisticated algorithms for pattern discovery, predictive modeling, and natural language processing (NLP). The course emphasizes hands-on application of these methods using real-world datasets from various domains
Prerequisite: Take HDA-615

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the principles of healthcare informatics, with a specific focus on the design, implementation, and management of Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems. Students will explore how information technology is used to improve patient care, enhance clinical workflows, and support administrative functions within healthcare organizations. The course covers the technical, clinical, and ethical aspects of using EHRs and other health information systems
Prerequisite: Take HDA-501 HDA-505

The course focuses on the application of advanced biostatistics, epidemiology, and data science techniques to real-world population health challenges. Students will learn to work with diverse data sources, including electronic health records (EHRs), claims data, public health surveillance systems, and social determinants of health (SDOH) data. Key topics include measures of population health, risk stratification, predictive modeling, geospatial analysis for health equity, and program evaluation. Emphasis will be placed on translating complex analytical findings into actionable public health and healthcare strategies. The course is designed for students in public health, health informatics, healthcare administration, and related fields who wish to develop expertise in data-driven decision-making for population health management.
Prerequisite: Take HDA-501 HDA-505

This course offers a comprehensive analysis of the major policy and economic issues shaping the US healthcare system. Students will explore the interplay between government policy, market forces, and stakeholder behavior in a healthcare context. The curriculum provides a framework for understanding how economic principles are applied to healthcare delivery, financing, and reform efforts.
Prerequisite: Take HDA-515

The course focuses on the theoretical principles and practical application of big data technologies within the healthcare ecosystem. Students will move beyond traditional statistical methods to explore tools and architectures designed for data volumes that exceed the capacity of conventional databases and software. Key topics include the V's of Big Data (Volume, Velocity, Variety, Veracity, and Value), distributed computing frameworks (e.g., Apache Spark and Hadoop), NoSQL databases, and advanced machine learning techniques for high-dimensional data. The curriculum emphasizes real-world application, covering topics like analyzing genomic data, processing streaming sensor data from wearables, and extracting patterns from vast electronic health record (EHR) systems. Students will gain hands-on experience in building scalable analytical pipelines to support precision medicine, operational efficiency, and population health initiatives.
Prerequisite: Take HDA-515 HDA-630

This field experience/internship is a practical learning experience arranged with a variety of healthcare organizations to provide a supervised short-term educational experience. An internship allows a student to develop professionally through a work experience under the guidance of leaders in the fields of healthcare informatics and healthcare information technology. As an extension of the curriculum, the internship experience affords the student an opportunity to apply her/his theoretical knowledge and technical skills in a practical manner gaining valuable training, which will better enable her/him to perform with a higher level of skill and confidence

This field experience/internship is a practical learning experience and is a continuation of HDA 635.