Health Sciences

Master of Science in Health Informatics

The Master of Science in Health Informatics is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in health information systems, biomedical informatics, electronic health records, and health data management. The programme combines health informatics theory with practical computing, data analysis, and research application.

Core areas include health informatics, electronic health records, health information systems, biomedical informatics, data analytics, telemedicine, health data standards, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both theoretical and practical work through coursework, laboratory sessions, and research.

The programme is offered by Moi University as MSc in Health Informatics through the Institute of Biomedical Informatics, and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology as MSc in Health Informatics. Both are public universities offering programmes over two academic years through full-time and part-time modes of study.

Students develop competencies in health information systems design, electronic health records management, biomedical data analysis, and telemedicine. The programme includes coursework, examinations, laboratory sessions, and a supervised research thesis, preparing graduates to bridge healthcare and information technology.

Moi University charges approximately KES 110,000/year (KES 220,000 total) for MSc in Health Informatics at KES 55,000 per semester for four semesters in weekend mode. JOOUST fees not independently verified. Entry requires a Bachelor's degree in health sciences, computing, or information science from a recognised university.

Graduates pursue careers as health informatics specialists, systems analysts, health data managers, e-health coordinators, clinical informaticians, and lecturers in health informatics across hospitals, health ministries, insurance companies, research institutions, IT companies, and universities.

Skills Required

Health Information Systems Design and Management
Electronic Health Records and Standards
Biomedical Informatics and Data Analysis
Telemedicine and E-Health Solutions
Health Data Analytics and Visualisation
Database Design and Management for Healthcare
Health Information Security and Privacy
Clinical Decision Support Systems
Research Methods in Health Informatics
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Health Information Systems Design and Management
Electronic Health Records and Standards
Biomedical Informatics and Data Analysis
Telemedicine and E-Health Solutions
Health Data Analytics and Visualisation
Database Design and Management for Healthcare
Health Information Security and Privacy
Clinical Decision Support Systems
Research Methods in Health Informatics
Thesis Research

Certifications

IMIA Health Informatics Certification
HIMSS Professional Certification

Specializations

Health Information Systems

Focuses on health information systems, covering design, implementation, management, integration, and managing health IT systems.

Electronic Health Records

Examines electronic health records, covering standards, implementation, interoperability, and managing EHR systems.

Biomedical Informatics

Covers biomedical informatics, covering data, analysis, modelling, bioinformatics, and managing biomedical data.

Telemedicine and E-Health

Focuses on telemedicine, covering remote, e-health, m-health, teleconsultation, and managing telemedicine.

Health Data Analytics

Examines health data analytics, covering analysis, visualisation, mining, reporting, and managing health data.

Clinical Informatics

Covers clinical informatics, covering decision support, clinical systems, workflow, and managing clinical IT.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 326,400
Private, up to: Ksh 319,500
Job market: High

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 20 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Health Information Systems Design and Management
Electronic Health Records and Standards
Biomedical Informatics and Data Analysis
Telemedicine and E-Health Solutions
Health Data Analytics and Visualisation
Database Design and Management for Healthcare
Health Information Security and Privacy
Clinical Decision Support Systems
Research Methods in Health Informatics
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Foundations of Health Informatics
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines health informatics concepts, systems, standards, policy, history, and managing health informatics.
Electronic Health Records and Standards
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers EHR standards, implementation, interoperability, privacy, workflow, and managing EHR systems.
Research Methods in Health Informatics
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, health informatics research methods, and conducting research, preparing students for their thesis.
Database Design and Management for Healthcare
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines design, SQL, management, administration, and managing health databases.
Biomedical Informatics and Data Analysis
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers data, analysis, modelling, bioinformatics, and managing biomedical data.
Health Data Analytics and Visualisation
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines analysis, visualisation, mining, reporting, dashboards, and managing health data.
Telemedicine and E-Health Solutions
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers remote, e-health, m-health, teleconsultation, monitoring, and managing telemedicine.
Health Information Security and Privacy
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines privacy, security, confidentiality, compliance, governance, and managing health information security.
Clinical Decision Support Systems
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers systems, rules, alerts, workflow, evidence, and managing clinical decision support.
Health Information Systems Integration and Interoperability
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines integration, interoperability, standards, architecture, and managing health IT integration.
Health Informatics Policy and Governance
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers policy, governance, ethics, regulation, strategy, and managing health informatics governance.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 29 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on a health informatics topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and health informatics knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Health Information Systems
Focuses on health information systems, covering design, implementation, management, integration, and managing health IT systems.
Electronic Health Records
Examines electronic health records, covering standards, implementation, interoperability, and managing EHR systems.
Biomedical Informatics
Covers biomedical informatics, covering data, analysis, modelling, bioinformatics, and managing biomedical data.
Telemedicine and E-Health
Focuses on telemedicine, covering remote, e-health, m-health, teleconsultation, and managing telemedicine.
Health Data Analytics
Examines health data analytics, covering analysis, visualisation, mining, reporting, and managing health data.
Clinical Informatics
Covers clinical informatics, covering decision support, clinical systems, workflow, and managing clinical IT.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Health Informatics programme combines lectures, laboratory sessions, practical workshops, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover health informatics, electronic health records, biomedical informatics, data analytics, and telemedicine. Health informatics sessions examine concepts, systems, standards, policy, and managing health informatics. Electronic health records sessions cover standards, implementation, interoperability, privacy, and managing EHR systems. Biomedical informatics sessions cover data, analysis, modelling, bioinformatics, and managing biomedical data. Data analytics sessions cover analysis, visualisation, mining, reporting, and managing health data. Telemedicine sessions cover remote, e-health, m-health, teleconsultation, and managing telemedicine. Database sessions cover design, SQL, management, administration, and managing health databases. Security sessions cover privacy, security, confidentiality, compliance, and managing health information security. Clinical decision support sessions cover systems, rules, alerts, workflow, and managing clinical IT. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Laboratory sessions provide hands-on experience with health information systems, databases, and data analytics tools. Practical workshops provide hands-on experience with EHR systems, telemedicine platforms, and health data analysis. Seminars and discussion groups provide opportunities for debating current issues in health informatics and presenting research findings. Guest lectures from experienced health informaticians, IT professionals, and clinicians provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on a health informatics topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

High demand for health informatics professionals with Kenya's digital health strategy and growing e-health initiatives.
Programme offered by two public universities (Moi University, JOOUST), providing institutional choice.
Moi University offers competitive fees at approximately KES 110,000/year (KES 220,000 total) in weekend mode.
Graduates are eligible for IMIA and HIMSS certifications, enhancing career prospects in health IT.

Against it

JOOUST specific health informatics fees not independently verified.
No private university confirmed offering this specific programme.
Programme requires health sciences or computing background, limiting access for non-related graduates.
Rapidly evolving technology requires continuous learning beyond the programme.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 349 health sciences courses

Public187k to 326k

187k at Moi University326k at Kenyatta University

Private149k to 320k

149k at Mount Kenya University320k at United States International University Africa

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

KU 326.4k/yr (ku.ac.ke); Moi 187.2k/yr; USIU~319.5k; MKU 149.1k.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. Moi University may offer scholarships for eligible students. HIMSS may offer scholarships for health IT professionals. Some hospitals and IT companies may sponsor staff for postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
Moi University Scholarship
HIMSS Scholarship

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
Moi University Scholarship
ScholarshipKsh 200,000Kenyan
Moi University offers scholarships for eligible postgraduate students.
HIMSS Scholarship
ScholarshipKsh 300,000
HIMSS offers scholarships for health IT professionals and students.

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: Moi University requires Bachelor's degree in health sciences, computing, or information science from Moi University or equivalent approved by Senate, or equivalent from recognised institutions with evidence of English proficiency, and pass admission interviews. JOOUST requires relevant Bachelor's degree with Upper Second or Lower Second with two years of relevant work experience. Contact respective universities for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, laboratory reports, project work, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering health informatics, EHR, biomedical informatics, and data analytics.
Practical and Laboratory Assessment
Practical30% of the mark
Practical assessment through laboratory work, systems design, data analysis, and demonstrating health informatics skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on a health informatics topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and health informatics knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Moi University and JOOUST (both public) offer MSc programmes in Health Informatics. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in health informatics. Graduates are eligible for IMIA health informatics certification and HIMSS professional certification.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Moi University and JOOUST (both public) offer MSc programmes in Health Informatics. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in health informatics. Graduates are eligible for IMIA health informatics certification and HIMSS professional certification.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Health Informatics Specialist
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages health informatics systems, overseeing design, implementation, integration, and managing health IT.
Systems Analyst
High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Analyses health information systems, overseeing requirements, design, testing, and managing systems analysis.
Health Data Manager
High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Manages health data, overseeing collection, storage, quality, analysis, and managing health data.
E-Health Coordinator
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Coordinates e-health programmes, overseeing implementation, telemedicine, m-health, and managing e-health.
Clinical Informatician
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages clinical informatics, overseeing decision support, systems, workflow, and managing clinical IT.
Health Informatics Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaches health informatics at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

SQL Server
SoftwarePrimary
SQL Server for health database management, covering design, queries, administration, and managing health databases.
Python
Software
Python for health data analysis, covering data, analytics, visualisation, and managing health data.
HL7/FHIR Standards
Standards
HL7/FHIR for health data interoperability, covering standards, exchange, integration, and managing health data exchange.
OpenMRS
Software
OpenMRS for electronic health records, covering implementation, customisation, and managing EHR systems.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Health informatics is just about computers in hospitals.
Health informatics covers comprehensive systems, data, standards, analytics, telemedicine, and clinical decision support beyond just computers in hospitals.
This programme is only for IT professionals.
Health informatics skills are valuable for health professionals, clinicians, administrators, and researchers beyond just IT professionals.
Electronic health records is just about digitising records.
EHR covers comprehensive standards, implementation, interoperability, privacy, and clinical workflow beyond just digitising records.
Biomedical informatics is just about biology data.
Biomedical informatics covers comprehensive data, analysis, modelling, bioinformatics, and clinical applications beyond just biology data.
Telemedicine is just about video calls.
Telemedicine covers comprehensive remote care, e-health, m-health, monitoring, and teleconsultation beyond just video calls.
Health data analytics is just about statistics.
Health data analytics covers comprehensive analysis, visualisation, mining, reporting, and decision support beyond just statistics.