The Department of Health Management and Informatics' online Graduate Certificate in Informatics for Public Health provides participants with basic knowledge of issues and application of informatics in areas of public health including surveillance, prevention, preparedness, and health promotion, and competence in evaluating and discovering solutions for the current and future public health informatics challenges.

The 100 percent online certificate program is designed for current and upcoming public health professionals, community health professionals, and students in the health and public health fields. The certificate will prepare students for the increasing responsibilities of public health professionals and agencies to be able to meet and address challenges and requirements in the public health field that require innovative solutions through the use of technology and informatics. For example public health informatics competencies are essential components in data collection and surveillance, meaningful use public health reporting and health information exchange.

To earn the certificate, students must complete a minimum of four courses (12 graduate credit hours).

Informatics for Public Health Certificate Courses

Required Courses (6 credit hours)

  • HMI 7431 - Foundations of Public Health Informatics (3 credit hours)

  • HMI 8545 - Methods in Public Health Informatics (3 credit hours)

Core Courses (select 1 or 2)

  • HMI 7435 - Scripting for Public Health Informatics (3 credit hours)

  • HMI 8610 - Consumer Health Informatics (3 credit hours)

  • HMI 7432 - Health Database Management and Public Health Data Systems (3 credit hours)

Electives (select 0 or 1)

  • HMI 7436 - Telehealth (3 credit hours)

  • HMI 7580 - Project Management (3 credit hours)

  • HMI 8550 - Health Data Analytics

  • P_HLTH 8470 - GIS for Public Health (3 credit hours)

Additional elective options are available for on-campus students.

For course descriptions, see http://catalog.missouri.edu/courseofferings/hmi/. Current students may check MyZou for up-to-date schedule information.

Apply to the Informatics for Public Health Graduate Certificate Program

Certificate-seeking students apply to the Graduate Certificate Program in Informatics for Public Health by completing and submitting the Graduate Studies online application. The application and admission requirements include:

  • A minimum of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution
  • Transcripts
  • Current resume or curriculum vitae
  • A personal essay that (a) outlines the applicant's professional plans and career objectives, (b) explains how educational, work, or other experiences led to the decision to pursue a graduate certificate in health informatics, and (c) includes specific issues and challenges in health care that are of strong personal interest
  • A grade point average of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for the last 60 hours of undergraduate or graduate coursework
  • International students whose native language is not English must submit test scores from TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) of 100 or better on the internet based exam or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) of 7.0 or better, or Duolingo scores of 120 or better
  • Application fee of $40
  • If one or more elements of an application for admission fall short of the above standards (e.g., GPA is less than 3.0), then the Admissions Committee may approve "Conditional Acceptance" into the graduate certificate program
  • An interview (either on-campus or by telephone) with program faculty may be requested
  • Standardized test scores, such as the GRE, are not required