Sacred Heart University

What you'll study

The curriculum focuses on analytics specifically for health care. Key topics and skills named by the program include:

• Health care analytics and informatics
• SQL, Python and R programming
• Data visualization and storytelling
• Statistical analysis, predictive modeling, machine learning and artificial intelligence
• Business intelligence and population health analytics
• Data governance, ethics and security
• An applied capstone addressing a contemporary health care challenge using real data

Entry requirements

Students enter the dual 4+1 pathway by selecting it on the Common Application alongside an undergraduate major in business analytics & applied AI, computer engineering, computer science, or health science. Minimum criteria for incoming first-year admission include a high school GPA of 3.0, solid mathematics preparation, and an interest in health care and analytics. To progress into the master's, students must complete the bachelor’s with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, earn at least a C in any graduate courses taken as undergraduates, and complete one required undergraduate prerequisite: HDA 410 Introduction to Healthcare in the US for business analytics & applied AI, computer science, and computer engineering majors; HDA 420 Essential Skills for Analytics in Health Science for health science majors.

Career prospects

The program prepares graduates for roles that apply data analysis to health care problems. Job titles cited include health care data analyst, health care business intelligence analyst, clinical informatics analyst, health data scientist, population health analyst, health care analytics consultant and operations analyst. Employers range from hospitals and health systems to insurers, health-technology companies, public health agencies, consulting firms and research organizations.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

Students on the dual degree pathway may reduce the overall expense of graduate study by applying up to six graduate credits to both degrees (swing credits), shortening the time to the master's by roughly one year. The guaranteed progression for admitted first-year dual-pathway students also removes the need to apply to graduate programs during the senior year, which can simplify planning and financial decisions.