MSPH in Public Health Informatics

The MSPH program in Public Health Informatics is designed for individuals with strong quantitative skills and background or interest in the health or biomedical sciences.  To the extent possible, the curriculum of each student is tailored to his or her background and interests.

Admission Requirements

Students should have a strong quantitative background as evidenced by excellent scores on the mathematical and analytical sections of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), as well as by the nature of their undergraduate (and any graduate) coursework.  In particular, they should have GRE scores in the 50th percentile or higher on all three portions of the exam. The desirable minimum GPA is 3.0/4.0. Applicants should have a background and/or interest in the health or biomedical sciences. It is preferable that students have had courses in calculus and linear algebra. Moderate computing experience and prior coursework in numerical analysis and elementary statistics are desirable. Foreign applicants should have a TOEFL score of 560 or more on the paper Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or a score of 220 or higher on the computer based TOEFL.  Candidates should provide compelling evidence for admission into the program.

Codes to use for sending the GRE to Emory are:  Center R5187, Department 0616.  For sending the TOEFL:  Institution 5187, Department 50. 

Tuition and Financial Aid

For a current list of tuition and fees for the Rollins School of Public Health, click here.  This accounts for students enrolled for 12 credit hours per semester, not including Summer.  Students who enroll for more than 12 credit hours per semester will pay a higher tuition.  A small number of merit-based scholarships are available for MSPH students. US citizens and permanent residents may apply for financial aid through the Emory Office of Financial Aid. Research assistantships and internships may be available on a limited basis.

MSPH Degree Requirements

The MSPH program in Public Health Informatics can be completed in four semesters. Students must be registered for at least forty-four semester hours of coursework and four thesis hours. 

The required courses are: 

Informatics Core Courses:

Data Analysis Core Courses: 

Core Courses:

Core Courses:  A student must take a core course from each of the following departments:  Behavioral Sciences & Health Education, Environmental Health, Health Policy & Management, and Global Health.

Electives:  We envision that students will concentrate electives in a particular application area in order to add depth to their program.  For instance, students will be able to take elective courses in Health Policy and Management to gain expertise in clinical information systems, patient billing systems, and their interrelationships. Similarly, students will be able to take electives in biostatistics and epidemiology to gain additional skills in analytic methods. Additional elective courses in public health informatics are also being planned. 

The total number of credit hours required for the degree is 48.  To receive the MSPH degree, the student must pass all the required, core, and elective courses, maintain a cumulative GPA of at least B-, complete a practicum, and submit an acceptable MSPH thesis.

Public Health Informatics Course Descriptions and Syllabi

For more information, contact Vicki Hertzberg: vhertzb@emory.edu

For an Application

Page Updated 12/06/11