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Health Data Analytics MSc

London, Bloomsbury

Health data analytics involves extracting insights from health data, either to shape national policy, manage local organisations or inform the care of an individual. As more and more data becomes available electronically, the demand for skilled and trained individuals to take advantage of it becomes increasingly urgent.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2022/23)
Fees to be confirmed
£6,450
Programme fees on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2022/23)
Fees to be confirmed
£14,700
Programme fees on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
Not applicable
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2022
Applications accepted
All applicants: 18 Oct 2021 – 31 Mar 2022

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of a second-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline from a UK university, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

English language requirements

If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency.

The English language level for this programme is: Good

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level. International Preparation Courses

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

As a student on the MSc Health Data Analytics, you will learn about mathematical and statistical approaches to understanding health data, including operational research, machine learning and health economics. You will also learn the fundamentals of how health data is collected, represented, stored and processed, as well as how to analyse it effectively and how best to present analyses to have an impact on decisions.

Who this course is for

The programme is open to graduates of disciplines which include a substantial mathematical or statistical component. Students with a clinical or biological sciences qualification may be accepted if they can demonstrate sufficient mathematical training.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

Health data analysts are employed in interesting and challenging roles in healthcare organisations, government agencies and commercial organisations, including IT suppliers, consultancy organisations and pharmaceutical companies. The demand for skilled analysts is growing and graduates with the right skills and training can choose from a range of exciting and rewarding opportunities.

This programme has been designed in conjunction with the NHS to meet an identified shortage in skilled analysts. The aim is to provide a unique educational experience which not only prepares you for a technical role in analysis but equips you to take on senior roles in NHS organisations. The NHS needs not only more analytics staff, but also managers and decision-makers who understand the importance of data and the role that analytics should be playing in shaping policy.

Our programme is delivered by a unique team, including mathematicians, computer scientists and statisticians with expertise in the analysis of health data in a variety of forms and for a variety of purposes. The team are highly experienced not just in teaching and research but in the practical application of data analytics to the problems of health and healthcare organisations. We work closely with the NHS and with other commercial organisations to ensure our work is relevant and up-to-date.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

On graduation, you will be skilled in the use of mathematical and statistical techniques for the manipulation and analysis of data. You will be familiar with state-of-the-art statistical packages, but also have detailed practical experience of working with health data and the specific challenges and responsibilities that it entails. You will understand the processes by which data is collected and have insights into how that impacts its significance. These experiences will equip you to work in the NHS and also in a range of commercial and other organisations dealing with healthcare data.

Employability

Health data analysts are employed by NHS England in a variety of roles, notably within NHS Improvement, assessing policy proposals and evaluating the economic or financial suitability of initatives. They are employed in acute trusts and in public health, mental health and other community-focused organisations to assist in the planning of services and the assessment of demand and to identify improvements in the organisation and management of services. Consultancy organisations providing services to the health sector also employ analysts, as do data and IT organisations. There are also roles in pharmaceutical companies.

Teaching and learning

The programme is taught by 'blended learning', and therefore combines interactive online teaching and face-to-face lectures, seminars and workshops including substantial use of examples of real clinical systems. Assessment is through examination, critical evaluations, technical tasks, coursework and project reports, compulsory programming and database assignments, and the dissertation.

A Postgraduate Diploma, two compulsory modules (30 credits), six optional modules (90 credits), part-time two years or flexible study up to five years is offered. A Postgraduate Certificate, two compulsory modules (30 credits) and two optional modules (30 credits), part-time two years or flexible study up to five years, is offered.

Modules

Part-time

As a part time student you will study 8 taught modules plus a dissertation over two years. Three compulsory modules and 6 optional modules.

Compulsory Modules

Year One

  • Health Analysis Principles - CHME0030
  • Statistical Methods for Health Data Analytics - CHME0019

Year Two

  • Dissertation - CHME0020

Optional Modules

Year One - choose three optional modules

  • Patient Safety - CHME0037
  • Key Principles of Health Economics - GLBH0010
  • Public Health Data Science - CHME0017
  • Advanced Statistical Analysis - CHME0029
  • Essentials of Informatics for Healthcare Systems - CHME0025
  • Machine Learning in Healthcare - CHME0018
  • Learning Health Systems - CHME0010
  • Research Methods in Healthcare - CHME0003
  • Economic Evaluation in Health Care - GLBH0022

Year Two - choose three optional modules

  • Patient Safety - CHME0037
  • Key Principles of Health Economics - GLBH0010
  • Public Health Data Science - CHME0017
  • Advanced Statistical Analysis - CHME0029
  • Essentials of Informatics for Healthcare Systems - CHME0025
  • Machine Learning in Healthcare - CHME0018
  • Learning Health Systems - CHME0010
  • Research Methods in Healthcare - CHME0003
  • Economic Evaluation in Health Care - GLBH0022


Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. Some of our blended modules run in Term 3 and reassessment in these modules may result in your award being delayed

Dissertation

You will undertake an independent research project, normally based at their place of work, which culminates in a piece of work written in the style of a journal article.

Examples of past projects:

  • What impact does introducing skills mix have on service quality and provider costs in digital-first primary care provision?
  • Homeless patients’ uptake of digital communication technology in the context of remote consultations in UK primary care: A systematic review
  • Understanding the economic burden of dengue in India and identifying a viable cost range for a dengue vaccine based on cost-effectiveness and budget impact analysis.
Flexible

As a modular/flexible student you will study 8 taught modules plus a dissertation over two to five years. Three compulsory modules and 6 optional modules.

Compulsory Modules

Year One

  • Health Analysis Principles - CHME0030
  • Statistical Methods for Health Data Analytics - CHME0019

Final Year

  • Dissertation - CHME0020

Optional Modules

Year One - choose two optional modules

  • Patient Safety - CHME0037
  • Key Principles of Health Economics - GLBH0010
  • Public Health Data Science - CHME0017
  • Advanced Statistical Analysis - CHME0029
  • Essentials of Informatics for Healthcare Systems - CHME0025
  • Machine Learning in Healthcare - CHME0018
  • Learning Health Systems - CHME0010
  • Research Methods in Healthcare - CHME0003
  • Economic Evaluation in Health Care - GLBH0022

Year Two to Five - choose four optional modules

  • Patient Safety - CHME0037
  • Key Principles of Health Economics - GLBH0010
  • Public Health Data Science - CHME0017
  • Advanced Statistical Analysis - CHME0029
  • Essentials of Informatics for Healthcare Systems - CHME0025
  • Machine Learning in Healthcare - CHME0018
  • Learning Health Systems - CHME0010
  • Research Methods in Healthcare - CHME0003
  • Economic Evaluation in Health Care - GLBH0022

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. Some of our blended modules run in Term 3 and reassessment in these modules may result in your award being delayed.

Dissertation

You will undertake an independent research project, normally based at their place of work, which culminates in a piece of work written in the style of a journal article.

Examples of past projects:

  • What impact does introducing skills mix have on service quality and provider costs in digital-first primary care provision?
  • Homeless patients’ uptake of digital communication technology in the context of remote consultations in UK primary care: A systematic review
  • Understanding the economic burden of dengue in India and identifying a viable cost range for a dengue vaccine based on cost effectiveness and budget impact analysis.

Compulsory modules




Optional modules











Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Health Data Analytics. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a PG Dip in Health Data Analytics. Upon successful completion of 60 credits, you will be awarded a PG Cert in Health Data Analytics.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.

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All open days and events

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Institute of Health Informatics

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This session will introduce the Institute of Health Informatics graduate programmes. Professor Paul Taylor, Professor Henry Potts and Dr Holger Kunz will give an insight into what it’s like to study in the Institute of Health Informatics at UCL, including details of modules, assessments, entry requirements, study hours and research projects.

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Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: UCL Graduate Admissions and Funding Sessions January 2022 - Sign up

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2022/23) Fees to be confirmed £6,450
Tuition fees (2022/23) Fees to be confirmed £14,700

Programme fees on a modular (flexible) basis.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

There are no additional costs for this programme.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Next steps

There is no application fee for this programme.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Health Data Analytics at graduate level
  • what particularly attracts you to the programme at UCL
  • how your academic and professional background and interests meet the demands of this challenging programme
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree and how it fits with your career goals

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes in any application cycle.

We recommend that you submit your application as soon as possible. The programme may remain open if places are still available after 31 March 2022 and will be closed as soon as it is full or by 30 June 2022.

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Institute of Health Informatics Department
Institute of Health Informatics Department

ihi-courses@ucl.ac.uk

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This page was last updated 28 Sep 2021