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Health Informatics MSc

Health informatics is the study of how information and information technology can transform the organisation and delivery of healthcare. This joint programme with the University of Manchester has been designed to develop a health informatics workforce, in the UK and internationally, able to address today’s challenges and prepare for tomorrow’s. We equip our students for leadership roles delivering change in healthcare.

Covid-19 programme updates

Due to COVID-19, there may have been updates to this programme for the 2020 academic year. Where there has been an update, these are indicated with a red alert and a link which will provide further information.

Key information

Programme starts

September 2020

Modes and duration

Full time: 1 year
Part time: 2 years
Flexible: up to 5 years

Application dates

All applicants
Open: 1 November 2019
Close: 11 August 2020
Notification
Due to the large number of applications received, this programme is no longer accepting applications for 2020/21 entry. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Applications for 2021/22 entry will open later in the year.

Tuition fees (2020/21)

UK/EU:
£10,450 (FT)
£5,255 (PT)
Overseas:
£26,380 (FT)
£13,130 (PT)


Note on fees: The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website. Fees for flexible, modular study are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. University of Manchester Dual Award.

Optional qualifications: This degree is also available as a PG Diploma and a PG Certificate with fees set accordingly.
Location: London, Bloomsbury

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. A relevant Master’s degree from an appropriately accredited institution is desirable.

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

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

International students

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.

Select your country:

About this degree

You will learn about healthcare policy and strategy as it relates to informatics and about the design and implementation of the wide variety of digital systems used in delivering healthcare today. You will be able to tackle the technical details behind different approaches to engineering and implementing these systems as well understanding how to engender change. You will also acquire skills in analysing and presenting data.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of four compulsory modules (60 credits), four optional modules (60 credits), and a dissertation (60 credits).

A Postgraduate Diploma, four compulsory modules (60 credits), four optional modules (60 credits), full-time one year, part-time two years or flexible study up to five years, is offered.

A Postgraduate Certificate, four compulsory modules (60 credits), full-time one year, part-time two years or flexible study up to five years, is offered.

Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded a MSc in Health Informatics. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a PG Dip in Health Informatics. Upon successful completion of 60 credits, you will be awarded a PG Cert in Health Informatics.

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.

Compulsory modules

  • Essentials of Informatics for Healthcare Systems
  • Principles of Health Data Analytics
  • University of Manchester: Health Information Systems and Technologies
  • University of Manchester: Standards and Interoperability

Optional modules

  • Citizen-Driven Informatics
  • Digital Transformation Project
  • Learning Health Systems
  • Patient Safety and Clinical Risk
  • University of Manchester: Decision Support Systems
  • University of Manchester: Modern Information Engineering
  • University of Manchester: Usable Systems Design
Covid-19 module updates
Due to COVID-19, there may be updates to the modules for your chosen programme of study this year. Some modules may not be available or may need to be moved to a later term or year of study. These updates are relevant for 2020-21 academic year only.  The full list of modules will be available in the module catalogue from late August.  From the first week of September, you will be invited to complete module selection from Portico, our student record system. There may need to be additional updates or changes to modules during the academic year to allow for new guidance from the UK Government and Public Health England. Your department shall keep you updated of these changes as they become available.

Dissertation/report

All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a report in the form of a journal article of up to 6,000 words (60 credits).

Covid-19 field trip updates
Due to COVID-19 updates, there may need to be changes to planned field trips for this programme. This will depend on travel restrictions, social distancing measures, and the availability of the relevant venues. Your department will keep you updated if field trips are able to occur and/or any alternative options available.

Teaching and learning

Each taught module is delivered largely online over eight or nine weeks with a short block of intensive face to face teaching. The online element includes video lectures, podcasts, written material as well as exercises and discussions. The face to face teaching includes lectures, seminars and experiential learning. Students will be required to spend 3 days per module on campus. The rest of the learning will be delivered online. For half the modules, the 3 day element of face to face teaching will be at UCL, for the other it will be at the University of Manchester. Students will also be asked to attend a separate induction day based at UCL at the start of the year. 

Covid-19 contact hours on campus
In Term One, while campus will be open, all the learning activity for the core content of your modules will take place online – including lectures, tutorials, seminars and assessments. By “core content” we mean everything you need to learn to complete the module successfully. In addition to these online contact hours, we will be offering some face-to-face educational activities for students on campus, and we will provide alternative online activities for those students unable to join us on campus. These activities, which will include contact with academic staff, will be relevant to your programme of study may include seminars, academic and employability skills workshops, small-group or individual tutorials, lab and practice-based teaching. UK Government safety guidelines will limit the amount of ‘in person’ activity we can offer and while it will vary from programme to programme, is likely to be no more than 1-2 hours per week. This will vary across departments, particularly if your programme includes laboratory/practical/studio/workshop sessions. You will be updated with more specific details as they are available and your timetable will indicate which sessions will be on campus and which will be available online.
Covid-19 assessment updates
There may be changes to the format of assessments for modules in this programme due to COVID-19. These will be summarised for each module on the module catalogue from 17 August 2020.   If any changes to assessments need to be made during the academic year due to updates in government guidance, these will be communicated to you as soon as possible from your department.    
Communicating further Covid-19 mitigation plans
We are continuing to follow UK Government guidance, as well as the expertise of our researchers, including specialists in health, education, human behaviour and infection prevention, to make sure UCL is as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. If it becomes necessary to make further changes to your programme as a result of new guidance/regulations, UCL and your department will communicate these as soon as this becomes clear. We will keep you up-to-date with our plans throughout term one, so you have the information you need to be able to take decisions that are right for your circumstances. Please ensure that you keep in touch with your department by regularly checking your UCL emails, Moodle courses, the Coronavirus FAQs for Students page and any UCL online groups or social media you follow.

Additional costs

To address travel costs associated with this degree, bursaries are available for self-funding students of up to £250 per module, to contribute towards travel/accommodation costs associated with four modules of the programme, as chosen by the student.  
 
The bursaries can be used towards: 

  • the cost of travel to and from Manchester or London (depending on the module location)
  • accommodation costs.  

Please note: the bursary does not cover subsistence costs.
 
To apply for a travel bursary, applicants must email the education admin team at UCL (ihi.education@ucl.ac.uk).

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

Accessibility

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

Funding

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

Careers

You will be prepared for technical and management roles leading the digital transformation of healthcare. Graduates of the programme have gone on to leadership roles in the NHS and other healthcare organisations here and overseas. Some of our graduates have moved into roles in industry in pharmaceutical companies or consulting organisations. Others have gone on to further study, taking on PhDs or fellowships while others have launched their own businesses.

Employability

The programme encourages intellectual curiosity and critical thinking. It teaches transferable skills for lifelong learning and cultivates reflective practice. Through the development of these skills, you will rapidly have an impact in your workplace. The content is designed by staff working at the forefront of change and reflects the latest thinking on healthcare. You will develop as an individual and as a team member. We work closely with healthcare organisations and other employers to ensure the informatics knowledge, know-how, skills and understanding we deliver are relevant and valued.

Why study this degree at UCL?

The programme is delivered through a collaboration between UCL and the University of Manchester, the two largest teams in this field in the UK.

The programme is supported by the NHS graduate management training scheme and a wide range of other employers. You will join a cohort with a diverse mix of educational and technical backgrounds, and this shared experience is one of the strengths of the programme.

The programme is delivered through a mix of face to face teaching and online learning, designed to fit into your working life. Assignments are often relevant to students' working lives and many students complete a dissertation in their place of work.

Department: Institute of Health Informatics

Application and next steps

Applications

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £80 for online applications and £105 for paper applications. Further information can be found at: www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/taught/application.

Who can apply?

The programme is designed for students in full-time work who already have a first degree in a relevant discipline. We do accept applications from people with a wide range of qualifications, and we do consider professional experience if students do not have a relevant first degree. Students who wish to study full time can take the programme in one year, but should be aware that they will be taking modules that are largely delivered online.

Application deadlines

All applicants
11 August 2020

For more information see our Applications page.

Apply now

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Page last modified on 13 August 2020