The University of San Francisco offers a flexible master’s degree that connects healthcare, biomedical science, analytics, and technology. The program prepares students to work with health data and develop digital solutions for clinical care, research, public health, and healthcare operations.
Quick Facts
| School | University of San Francisco |
| Location | San Francisco, California |
| Degree | Master of Science in Digital Health Informatics |
| Credits | 36 units |
| Format | Hybrid, with synchronous campus and online meetings |
| Typical Length | 3 to 6 semesters; about 1 to 3 years |
| Estimated Tuition | About $55,980 at the 2026–2027 rate |
| Admissions | Bachelor’s degree, 3.0 GPA recommended, recommendations, résumé, statement, and quantitative preparation |
Program Overview
The USF Master of Science in Digital Health Informatics is offered through the School of Nursing and Health Professions. The interdisciplinary program covers the capture, processing, storage, analysis, and distribution of healthcare data.
Students enter in the fall and may complete the degree in three to six semesters. Evening classes, online meetings, and project-based study support students who plan to continue working. USF says classes meet once each week through a mix of campus and synchronous online sessions, with some weeks conducted fully online.
The program has particular strength in digital health, health data analytics, and clinical informatics. It can serve clinicians and healthcare professionals who need stronger technical skills, as well as students from computing, statistics, business, or biomedical science backgrounds who want to apply their skills in healthcare.
Curriculum and Master’s Project
The 36-unit curriculum includes 28 units of required study, a 4-unit capstone project, and up to 4 units of electives. Core and elective work may cover global and clinical health informatics, healthcare data analysis and visualization, advanced statistics, machine learning, digital health entrepreneurship, consumer and public health informatics, and healthcare data management.
Students complete projects throughout the program. The final master’s project requires work at a level comparable to a master’s thesis and gives students a chance to apply informatics methods to a defined healthcare problem. Elective availability may change by term.
USF also offers a four-course Executive Certificate in Clinical Informatics. The certificate is a separate option for professionals who want focused informatics training without completing the full master’s degree.
Admissions Requirements
Applicants need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. USF does not require a specific undergraduate major, and the program enrolls students with clinical, biomedical, technical, statistical, administrative, and business backgrounds. The university recommends a GPA of at least 3.0.
The application includes transcripts, two signed letters of recommendation, a professional résumé, and a statement describing career goals and interest in health and biomedical informatics. At least one recommendation should address the applicant’s quantitative ability. USF also looks for healthcare knowledge or commitment and familiarity with Python programming.
Applicants do not need an extensive computer science background. However, quantitative preparation, basic statistics, prior healthcare exposure, and some Python knowledge can help students enter the curriculum ready for graduate work. Review the official admissions page for current application instructions and international student requirements.
Tuition and Financial Aid
USF lists a 2026–2027 tuition rate of $1,555 per unit for master’s programs in the School of Nursing and Health Professions. At that rate, tuition for the 36-unit degree is about $55,980 before fees, books, health insurance, travel, and living expenses. Rates may change before a student completes the program.
Students should confirm their program rate through USF’s graduate tuition and cost page. Eligible students may use federal financial aid, employer support, scholarships, or other funding. Qualified USF alumni may also want to check whether the Double Dons graduate tuition scholarship applies to their enrollment.
Hybrid Format and Time to Completion
The program uses a synchronous hybrid structure rather than a fully asynchronous online model. Students attend classes once a week, with meetings held on campus or online depending on the schedule. Prospective students who live outside the Bay Area should ask the program how often in-person attendance is required for their planned course sequence.
Full-time students may finish in three semesters, while students balancing work or family responsibilities may spread the curriculum across as many as six semesters. USF describes the practical range as roughly one to three years.
Career Preparation
The degree can support work in health data analysis, clinical informatics, digital health product development, healthcare information systems, public health informatics, and health technology implementation. Graduates may help healthcare organizations evaluate data, improve clinical workflows, manage information systems, or develop digital health applications.
The curriculum can also complement an existing clinical or technical career. Career results will depend on each student’s prior education, professional experience, technical portfolio, and master’s project.
Who Is This Program For?
USFCA may fit students who want an interdisciplinary program with direct coverage of analytics, digital health, and clinical informatics. The evening and hybrid schedule may appeal to Bay Area professionals who want regular interaction with faculty and classmates while keeping a full-time job.
Students who need a fully asynchronous online program should compare other options carefully. The program may also be less suitable for applicants who want a traditional computer science degree, a nursing informatics specialty tied to advanced nursing practice, or a research thesis as the only culminating option.
Related Health Informatics Programs
- National University - San Diego
- San José State University - San José
- University of California, Davis - Davis
- University of California, Los Angeles - Los Angeles
- University of San Diego - San Diego