The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus offers two graduate routes related to health informatics. The College of Nursing has a 34-credit online MS in Health Care Informatics that is paused to new applicants beginning in Fall 2026. The Graduate School also offers an active 38-credit Personalized Medicine and Health Informatics track that combines genomics, biomedical science, data science, clinical research informatics, and an internship.
CU Anschutz Health Informatics: Quick Facts
| Program fact | Details |
|---|---|
| School | University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus |
| Location | Aurora, Colorado |
| Graduate options | MS in Health Care Informatics; MS in Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology with a Personalized Medicine and Health Informatics track |
| Credits | 34 credits for Health Care Informatics; 38 credits for the PMHI track |
| Format | Health Care Informatics is 100% online; PMHI combines online, hybrid, and campus courses |
| Applied experience | 270-hour advanced practicum in Health Care Informatics; three- to six-credit internship in PMHI |
| Admissions status | Health Care Informatics is paused to new applicants beginning Fall 2026; PMHI lists fall-only admission |
| Health Care Informatics tuition | $820 per credit for residents in 2026–2027; about $27,880 before fees |
| PMHI tuition | Confirm current Graduate School tuition and program costs with CU Anschutz |
Two CU Anschutz Program Options
| Feature | MS Health Care Informatics | Personalized Medicine and Health Informatics |
|---|---|---|
| Academic home | College of Nursing | Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology graduate program |
| Credits | 34 | 38 |
| Main focus | Clinical informatics, health systems, decision support, and evidence-based practice | Genomics, personalized medicine, bioinformatics, clinical research informatics, and translational science |
| Delivery | Fully online | Mixed: online, hybrid, and campus |
| Final experience | Two advanced practicum courses totaling 270 hours | Internship with CU faculty or an industry partner |
| Current availability | Paused to new applicants beginning Fall 2026 | Fall admission information and an application link are published |
MS in Health Care Informatics
The College of Nursing’s MS in Health Care Informatics prepares students to connect clinical work, patient data, and health technology. Students study how informatics can improve clinical decisions, care quality, workflows, safety, and health outcomes.
The official Health Care Informatics program page describes a fully online degree with virtual meetings and discussion boards. The nursing setting places clinical care and patient outcomes at the center of technology decisions.
Health Care Informatics Program Availability
CU Anschutz states that this program will pause new applications beginning in Fall 2026. Current students may continue and complete the degree, but prospective students cannot apply while the pause remains in effect.
Health Care Informatics Curriculum
The Health Care Informatics plan of study lists 28 didactic credits and six practicum credits. Students complete two advanced practicum registrations for a total of 270 hours.
- Foundations of Health Care Informatics
- Semantic Representation
- Decision Support
- Information Systems Life Cycle
- Evidence Based Practice: Evaluating Evidence
- Informatics Advanced Practicum
- Two electives chosen from digital health tools, HCI design, database systems, and knowledge management
CU Anschutz reports an average completion time of 2.4 years across eight semesters. The sample fall-start plan spreads coursework across three academic years.
Personalized Medicine and Health Informatics Track
The Personalized Medicine and Health Informatics track is part of the Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology graduate program. It prepares students to use genomics, advanced data science, and health technology in personalized care and translational research.
The track requires 38 credits. Half of the curriculum comes from the broader Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology program, while the other 19 credits focus on personalized medicine and health informatics.
PMHI Curriculum
The published PMHI curriculum divides the degree into 19 credits of common coursework and 19 credits of track-specific study.
Common Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology coursework includes:
- Foundations Courses, excluding the genetics module
- Introduction to Biotechnology
- Statistics
- Writing in the Sciences
- Responsible Conduct of Research Case Studies
- An approved program elective in areas such as bioinnovation regulations, biomedical entrepreneurship, or project management
- Internship worth three to six credits
PMHI track courses include:
- Foundations in Personalized Health
- Pharmacogenomics
- Multiomic Approaches to Personalized Medicine
- Clinical Research Informatics
- Applications and Challenges in Personalized Medicine
- Bioinformatics
PMHI Format and Internship
The PMHI track is not fully online. The five PMED courses are listed as fully online, but Bioinformatics and some common courses are taught on campus. Statistics, scientific writing, research case studies, and the internship use hybrid formats. Introduction to Biotechnology is online.
Students complete an internship in person or online. Possible placements include faculty teams at the Colorado Center for Personalized Medicine, the Department of Biomedical Informatics, or an industry partner. This experience gives the track a clear research and workforce component.
PMHI Admission Requirements
The PMHI track admits students for the fall semester. CU Anschutz lists the following application requirements:
- A bachelor’s degree with a minimum overall GPA of 3.0
- Official transcripts from all undergraduate and previous graduate study
- A completed Graduate School application
- Three academic letters of recommendation
- A one-page personal statement that explains the applicant’s career goals and interest in biomedical sciences, biotechnology, personalized medicine, and health informatics
- A nonrefundable application fee, which CU Anschutz states may be waived for information-session attendees
International applicants must also meet CU Anschutz international admission requirements. Applicants should confirm the current deadline and document rules before applying.
Tuition and Fees
For 2026–2027, the College of Nursing tuition table lists Nursing MS tuition at $820 per credit for Colorado residents and $1,330 per credit for nonresidents. The 34-credit resident calculation for the Health Care Informatics program equals about $27,880 before fees.
The nursing program page states that eligible nonresidents may receive the in-state rate through a tuition buy-down initiative. Additional charges can include a graduate master’s program fee, online course fees, a matriculation charge, health insurance, and other campus fees.
The PMHI track belongs to the Graduate School rather than the College of Nursing. Students should request the current tuition category and total program estimate from CU Anschutz before comparing its cost with the nursing degree.
Career Paths
The two programs support different career directions. Possible paths include:
- Healthcare or nursing informaticist
- Clinical informatics specialist
- Healthcare data analyst
- Clinical research informatics specialist
- Bioinformatics analyst
- Precision medicine program specialist
- Pharmacogenomics or multiomics project specialist
- Translational research coordinator
- Biomedical technology or biotechnology project professional
A degree does not guarantee a job title or salary. Prior clinical, laboratory, technical, research, and analytics experience will shape the roles available to each graduate.
Which CU Anschutz Program May Fit You Best?
The MS in Health Care Informatics may fit clinicians and healthcare professionals who want a fully online program focused on health systems, clinical decisions, evidence, and a substantial practicum. However, it is not accepting new applicants beginning in Fall 2026.
The Personalized Medicine and Health Informatics track may fit students who want a stronger blend of genomics, bioinformatics, data science, biotechnology, and translational research. It remains the practical CU Anschutz option for new applicants, but students must be able to complete its campus and hybrid requirements.
The Verdict
The addition of the PMHI track changes the CU Anschutz profile. The university still has a relevant option for new students even though its nursing informatics master’s is paused. PMHI is broader and more research-oriented, with health informatics positioned alongside personalized medicine, genomics, bioinformatics, and biotechnology.
Students should compare the two programs by career goal rather than title alone. The nursing degree centers on clinical systems and healthcare delivery, while PMHI centers on biomedical data and moving scientific findings into clinical care.
Related Programs
Compare CU Anschutz with other health informatics programs in Colorado.
- Colorado State University Global - Denver
- Regis University - Denver
- University of Colorado Denver - Denver
- University of Denver - Denver