Online MSN: Nursing Informatics
Ranked Among the Best
Competitive in-state tuition — even for some out-of-state students. Complete the program online from anywhere.
Improve patient care and outcomes through the development, implementation, and evaluation of information technology. Increasing demand for the adoption of electronic information systems is creating a growing need for nursing informaticians in health care organizations and in businesses that develop and sell health care information technology.
Program Snapshot
Length
Format
Tuition and Fees View overview
Out of State Tuition: $1,549.00/credit
Credits
Accreditation Read Details
What is nursing informatics?
According to the American Nurses Association, nursing informatics is a "specialty that integrates nursing science with multiple information management and analytical sciences to identify, define, manage, and communicate data, information, knowledge, and wisdom in nursing practice. [It] supports nurses, consumers, patients, the interprofessional health care team, and other stakeholders in their decision-making in all roles and settings to achieve desired outcomes. This support is accomplished through the use of information structures, information processes, and information technology."
-Nursing Informatics: Scope and Standards of Practice, 2nd Edition, ANA 2015
Our Master of Science in Nursing graduates have stellar reputations in the health care informatics job market and are in high demand; they have gone on to work in hospital settings or for businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies as:
- systems analysts
- clinical data analysts
- clinical informatics experts
- health care and business executives
- consultants
- business owners
- faculty members
- and more.
The American Medical Informatics Association estimates that up to 70,000 health informatics specialists will be needed in the next few years. A national nursing informatics workforce survey by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society found that half of nursing informaticians earn an annual salary of more than $100,000.
The nursing informatics field is progressive, constantly changing, and has a significant impact on the future of the health care industry and beyond.
Live in one of the yellow states? You may be eligible to pay Maryland in-state tuition for this program.
Through an agreement with the Academic Common Market, you may be eligible to pursue this Master of Science in Nursing degree at UMSON at an in-state tuition rate. You'll complete the program online, and our faculty will help place you at a practicum site convenient to you.
How the Program Works
- The program requires 40 credits and 135 practicum hours.
- Full-time and part-time plans of study are available.
- Complete this program in as little as two years (five semesters).
- You can get started on this Master of Science in Nursing degree while you gain experience in the field. Take 1-2 online courses as you work full time to get a jump-start on your education and your career.
Flexible learning from anywhere:
- This Nursing Informatics program can be completed entirely online.
- Your advisor will develop an individualized plan of study that fits your schedule.
- Advisors can connect with you via email, telephone, Skype, or in person.
- For the required practicum, you and your practicum instructor will arrange a mutually agreeable site in a location convenient to you.
- If you reside in a state belonging to the Southern Regional Education Board, you may be eligible for in-state tuition rates (see the sidebar for more information).
Free Exam Preparation
As an UMSON student, you can take part in online Nursing Informatics Certification Review Workshops – at no cost to you. These faculty-led workshops will prepare you for the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Nurse Informatics Certification Exam.
"... I successfully passed my board certification on the first attempt! Thank you so much for the prep course and an excellent master’s program. It made me more than prepared for the exam!"
- Davis Mitchell Darsch, MS '19
What You’ll Learn
As a student in the nursing informatics specialty, you will be able to:
- analyze nursing information requirements
- design system alternatives
- manage information technology
- identify and implement user-training strategies
- evaluate the effectiveness of clinical and/or management information systems in health care.
You will also be prepared to be a leader in the conceptualization, design, and research of digital information systems in health care organizations and in the informatics industry.
What You’ll Do
- Upon graduation, you will be an Nurse Informatics Specialist.
- Your unique qualifications as a nurse and an informatician will allow you to connect interdisciplinary health care teams and serve as a leader in health IT teams.
- Your role could involve developing, deploying, and optimizing health care information systems; leveraging health care data to improve quality and safety of patient care; enhancing clinician workflow; and helping to lower health care costs.
Our nursing informatics graduates work in many areas:
- The majority work in hospital settings.
- Many work for health IT vendors and health care analytics fields.
- They also work for federal agencies – such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services –or for consulting firms.
- Many experienced Informatics Nurse Specialists have their own businesses and consult with various health care sectors, such as the Department of Defense.
- And many either become an educator or incorporate teaching into their professional careers.
Many of our students are hired as informaticians while they are still in the program, especially by their practicum sites.
More Information About the Nursing Informatics Specialty:
Courses You'll Take
For financial aid purposes, there are credit minimums for full-time status that may differ from the plans of study. See details.
The Nursing Informatics master's specialty requires:
- 40 credits
- 135 practicum hours
In this section:
Sample Plans of Study
- Full-Time Study - Fall Matriculation
- Full-Time Study - Spring Matriculation
- Part-Time Study - Fall Matriculation
- Part-Time Study - Spring Matriculation
Course Overview
Nursing Core Courses and Electives
The nursing core courses may be taken in any sequence:
Course | Term Offered |
---|---|
NRSG 780: Health Promotion and Population Health | Fall, Spring, Summer |
NRSG 782: Health Systems & Health Policy: Leadership & Quality Improvement | Fall, Spring, Summer |
NRSG 790: Methods for Research and Evidence Based Practice |
Fall, Spring, Summer |
NRSG 795: Biostatistics for Evidence-based Practice | Fall, Spring, Summer |
The leadership courses may be taken in any sequence.
Course | Term Offered |
---|---|
NURS 690: Managerial Health Finance | Fall, Spring |
NURS 691: Organization Theory: Application to Health Services Management | Fall, Spring |
In general, the informatics courses must be taken in the sequence shown. However, NURS 785 may precede or follow NURS 784 and NURS 786.
Course | Term Offered |
---|---|
NURS 736: Technology Solutions for Generating Knowledge in Health Care | Fall, Spring |
NURS 786: Systems Analysis and Design | Spring |
NURS 784: Information Technology Project Management | Fall |
NURS 785: Healthcare Database Systems | Spring, Summer |
NURS 737: Nursing Informatics Concepts and Practice in Systems Adoption | Fall |
NURS 738: Practicum in Nursing Informatics | Spring |
NURS 770: Human-Technology Interaction in Healthcare | Spring, Summer |
Some courses have co-requisites or prerequisites:
NURS 737 prerequisites: NURS 736, NURS 786, NRSG 790, NRSG 795
NURS 738 prerequisites: NURS 737, NURS 785, NURS 690, NRSG 780, NRSG 782
NURS 738 pre- or co-requisites: NURS 691, NURS 784
NURS 770 pre- or co-requisite: NURS 790
Sample Plan of Full-Time Study - Fall Matriculation
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
First Semester (Fall) |
||
NRSG 780 |
Health Promotion and Population Health |
3 |
NRSG 790 |
Methods for Research and Evidence Based Practice |
3 |
NRSG 782 |
Health Systems and Health Policy: Leadership and Quality Improvement |
3 |
Second Semester (Spring) |
||
NURS 736 |
Technology Solutions for Generating Knowledge in Health Care |
3 |
NRSG 795 |
Biostatistics for Evidence Based Practice |
3 |
NURS 786 | Systems Analysis and Design | 3 |
Third Semester (Summer) |
||
NURS 785 |
Health Care Database Systems |
3 |
Fourth Semester (Fall) |
||
NURS 690 | Managerial Health Finance | 3 |
NURS737* |
Nursing Informatics Concepts and Practice in Systems Adoption |
3 |
NURS 784 |
Information Technology Project Management |
3 |
Fifth Semester (Spring) |
||
NURS 738* |
Practicum in Nursing Informatics |
4 |
NURS 691 | Organizational Theory: Application to Health Services Management | 3 |
NURS 770 | Human-Technology Interaction in Healthcare | 3 |
Total Credits | 40 |
*Denotes courses that must be taken in this specialty. No waivers or transfer credits accepted.
Sample Plan of Full-Time Study - Spring Matriculation
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
First Semester (Spring) |
||
NRSG 780 |
Health Promotion and Population Health |
3 |
NRSG 790 |
Methods for Research and Evidence Based Practice |
3 |
NURS 691 |
Organizational Theory: Application to Health Services Management |
3 |
Second Semester (Summer) |
||
NRSG 782 | Health Systems and Health Policy: Leadership and Quality Improvement | 3 |
Third Semester (Fall) |
||
NURS 690 | Managerial Health Finance | 3 |
NURS 736 | Technology Solutions for Generating Knowledge in Health Care | 3 |
NRSG 795 | Biostatistics for Evidence Based Practice | 3 |
Fourth Semester (Spring) |
||
NURS 785 | Health Care Database Systems | 3 |
NURS 786 | Systems Analysis and Design | 3 |
Fifth Semester (Summer) |
||
NURS 770 | Human-Technology Interaction in Health Care | 3 |
Sixth Semester (Fall) |
||
NURS 737* | Nursing Informatics Concepts and Practice in Systems Adoption | 3 |
NURS 784 | Information Technology Project Management | 3 |
Seventh Semester (Spring) |
||
NURS 738* | Practicum in Nursing Informatics | 4 |
Total Credits | 40 |
*Denotes courses that must be taken in this specialty. No waivers or transfer credits accepted.
Sample Plan of Part-Time Study - Fall Matriculation
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
First Semester (Fall) |
||
NRSG 780 |
Health Promotion and Population Health |
3 |
NRSG 790 |
Methods for Research and Evidence Based Practice |
3 |
Second Semester (Spring) |
||
NURS 691 |
Organizational Theory: Application to Health Services Management |
3 |
NRSG 795 |
Biostatistics for Evidence Based Practice |
3 |
Third Semester (Summer) |
||
NRSG 782 |
Health Systems and Health Policy: Leadership and Quality Improvement |
3 |
Fourth Semester (Fall) |
||
NURS 690 | Managerial Health Finance | 3 |
NURS 736 |
Technology Solutions for Generating Knowledge in Health Care |
3 |
Fifth Semester (Spring) |
||
NURS 786 | Systems Analysis and Design | 3 |
NURS 785 |
Health Care Database Systems |
3 |
Sixth Semester (Fall) |
||
NURS 737* |
Nursing Informatics Concepts and Practice in Systems Adoption |
3 |
NURS 784 |
Information Technology Project Management |
3 |
Seventh Semester (Spring) |
||
NURS 738* |
Practicum in Nursing Informatics |
4 |
NURS 770 |
Human-Technology Interaction in Healthcare |
3 |
Total Credits | 40 |
* Denotes courses that must be taken in this program. No waivers or transfer credits accepted
** Advisor’s permission required to take NURS 770 after the completion of NURS 738
Sample Plan of Part-Time Study - Spring Matriculation
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
First Semester (Spring) |
||
NRSG 780 | Health Promotion and Population Health | 3 |
NRSG 790 |
Methods for Research and Evidence Based Practice |
3 |
Second Semester (Summer) |
||
NRSG 782 |
Health Systems and Health Policy: Leadership and Quality Improvement |
3 |
Third Semester (Fall) |
||
NRSG 795 |
Biostatistics for Evidence Based Practice |
3 |
NURS 736 |
Technology Solutions for Generating Knowledge in Health Care |
3 |
Fourth Semester |
||
NURS 690 | Managerial Health Finance | 3 |
NURS 786 | Systems Analysis and Design | 3 |
Fifth Semester (Summer) |
||
NURS 785 | Health Care Database Systems | 3 |
Sixth Semester (Fall) |
||
NURS 737* |
Nursing Informatics Concepts and Practice in Systems Adoption |
3 |
NURS 784 |
Information Technology Project Management |
3 |
Seventh Semester (Spring) |
||
NURS 738* |
Practicum in Nursing Informatics |
4 |
NURS 691 |
Organizational Theory: Application to Health Services Management |
3 |
Eighth Semester (Summer) |
||
NURS 770 |
Human- Technology Interaction in Healthcare |
3 |
Total Credits | 40 |
* Denotes courses that must be taken in this program. No waivers or transfer credits accepted
** Advisor’s permission required to take NURS 770 after the completion of NURS 738
Scholarship Opportunities
Your nursing education is an important investment. Financial aid and scholarships can help make your goals a reality.
UMSON offers multiple opportunities to help you afford your graduate education.
Type of Aid | Award |
---|---|
Federal Financial Aid | various award amounts |
Maryland Financial Aid | various award amounts |
Merit Scholarships | $1,500-$3,000 per semester (You are automatically considered for a merit scholarship upon submitting a completed application for enrollment in an UMSON academic program.) |
Donor-Funded Scholarships | $500-2,000 per semester (offered during the fall and spring semesters) |
Conway Scholarship | full scholarship: tuition and fees (for those who will have completed 9 credit hours of graduate study by the start of the semester for which the Conway Scholarship is awarded and who have at least half of their credit hours remaining) |
Graduate Assistantships | stipend, tuition remission, in-state status, and paid student health insurance |
Learn More About Financial Aid and Scholarships
All students receiving funds through the University must:
- be enrolled at least half-time (6 credits) in a degree-seeking program
- complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year by UMB's award priority deadline
- FAFSA Submission period: Oct. 1 (of the previous year) through Feb. 28
- FAFSA School code: 002104
The UMB Office of Student Financial Assistance & Education is available to guide prospective and current students through the FAFSA application process and the financial aid award package.
Contact Us:
UMSON Scholarships and Grants Office
410-706-0489 | nrsscholarships@umaryland.edu
UMB Student Financial Assistance and Education Office
410-706-7347 | aidtalk@umaryland.edu
Faculty
Our faculty members are nationally and internationally known experts in each field that they are teaching and conduct a variety of informatics research. In particular, all faculty members bring years of informatics practice experience and share their experience with students. We also have a computer scientist as a full-time faculty member who offers students opportunities to learn more in-depth database and programming, if they desire to do so.
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Cheryl A. Fisher, EdD, MSN, RN Cheryl A. Fisher, EdD, MSN, RN, has a research background focused on teaching with technology, translating evidence into health care practices for the bedside nurse and evaluating the integration of technology into practice. Dr. Fisher developed new programs for a clinical setting to meet identified learning needs using computer-based training and competency validation. While working at the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Fisher worked to design, develop, implement, and evaluate innovative technologies in conjunction with the National Library of Medicine to integrate a personalized decision support system into the electronic medical record to enhance patient care. Dr. Fisher has published numerous peer-reviewed journal articles looking at student learning online and co-authored, “Developing Online Courses in Nursing Education”, now in its fourth edition. Dr. Fisher has also published Training Essentials for Implementing Healthcare IT, in Health Care Information Technology. Dr. Fisher has taught nursing informatics in undergraduate and graduate levels for 10 years and has mentored many graduate students in evidence-based practice projects using technology in the clinical setting. |
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Arpad Kelemen, PhD Arpad Kelemen, PhD, has expertise in biomedical informatics; EHR and healthcare database development, optimization, and evaluation; healthcare software and game development; human-computer interaction; intelligent patient care technologies with artificial intelligence; and data mining of large healthcare data. Dr. Kelemen has published over 70 peer reviewed papers and three books. He was PI on a HRSA grant, "Nursing informatics program focused on diversity and the underserved". In addition, he has received funding from NSF, NIH, NYSTAR, and the US NAVY. He developed a large-scale intelligent software agent for human-like decision making for the job assignment problem. He develops models, algorithms, and intelligent systems for large-scale biomedical data, including healthcare, genomic, and clinical data. He currently leads development of educational and patient-centered online healthcare games. |
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Eun-Shim Nahm, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA Eun-Shim Nahm, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA, conducts research that focuses on the use of digital heath interventions to engage patients and their caregivers, and community-dwelling older adults in their care and to promote the management of chronic conditions. She is a recipient of multiple grant awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Most recently, she completed an R21 study, “A Theory-Based Patient Portal eLearning Program for Older Adults with Chronic Illnesses” (07/2016–06/2019), funded by the AHRQ. Currently, Dr. Nahm is leading online cancer survivorship studies in collaboration with the clinicians at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMNurisng Grant) and a 5-year implementation grant project, “Care Coordination Education-to-Practice Scale-Up Implementation” (07/2020-06/2025), funded by the Nurse Support Program II. She has published more than 75 peer-reviewed journal articles and five book chapters in the field. Dr. Nahm teaches graduate-level nursing informatics courses and doctoral-level research courses. She has mentored numerous graduate and doctoral students, as well as junior faculty members. |
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Ernest Opoku-Agyemang, PhD, MA, RN Ernest Opoku-Agyemang, PhD, MA, RN, has expertise in supporting and implementing information systems in healthcare, finance, e-business and e-commerce. Dr. Opoku had served as a Senior Systems Test Engineer on the Community Health Automated Medicaid Processing System (CHAMPS) Medicare Management Information System for the State of Michigan. Prior to that, he worked in the financial industry as a consultant on the Order Audit Trail System (OATS) for the NASDAQ stock market. Dr. Opoku is the recipient of the prestigious British Drummond Wolff award for his MA degree at University of Hull (UK). He was a recipient of the MHEC Nursing Educator Doctoral Grants for Practice and Dissertation Research (NEDG) and the New Nursing Faculty Scholarship. Areas of interest include electronic health records and barcoded computerized medication administration. He received his PhD from the UMSON with a research focus on using mobile applications in managing chronic diseases. |
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Barbara Van de Castle, DNP, APRN-CNS, OCN, RN-BC Barb Van de Castle, DNP, APRN-CNS, OCN, RN-BC, is a board-certified informatics nurse specialist and a doctorally prepared oncology-certified nurse educator. Her background includes supporting oncology clinicians in the use of EHRs to improve workflow and patient outcomes, taught Epic’s Beacon program as a Credentialed Trainer. . Dr. Van de Castle’s work focuses on innovation, and focuses on Evidence Based Practice in Informatics . She is actively engaged in the local chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society and in 2017 was awarded the Mary Nowotny Excellence in Cancer Nursing Education Award Recipient at the 2017 ONS National Congress. She is a member of ANA, ANIA and Sonsiel. She is also the Co-Chair of our Summer Institute of Nursing Informatics (SINI). |
MSN Admission Information
In this section:
- Deadlines
- Qualifications
- Application Materials and Instructions
- Applicants without a High School Diploma or College Degree in the U.S
Deadline:
Spring 2024 Timeline | |
---|---|
Priority Deadline | Nov. 1, 2023 If your online application and all supplemental application materials are received by this date, your application will be reviewed immediately for priority consideration for admission decisions and scholarships. |
Deadline | Jan. 2, 2024 Completed applications received after the deadline are reviewed solely on a space-available basis. Only those who complete an application by this deadline will be eligible for consideration for merit scholarships (no additional application required) and the Conway Scholarship (additional application required). This deadline does not impact eligibility for federal financial aid. |
Supplement Items Due | Jan. 8, 2024 |
Admissions Decisions Announced | Jan. 15, 2024 |
Qualifications:
- bachelor’s degree with a major in nursing from:
- an ACEN- (formally known as NLNAC), CCNE- or NLN CNEA- accredited college or university
or - an equivalent degree from a comparable foreign institution
- an ACEN- (formally known as NLNAC), CCNE- or NLN CNEA- accredited college or university
- an undergraduate cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0
Application Materials:
Materials |
Submission Guidelines |
Online Application and non-refundable $75 application fee. |
Start your application now via the Admissions Dashboard. The Admissions Dashboard is where you will:
|
One recommendation. Your recommendation must come from a recent professional source. Only the first recommendation received will be considered. | Submit/request these materials via the Admissions Dashboard. |
Essay. Please submit a 500-1,000-word essay that addresses the following:
|
|
Typed résumé or CV. Be sure to include your full name with your résumé submission. | |
A copy of your valid, unrestricted (current) RN license in the United States. For a current list of compact states, see the Maryland Board of Nursing website; if you hold an active Maryland RN license, send us a copy of your printable license verification, available on the Maryland Board of Nursing website. | |
Official transcripts. An official transcript from every institution previously attended or currently attending must be submitted in a sealed envelope, as prepared by the sending institution. Returning students are not required to submit UMSON transcripts; we will upload a copy of your UMSON transcript to your application. Please note that UMSON is listed two ways in the Academics area. Please make sure you choose one of the following:
|
Have each institution submit electronically to admissions.nursing@umaryland.edu.
|
Residency classification. Applicants who are claiming in-state (Maryland) residency MUST apply for in-state status. | Complete a residency application and submit it either by mail, e-mail, or fax to the Office of the Registrar using the instructions supplied at the bottom of the residency application. The completed application, signed and dated, should be submitted prior to the first day of enrollment for the term and program for which you are seeking admission. |
Applicants without a High School Diploma or College Degree in the U.S:
- If you do not have a degree from a U.S. high school, college, or university, you are required to demonstrate English proficiency.
- If you have completed coursework outside of the U.S., you must have your transcripts evaluated.
The Health Service Leadership management and Nursing Informatics master's specialties are not eligible for F-1 or J-1 student visa sponsorship by the University of Maryland, Baltimore due to the amount of online courses.
If you have questions regarding the admissions requirements or process, contact the Office of Admissions and Student Scholarships to avoid errors that could delay the processing of your application.
Additional Resources
Information packets
Packet for Prospective Nursing Informatics Students (PDF)
Packet for New Nursing Informatics Students (PDF)
Careers
Careers in Nursing Informatics: The Future is Now!
Nursing Informatics-Related Events/Webinars
Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics Conference
Big Ten Academic Alliance Nursing Informatics Collaborative Webinar Series
If you're currently a registered nurse with an associate degree, you can save 6 credits (one full semester) when you enroll in UMSON's RN-to-MSN, an accelerated path to both the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and this MSN specialty.
Further Your Education
- DNP: Doctor of Nursing Practice: customize a practice-focused doctorate in nursing informatics with the Post-Master’s option
- PhD: Doctor of Philosophy: generate new knowledge in health care and nursing informatics (and advance the field)
Additionally, UMSON’s Nursing Informatics Certificate is for nurses in an UMSON graduate program or with a master's degree in another specialty area or field who are looking to gain essential knowledge and skills in nursing and health care informatics.
UMSON is also home of the annual Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics Conference.
This program is not eligible for F-1 or J-1 student visa sponsorship by the University of Maryland, Baltimore, due to the amount of online courses.