Health Data Science, M.S.

Saint Louis University's Master of Science program in health data science is designed to prepare students for a career in today's data-driven health care industry. Successful data scientists possess an artful ability to blend, synthesize and communicate data for use in clinical decisions by patients and providers, as well as advancing quality improvement efforts across health systems.

SLU's health data science curriculum and academic training complement other existing programs and course offerings at Saint Louis University, including health informatics (Doisy College of Health Sciences), biostatistics (College for Public Health and Social Justice) and biomedical informatics and computational biology (College of Arts and Sciences). Students will have the opportunity to take courses from each of these programs. 

Careers

Our graduates have successful careers as data scientists, data managers, data analysts, machine learning engineers, statisticians, software engineers and quantitative analysts in academia, government and industry. Students may also further their education in a doctoral program in a related field. 

Key Figures

• 98 percent of students have jobs upon graduation from this program.
• The median salary in relevant health data science careers is $117,217
• #2 job in the U.S. according to Glassdoor
• Third fastest-growing job in the U.S. according to LinkedIn

Curriculum Overview

The goal of SLU's M.S. in health data science program is to provide graduates with the expertise and necessary skills needed to manage, manipulate and analyze large-scale clinical and operational databases. Most core courses are offered onsite during hours convenient for working professionals. This program is flexible enough for traditional students or working professionals. It offers the expertise and hands-on skills in analytics, modeling and outcomes research needed to meet the increasing demand for data scientists in the health care system.

Students complete 30 credits of coursework across three integrated areas of study, below. In the final semester of the program, students will complete a comprehensive three-credit hour capstone course which provides a platform for students to integrate the skills and knowledge acquired throughout the program into a tangible real-world project. 

Applied Statistics

Build capabilities to ask critical questions and draw conclusions from large, complex data with a variety of analytic methods, including predictive modeling, machine learning and data visualization. The program incorporates new software regularly to promote sharp and current analytic skills.

Practical Computing

Learn a diverse set of open-source and proprietary software required to link data from disparate sources such as electronic medical records, insurance claims, operations data, patient registries and personal health devices. This software includes R, Python, SAS, SQL and Hadoop.

Health Science Applications

Respond to the challenges of a regulated, dynamic industry by understanding unique health care contexts such as privacy protection, government financing, risk contracting, performance monitoring and population health management.

Fieldwork and Research Opportunities

The Master of Science (M.S.) in Health Data Science program provides traditional students and working professionals with the expertise and hands-on skills needed to meet this increasing demand in the health care systems. Focus is placed on highly sought-after skills in health data manipulation, data visualization, data mining, machine learning and predictive analytics.

Students build programming skills in R, SAS, SQL, and Python; as well as gain experience working with advanced computing tools such as Hadoop and MapReduce. This program capitalizes on the existing teaching and research strengths of our current faculty, most of whom have experience in the corporate world, in addition to academia.

Admission Requirements

Application Requirements

Begin your application for this program at gradapply.slu.edu/apply.

• Application form and fee
• Transcripts from most recent degree(s)
• Professional statement
• Résumé or curriculum vitae
• One Letter of Recommendation

Requirements for International Students 

All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students. International students must also meet the following additional requirements:

• Demonstrate English Language Proficiency
• Financial documents are required to complete an application for admission and be reviewed for admission and merit scholarships. 
• Proof of financial support that must include:
  • A letter of financial support from the person(s) or sponsoring agency funding the student's time at Saint Louis University
  • A letter from the sponsor's bank verifying that the funds are available and will be so for the duration of the student's study at the University
• Academic records, in English translation, of students who have undertaken postsecondary studies outside the United States must include:
  • Courses taken and/or lectures attended
  • Practical laboratory work
  • The maximum and minimum grades attainable
  • The grades earned or the results of all end-of-term examinations
  • Any honors or degrees received.

WES and ECE transcripts are accepted.

Application Deadline

Applications to the program are considered on a rolling basis. Students apply to start the program during either the fall or spring semester.

Tuition

Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:

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Information on Tuition and Fees

Miscellaneous Fees

Information on Summer Tuition

Scholarships and Financial Aid

For more information about Saint Louis University scholarships and financial aid, please visit the Office of Student Financial Services.

Accreditation 

Saint Louis University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and has been continuously accredited since 1916.