Biomedical Informatics, MS
Vision Statement
The vision of this program is to develop the next generation of biomedical specialists who are uniquely positioned to advance research and practice in contemporary information and knowledge management that impact biomedical, clinical and translational research, healthcare services, healthcare practice, public health care, and healthcare delivery in general. Graduates will be able to use their preparation to apply and investigate information and communication technologies to solve problems in the related biomedical fields in a comprehensive, competitive and effective way.
The program is designed as a research-oriented program with the goals of preparing graduate students to conduct advanced basic and applied research while capably serving as prospective employees in academic research as well as the IT healthcare industry. The program is geared towards motivated traditional students and technology specialists with the appropriate educational background that are ready to expand their knowledge of contemporary biomedical informatics issues and become biomedical informatics in academic, clinical, and organizational settings.
Program Contact Information
Program Website
Other Program Related Information
Fast Track
The School of Interdisciplinary Informatics (SI2) has developed a Fast Track program for highly qualified and motivated students providing the opportunity to complete a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in an accelerated time frame. With Fast Track, students may count up to 9 graduate hours toward the completion of their undergraduate program as well as the graduate degree program. Students will work with both undergraduate and graduate advisors to ensure graduate classes selected will count toward both programs, should a student wish to earn a graduate degree in a separate College of Information Science & Technology (CIST) area than their undergraduate degree.
Program Specifics:
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This program is available for undergraduate students pursuing any CIST undergraduate degree desiring to pursue an MS in either the same or a related CIST field.
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Students must have completed no less than 60 undergraduate hours.
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Students must have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0.
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Students must complete the Fast Track Approval form and obtain all signatures and submit to the Office of Graduate Studies prior to first enrollment in a graduate course.
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Students will work with their undergraduate advisor to register for the graduate courses.
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A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for graduate coursework to remain in good standing.
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Students remain undergraduates until they meet all the requirements for the undergraduate degree and are eligible for all rights and privileges granted undergraduate status including financial aid.
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Near the end of the undergraduate program, formal application to the graduate program is required. All applicants will need to meet any other admission requirements established for the MS in selected CIST program. The application fee will be waived if the applicant contacts the Office of Graduate Studies for a fee waiver code prior to submitting the MS application.
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Admission to Fast Track does NOT guarantee admission to the graduate program.
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The admit term must be after the completion term of the undergraduate degree.
Admissions
General Application Requirements and Admission Criteria
Program-Specific Requirements
Application Deadlines (Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and Fall 2025)
- Fall: July 1
- Spring: December 1
- Summer: April 1
Other Requirements
- The minimum undergraduate grade point average (GPA) requirement for the MS in BMI program is 3.0 or equivalent score on a 4.0 scale. Applicants should have the equivalent of a 4-year undergraduate degree.
- English Language Proficiency: Applicants are required to have a command of oral and written English. Those who do not hold a baccalaureate or other advanced degree from the United States OR a baccalaureate or other advanced degree from a predetermined country on the waiver list, must meet the minimum language proficiency score requirement in order to be considered for admission.
- Internet-based TOEFL: 80, IELTS: 6.5, PTE: 53, Duolingo: 110
- Writing Sample: a two-page, double-spaced, word-processed essay that addresses the following two topics:
- Discussion of two accomplishments that demonstrate your potential for success in the graduate program
- Discussion of your unique personal qualities and life experiences that distinguish you from other applicants to this graduate program
- Resume: Submit a detailed resume indicating your work experience and background.
- Optional: One letter of recommendation from a reference who can evaluate your work and/or academic achievements.
- Optional: Although not required, applicants are strongly encouraged to arrange for an interview either one or more members of the graduate program committee by directly contacting the committee chair. Telephone interviews are highly recommended for applicants outside the local area.
Degree Requirements
Science Foundation Requirements
Foundation courses ensure that all students in the Biomedical Informatics (BMI) MS program have a strong foundation on which to build the rest of the program. These courses not only provide essential prerequisite knowledge and skills for subsequent classes in the program, but they also contain a distinct body of knowledge that is an important part of the BMI professional’s education. All foundation courses are required for all students. However, applicants who have obtained an undergraduate BMI degree will typically already have this foundation. In such cases, most, if not all, foundation courses are waived. Applicants with undergraduate degrees in other disciplines, including computer science, management information systems, or engineering, will usually require one or more foundation courses. Occasionally, an applicant’s work experience may be sufficient to waive one or more of the foundation courses.
Waivers for foundation courses are granted by the chair of the graduate program committee upon the recommendation of the faculty member who is responsible for an individual course. Students requesting a waiver for a particular course should be prepared to meet with a faculty member and answer questions in the area of the course. They should bring to the meeting any relevant transcripts, course syllabi, course material, or evidence of practical experience. Some foundation courses may have an option for testing out.
Applicants should have background in anatomy, physiology, cell biology or equivalent (any health science degree). Applicants with degrees in other disciplines will usually have to take foundation courses.
Foundation courses cannot be used to satisfy the 36 semester hours required for the MS in biomedical informatics degree. Applicants who have not completed all the foundation course requirements may be admitted on a provisional status until those requirements have been completed. All foundation courses must be completed prior to or concurrent with the first six hours of MS in BMI graduate coursework.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOI 1000 | DIGITAL HEALTH AND BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS | 3 |
| BIOL 2140 | GENETICS | 4 |
| CIST 2500 | INTRODUCTION TO APPLIED STATISTICS FOR IS&T | 3 |
Information Technology Foundation Requirements
Foundation courses ensure that all students in the MS BMI program have a strong foundation on which to build the rest of the program. These courses not only provide essential prerequisite knowledge and skills for subsequent classes in the program, but they also contain a distinct body of knowledge that is an important part of the BMI professional’s education. All foundation courses are required for all students. However, applicants who have obtained an undergraduate BMI degree will typically already have this foundation. In such a case, most, if not all, foundation courses are waived. Applicants with undergraduate degrees in other disciplines, including computer science, management information systems, or engineering, will usually require one or more foundation courses. Occasionally, an applicant’s work experience may be sufficient to waive one or more of the foundation courses.
Waivers for foundation courses are granted by the chair of the graduate program committee upon the recommendation of the faculty member who is responsible for an individual course. Students requesting a waiver for a particular course should be prepared to meet with a faculty member and answer questions in the area of the course. They should bring to the meeting any relevant transcripts, course syllabi, course material, or evidence of practical experience. Some foundation courses may have an option for testing out.
Applicants should have background in programming languages, data structures & algorithms, statistics, math or experimental methods (any engineering, computer science related degree). Applicants with degrees in other disciplines will usually have to take foundation courses.
Foundation courses cannot be used to satisfy the 36 semester hours required for the MS in biomedical informatics degree. Applicants who have not completed all the foundation course requirements may be admitted on a provisional status until those requirements have been completed. All foundation courses must be completed prior to or concurrent with the first six hours of MS in BMI graduate coursework
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CIST 1400 | INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE I | 3 |
| or CIST 1600 | INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAMMING USING PRACTICAL SCRIPTING | |
| CIST 2500 | INTRODUCTION TO APPLIED STATISTICS FOR IS&T | 3 |
Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Each Semester | ||
| ADVANCES IN BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS | ||
| Core Courses | 12 | |
| INTRODUCTION TO BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS | ||
| PUBLIC HEALTH GENOMICS | ||
| RESEARCH IN MIS | ||
or ACMP 8300 | RESEARCH FOUNDATIONS | |
| ADVANCED STATISTICAL METHODS FOR IS&T (or BIOS 806, Biostatistics from UNMC) | ||
| Elective Core Courses | 6 | |
| Select two of the following: | ||
| LINEAR ALGEBRA FOR ADVANCED COMPUTING AND AI | ||
| FOUNDATIONS IN PROGRAMMING FOR BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS | ||
| BIOINFORMATICS ALGORITHMS | ||
| ALGORITHMIC GRAPH THEORY | ||
| GRAPH THEORY & APPLICATIONS | ||
| PRINCIPLES OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | ||
| INFORMATION SYSTEMS ARCHITECTURE AND ORGANIZATION | ||
| ADVANCED SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND DESIGN | ||
| DATA MANAGEMENT | ||
| APPLIED STATISTICAL MACHINE LEARNING | ||
| Research Electives | 6 | |
| Select two of the following: | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS IN BIOINFORMATICS | ||
| ADVANCED COURSE IN BIOINFORMATICS | ||
| SECURE WEB APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT | ||
| SEMINAR IN MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS | ||
| APPLIED DISTRIBUTION FREE STATISTICS | ||
| APPLIED REGRESSION ANALYSIS | ||
| STORYTELLING WITH DATA | ||
| Track Electives | 6-9 | |
| Select one of the following (see details below): | ||
Bioinformatics Track | ||
Health Informatics Track | ||
| Exit Requirement | 3-6 | |
| Coursework Option | 3 | |
| GRADUATE CAPSTONE | ||
| Thesis Option | 6 | |
| THESIS IN BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS | ||
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Bioinformatics Track Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 6-9 hours from the following (depending on which exit requirement is selected): | ||
| MOLECULAR GENETICS | ||
| SEMINAR IN BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS | ||
| BIOMEDICINE FOR THE NONMEDICAL PROFESSIONAL | ||
| COMPUTERIZED GENETIC SEQUENCE ANALYSIS | ||
| INDEPENDENT RESEARCH IN BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS | ||
| INDEPENDENT STUDY IN BIOINFORMATICS | ||
| DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS II | ||
| DATABASE SEARCH AND PATTERN DISCOVERY IN BIOINFORMATICS | ||
| INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT), BIG DATA AND THE CLOUD | ||
Health Informatics Track Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 6-9 hours from the following (depending on which exit requirement is selected): | ||
| SEMINAR IN BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS | ||
| INDEPENDENT RESEARCH IN BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS | ||
| INDEPENDENT STUDY IN BIOINFORMATICS | ||
| DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS | ||
| DESIGN PROCESS | ||
| HEALTH CARE POLICY | ||
BMI 840, Electronic Health Records from UNMC | ||
Exit Requirements
- Thesis Option: BMI 8990 6 Hours
- All candidates should carefully review the Graduate College requirements for forming a Supervisory Committee, Thesis/Thesis Equivalent Proposal Approval forms and final approval and submission of a thesis. This committee will be responsible for planning and supervising the student's thesis in coordination with the the BMI GPC. A supervisory committee shall be formally established for each student upon completion of at least nine hours of coursework or one year (which ever comes first) in the MS program. This committee will have responsible for planning and supervising the student's thesis in coordination with the campus-based BMI graduate program committee.
- Capstone Option: CIST 8950 3 Hours
- Students who select the capstone exit option will have to select another elective in order to fulfill the program's 36 credit hour requirement.