New joint degree program fast-tracks study in health information management and health informatics
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Beginning in Fall 2025 (pending Board approval in July), UIC will offer a new joint degree program in health information management and health informatics. Completing this five-year program will earn students both a bachelor’s degree in health information management (BSHIM) and a master’s in health informatics (MSHI).
This streamlined degree pathway equips students with both management and technical skills, producing leaders who can oversee complex systems and utilize technology that drives health care innovation.
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This joint BSHIM/MSHI program reflects our commitment to preparing students for the evolving demands of the health care industry. By completing both degrees in just five years, students gain critical skills in health data management, information governance and health informatics — positioning them for advanced roles in a rapidly changing digital health landscape.
| Clinical assistant professor and HIM undergraduate program director
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Recent changes to the admission process for the MSHI program created an opportunity to consider interdisciplinary study beginning at the undergraduate level.
“The change a few years ago to remove the three-year work experience requirement for admission has opened the door for high-performing undergraduate students to seamlessly transition into the MSHI program,” said Laura Mills, clinical assistant professor and associate director of health informatics programs. “Creating this seamless joint degree pathway not only maintains academic momentum but also saves students time and money.”
Earned separately, the BSHIM and MSHIM require 123 and 38 credit hours respectively, but for students in the joint degree program, nine hours of shared coursework count toward both degrees. Completion of 114 hours at the undergraduate level, plus 9 shared hours of BSHIM and MSHI coursework, plus 29 hours at the graduate level will result in joint BSHIM/MSHI degrees. BSHIM courses may be completed on campus or online, while MSHI courses are fully remote.
The five-year students will receive their bachelor’s degree at the end of year four, then stay an additional calendar year to complete their master’s degree. Students will also be eligible to sit for the Registered Health Information Administrator exam, a certification credential from the American Health Information Management Association, immediately upon completion of the BSHIM degree requirements.
“[The program] allows students to earn their RHIA credential and a master’s degree in a time- and cost-efficient manner, giving them a competitive edge in the workforce,” said Williams, an RHIA herself.
“It’s a forward-thinking option for students eager to gain advanced skills and enter the workforce well-prepared and ahead of schedule,” said Mills.