Master of Science in Healthcare Data Science

The Master of Science in Healthcare Data Science program (available both on-campus and online via DEN@Viterbi) is a cross-disciplinary joint degree program offered by the Keck School of Medicine and the Viterbi School of Engineering.

Data science for addressing health care needs is an increasingly important area for creating novel devices, advancing biomedical research, and developing innovative processes that require integrative approaches linking data systems, analytics, business processes and decision support. Large amounts of health data are becoming available across all components of the health care ecosystem — big data is becoming the norm.

Advances in data acquisition, storage, processing and interpretation are blurring the boundaries between traditional health care provision and into mobile devices and the Internet of Things. From health organizations to startups, there is unprecedented demand for healthcare data science professionals with clinically-grounded experience relevant to current health system needs.

The Master of Science in Healthcare Data Science will provide students with the knowledge and skills to:

  • Understand the requirements and techniques to manage health and healthcare process data collected by healthcare providers and organizations, use it to improve patient care, and analyze it to improve the business processes in and between hospitals, insurance companies, public health agencies, and other components of the healthcare ecosystem
  • Understand the use of data science in clinical research and translational medicine
  • Understand the design and development of personal devices and mobile apps to collect health data and to monitor health-related variables
  • Understand the use of emerging technologies in data science and their application to health and healthcare delivery processes
  • Gain direct experiences in finding and articulating challenges in healthcare settings that can be met through integrative engineering solutions

Related Programs

The Department of Data Science and Cyber Security also offers the following degree program concentrations:

  • MS in Applied Data Science
  • MS in Communication Data Science (On-campus only)
  • MS in Cyber Security Engineering
  • MS in Environmental Data Science (On-campus only)
  • MS in Public Policy Data Science (On-campus only)
  • MS in Spatial Data Science
  • Graduate Certificate in Applied Data Science
  • Graduate Certificate in Graduate Certificate in Data Science Foundations

In addition, the Department of Computer Science is home to the following graduate program concentrations:

  • MS in Computer Science
  • MS in CS – Data Science
  • MS in CS – Game Development (On-campus only)
  • MS in CS – Scientists and Engineers

Career Opportunities 

A variety of career opportunities exist, but primarily in the areas of:

  • Business Intelligence Engineer
  • Senior Associate
  • Director of Research

Earn your Master of Science in Healthcare Data Science online. Request information now.

Experiential Learning Requirement

The program is completely online with the option to visit campus. Online students view the same lectures as USC’s on-campus engineering students using DEN@Viterbi’s innovative and proprietary electronic delivery system. This delivery system provides full collaboration among remote and on-campus students and faculty members, both in and out of the classroom.

DEN@Viterbi provides this unique opportunity for professional engineers to earn their graduate degree from a top ranked graduate engineering program, without setting foot on the USC campus. This program is uniquely different from other online programs since online students have access to the same faculty and classroom as on campus students.