Dartmouth offers the MS in Health Data Science in two formats: a 21-month online program built for working professionals, and a 12-month on-campus program in Hanover, New Hampshire. Both are taught by the same Dartmouth faculty, cover the same curriculum, and award the same Master of Science degree from the Geisel School of Medicine. Tuition is $66,190 for both.

The online format combines asynchronous coursework with one required 90-minute live session each week, and enrolls 25–35 students per cohort. The on-campus format is full-time and immersive, with in-person classes and access to campus resources, and enrolls 30–40 students.

Compare the two formats side by side →

Yes, before matriculation. Admitted students may request a format change by emailing the Geisel MPH/MS Admissions office. After matriculation, switching is not typically permitted because the two formats differ in structure and scheduling. In exceptional personal or professional circumstances, students may request a change, which may require transferring to a new cohort or reapplying.

Health data science is the study of data related to health systems, processes, and outcomes. It combines programming, biostatistics, epidemiology, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to analyze the complex data generated in clinical care, biomedical research, public health, and behavioral health — including electronic health records, medical imaging, omics data, wearable sensor data, and unstructured clinical text.

Health data science and health informatics overlap but emphasize different skills. Health data science focuses on analyzing data to produce insight: statistical modeling, machine learning, and prediction. Health informatics focuses on the systems that capture, store, and move health data, including electronic health records, interoperability standards, and clinical workflow design.

Dartmouth offers a separate MS in Medical Informatics for students focused on health information systems.

Students in Dartmouth's online MS in Health Data Science work in Python, R, SQL, and SAS.

• Python — data analysis, machine learning, and AI
• R — statistical computing and visualization
• SQL — querying and managing health databases
• SAS — clinical and regulatory data analysis

Students also use Jupyter Notebooks, RStudio, Tableau, Power BI, Hadoop, and Spark for big data processing and visualization.

No prior experience with these tools is required. Dartmouth's curriculum includes foundational programming instruction, and courses are sequenced so students build skills before applying them to complex health datasets.

Prior health data science experience is not required to be admitted to Dartmouth's online MS in Health Data Science. Applicants need a conferred bachelor's degree in any field. Dartmouth suggests familiarity with computer programming and statistics, and coursework in calculus is helpful, but neither is a formal prerequisite.

The program was designed to welcome students from non-quantitative backgrounds, including the social sciences, humanities, and business, and includes foundational quantitative and technical coursework for students newer to these fields.

Dartmouth's online MS in Health Data Science is designed for working professionals who want to apply data science to healthcare without pausing their careers. Cohorts include:

• Clinicians and healthcare professionals moving into analytics roles
• Data analysts and engineers moving into the health sector
• Researchers who need stronger computational methods
• Recent graduates in math, statistics, computer science, engineering, or public health
• Professionals in biotech, pharma, health systems, or government

Applicants come from a wide range of academic backgrounds. There is no required undergraduate major.

Yes. Dartmouth's online MS in Health Data Science builds real-world application into the curriculum through:

• Industry-sponsored projects and case studies with healthcare organizations
• Work with real health datasets, including clinical, imaging, omics, and intensively collected data
• Guest lectures and mentorship from faculty and industry practitioners
• The 10-week capstone project, completed in the final term with an industry or healthcare partner

Students in Dartmouth's online MS in Health Data Science should plan for 15–20 hours per week. That includes one required 90-minute live session, plus asynchronous lectures, assignments, and project work.

Students take one course at a time across 15 courses over 21 months, which keeps the weekly load predictable and means students are never balancing multiple courses simultaneously.

Each online cohort in Dartmouth's MS in Health Data Science enrolls 25–35 students. Students come from mathematics, computer science, healthcare, engineering, public health, and the social sciences. Many bring professional experience in healthcare, data analytics, or technology, while others are transitioning into the field from unrelated careers.

Because students progress through all 15 courses together in the same sequence, cohorts build close working relationships over the 21 months.

Yes. Dartmouth's online MS in Health Data Science is specifically designed for working professionals. The program requires 15–20 hours per week, courses are taken one at a time, and the single weekly live session and assignment deadlines follow a consistent, predictable schedule published in advance so students can plan around work commitments.

Every student in Dartmouth's online MS in Health Data Science completes a 10-week capstone course in the final term, designing and executing an original health data science project on a real-world challenge, often with an industry or healthcare partner.

Internships are optional rather than required, since most students are already employed. Students who want additional experience are supported in pursuing professional placements, industry-sponsored projects, and faculty research collaborations.

Tuition for Dartmouth's online MS in Health Data Science is $66,190, spread across the 21-month program. Tuition is the same for the online and on-campus formats, and the same for in-state and out-of-state students, since the program is fully online. View tuition and fees →

Yes. Merit scholarships are available to students in Dartmouth's online MS in Health Data Science. All applicants are considered for merit awards as part of the admissions review; no separate scholarship application is required. Learn about scholarships, grants, and loans →

Graduates of Dartmouth's online MS in Health Data Science work in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare delivery, public health, academia, and government. Common job titles include:

• Health Data Scientist
• Biostatistician
• Health Informatics Specialist
• Machine Learning Engineer
• Clinical Data Manager
• Public Health Analyst
• Clinical Research Data Analyst

Because the program is designed for working professionals, many students are promoted or move into data-focused roles at their current employer while still enrolled, rather than job-searching after graduation.

Read alumni career stories →

Graduates of Dartmouth's online MS in Health Data Science are able to:

• Write code to wrangle, analyze, and visualize large and complex health datasets
• Apply biostatistical and epidemiological methods to health research questions
• Build and evaluate machine learning models, including classification models
• Apply artificial intelligence methods to biomedical, healthcare, and behavioral health data
• Work with structured and unstructured data, imaging data, omics data, and intensively collected data
• Communicate findings to clinical, research, and executive audiences
• Recognize the ethical and practical implications of data-driven decisions in health settings

Yes. Graduates of the online MS in Health Data Science are Dartmouth alumni with access to the Dartmouth College and Geisel School of Medicine alumni networks.