Health and Bioinformatics Program Courses

Curriculum Outline

Overall requirements for the MS in Health Informatics and Bioinformatics consist of 36 credits, with a cumulative GPA of 3.0.

Consistent with Grand Valley policy, all courses must be completed within 8 consecutive years from entry into the first graduate course.

Common courses are shared among the five PSM programs to encourage interdisciplinary team work. The specific course requirements include:

Students in class with professor lecturing.

Common Core Courses (23 credits ) ⇒ 60% of the course

                   •STA 610-01 Applied Statistics for Health Professions (OR)

                   •STA 622 Statistical Methods for Biologists

 

Selected Concentration HI or BI(13credits ) ⇒ 40% of the course

Health Informatics Concentration (6 credits)

                •PNH 630 Health Administration and Service  (OR) 

                •PNH 635 Hospital Organization and Management 

 

Bioinformatics Concentration (6credits)

 

Compulsory Internship HI or BI (4 credits)

Capstone HI or BI  (3 credits)

MBI Student Yuka

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training

CITI Program Training

The Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training for Graduate Students Policy is a training that ensures ethical and professional standards for all graduate students while at GVSU. Click here for more information on GVSU RCR Standards.

All graduate students at GVSU will be required to comply with the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) policy.  Students are also required to complete the training by the time they finish 50% of their program credits. If you are not enrolled in PSM 650 during your first year (including summer semester) OR if you participate in a research project before you took PSM 650, you must complete the online CITI Program training. Health Informatics and Bioinformatics students can choose either the Biomedical Sciences or the Engineering and Technology course.


Recommended Course Schedules

Year #1

Winter Semester: (9 credits) → Course Period : ( January to May)

  • Programming Class:
    • CIS 500: Fundamentals of Computer Science  OR
    • CIS 161: Computational Science
  • CIS 661: Intro to Health and Bioinformatics 
  • PSM 650: Ethics & Professionalism

Year #2

Fall Semester: (9 credits) → Course Period : (August to December)

  • CMB 501: Scientific Communication for the Life Sciences and Professional Science Master's
  • Statistics Course:
    • STA 610-01: Applied Statistics for Health Professions (Only section #1 with “R”) OR
    • STA 622: Statistical Methods for Biologists (Please Discuss with Advisor Prior to Registration)
  • CIS 635: Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining

Winter Semester:  (9 credits) →  Course Period : (January to May)

FOR HEALTH-INFORMATICS EMPHASIS

  • PSM 662: Seminar in Professional Science plus 1 internship credit
  • CIS 691: Medical and Bioinformatics Capstone
  • CIS 671: Information Visualization

FOR BIOINFORMATICS EMPHASIS

  • CIS 678: Machine Learning
  • CIS 691: Medical and Bioinformatics Capstone
  • CIS 671: Information Visualization

(Optional) Summer Semester: (4 credits)

  • PSM 691: Internship

Year #3

Fall Semester: (9 credits) → Course Period : (August to December)

FOR HEALTH-INFORMATICS EMPHASIS

  • CIS 660: Data Engineering
  • CIS 665: Clinical Information Systems (Health Informatics Concentration)
  • PNH 630 or PNH 635:  Health Administration and Service OR Hospital Organization and Management

FOR BIOINFORMATICS EMPHASIS

  • CIS 660: Data Engineering
  • PSM 662: Seminar in Professional Science plus 1 internship (CIS 691 sec 09) credit
  • CIS 677: High-Performance Computing

 

     


      Fall Semester Courses

      Course Number

      Course Title

      Credits

      Course Offered

      CIS 161

      Computational Science

      3 cr

      Mon, Wed, Fri 11-11:50AM

      CIS 500

      Fundamentals of Software Practice

      3 cr

      Online Asynch

      CMB 501

      Scientific Communication for the Life Sciences and Professional Science Master's

      3 cr

      Mon 1-4:50 pm

      CIS 660

      Data Engineering

      3 cr

      Tue, Thu 4-5:15PM OR

      Thu 6-8:50PM OR

      Online Async

      CIS 661

      Introduction to Health and Bioinformatics

      3 cr

      Mon 6-8:50PM OR

      Mon,Wed 4-5:15PM OR

      Online Async

      CIS 665

      Clinical Information Systems

      3 cr

      Wed 6-8:50PM

      CIS 677

      High-Performance Computing

      3 cr

      Wed 6-8:50PM OR

      Online Async

      PNH 635

      Hospital Organization and Management

      3 cr

      Thu 6-8:50PM Hybrid

      PSM 650

      Ethics and Professionalism in Applied Science

      3 cr

      Mon OR Tue OR Wed 6-8:50PM

      PSM 662

      Seminar in Professional Science Practice

      2 cr

      Mon, Wed 4-4:50PM OR 5-5:50PM OR

      Tue,Thu 5-5:50PM

      PSM 691

      Internship

      1-9 cr

      N/A

      STA 610-1

      Applied Statistics for Health Professions

      3 cr

      Tue 6-8:50PM

      STA 622

      Statistical Methods for Biologists

      3 cr

      Tue, Thu 11:30AM-12:45PM

      Winter Semester Courses

      Course Number

      Course Title

      Credits

      Course Offered

      CIS 161

      Computational Science

      3 cr

      Mon, Wed, Fri 1-1:50PM

      CIS 500

      Fundamentals of Software Practice

      3 cr

      Online Async

      CIS 635

      Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining

      3 cr

      Mon, Wed 4-5:15PM OR

      Wed 6-8:50PM OR

      Online Async

      CIS 661

      Introduction to Health and Bioinformatics

      3 cr

      Tue 6-8:50PM

      CIS 671

      Information Visualization

      3 cr

      Mon, Wed 4-5:15PM OR 

      Thu 6-8:50PM OR

      Online Async

      CIS 678

      Machine Learning

      3 cr

      Mon OR Tues 6-8:50PM

      CIS 691

      Medical and Bioinformatics Capstone

      3 cr

      Mon 6-8:50PM

      CMB 610

      Foundations of Biotechnology

      3 cr

      Mon 6-8:50PM

      PNH 630

      Health Administration and Service

      3 cr

      Thu 6-8:50PM Hybrid

      PSM 650

      Ethics & Professionalism in Applied Science

      3 cr

      Online Async

      PSM 662

      Seminar in Professional Science Practice

      2 cr

      Mon, Wed 5-5:50PM OR

      Online Async

      PSM 691

      Internship

      1-9 cr

      N/A

      STA 610

      Applied Statistics for Health Professions

      3 cr

      Tuesday AND Thursday 11:30AM-12:45PM

      Spring/Summer Semester

      Course Number

      Course Title

      Credits

      Course Offered

      CIS 161

      Computational Science

      3 cr

      Online - Both Summer Sessions (12 Weeks)

      CIS 500

      Fundamentals of Software Practice

      3 cr

      Online - Both Summer Sessions (12 Weeks)

      CIS 661

      Introduction to Health and Bioinformatics

      3 cr

      Online - Second Summer Session (6 Weeks)

      PSM 650

      Ethics & Professionalism in Applied Science

      3 cr

      Online - First Summer Session (6 Weeks)

      PSM 662                       

      Seminar in Professional Science Practice

      2 cr

      Tuesday and Thursday 6-8:50PM - First Summer Session (6 Weeks)

      PSM 691

      Internship

      1-9 cr

      N/A


      Course Descriptions

      CIS 161 - Computational Science

      Computational science is the field of study concerned with using computers to analyze, model, simulate, and solve problems in various mathematical and scientific disciplines. Offered winter semester. 

      Credits: 3

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      CIS 500 - Fundamentals of Software Practice

      Focuses on advanced programming concepts, common data structures and collections, concurrency, software modeling, searching and sorting algorithms. Elements of discrete mathematics are integrated through lectures and programming projects. Offered fall semester. Prerequisite: Admission to the CIS program.

      Credits: 3

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      CIS 661 - Introduction to Health and Bioinformatics

      A survey of fundamental concepts of medical and bioinformatics methods and techniques involved in the integration of computer systems in medical centers and life science industries. Introduction to biomedical information systems; data representation, modeling, management and mining; systems evaluation; project management practices for biomedical decision-making. Legal and ethical considerations. Offered fall and winter semesters.

      Credits: 3

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      CMB 610 - Foundations of Biotechnology

      Introduction to the methods and strategies used for the manipulation of biological systems to produce food, drugs, and other products. Topics include experimental systems, gene and protein analysis, genetic engineering, recombinant DNA technology, transgenic organisms, gene therapy, and plant biotechnology. Offered winter semester. Prerequisite: Admission to a professional science master's program.

      Credits: 3

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      PSM 650 - Ethics and Professionalism in Applied Science

      Ethical and professional issues and problems facing practicing scientists. Emphasizes the role of scientists in public and private sectors, their responsibilities, and emerging ethical and professional issues. Offered every semester. Prerequisite: Admission to a professional science master's (PSM) program.

      Credits: 3

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      STA 610-01 - Applied Statistics for Health Professions - only section 01 with "R" qualifies

      Project-oriented overview of major statistical techniques commonly used in problems encountered in health professions. Students will learn to use a major statistical computing package. Hypothesis testing, t-tests, regression, analysis of variance, analysis of covariance, categorical data analysis, nonparametric statistics. Offered fall semester.
      Credits: 3

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      STA 622 - Statistical Methods for Biologists

      Design of experiments and application of statistical techniques commonly used by biologists. Emphasis on techniques for count data, correlation, and regression, analysis of variance, multivariate analysis, and nonparametric methods using biological data. A computing package will be utilized throughout the course. Offered fall semester. Please check with your advisor before enrolling in this course.
      Credits: 3

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      PSM 662 - Seminar in Professional Science Practice

      A seminar course designed to broaden the student's professional foundation in the practice of applied sciences following industry "best practices." Project management practice; intellectual property and proprietary issues; industrial policies and procedures; and governmental regulatory issues are examined. Focus on team building, networking, and communication and presentation skills. Offered fall and spring/summer semesters. Prerequisites: Admission to one of the five PSM M.S. programs: M.S. in cell and molecular biology-biotechnology emphasis; M.S. in biostatistics; M.S. in health informatics and bioinformatics; M.S. in applied statistics; or M.S. in data science and analytics.

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      CIS 635 - Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining

      A survey of computational methods for knowledge discovery in bioinformatics and medicine. Topics covered are dynamic programming (sequence alignment, BLAST search engine), Hidden Markov Models (phylogenetic trees, structure prediction), clustering and discriminations models for micro-array analysis (Gene Expression Data), selected data mining software, and working with biological databases. Offered winter semester. Prerequisite: CIS 500.

      Credits: 3

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      CIS 660 - Data Engineering

      An introduction to information storage, manipulation, retrieval, analysis, and modeling techniques. Topics include database paradigms, data preparation, extract transform load processes, information pipelines, and large-scale analytics. Prerequisite: CIS 500 or CIS 661.

      Credits: 3

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      CIS 671 - Information Visualization

      Concepts of information visualization, principles in vision and perception, algorithms for building information spaces, and principles of user interface design. Case studies demonstrate information visualization used to solve specific retrieval and decision problems for biological data. Evolution of visual user interfaces and visualization tools, visual information retrieval, and knowledge representation. Offered winter semester. Prerequisite: CIS 500 or CIS 661 or equivalent.

      Credits: 3

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      CIS 677 - High-performance Computing

      Introduction to parallel and high-performance computing using programming languages like C++. Coverage includes modern scalable parallel and distributed architectures, design and analysis of algorithms, communication and synchronization issues, software development environments, and performance evaluation. Case studies include applications in bioinformatics, evolutionary computing, data mining of biological and clinical databases, and knowledge-based systems. Offered fall semester. Prerequisite: CIS 500 or CIS 661 or equivalent.

      Credits: 3

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      CIS 678 - Machine Learning

      Broad introduction to machine learning computer programs that improve their performance with experience. Topics include decision trees, neural networks, statistical methods, genetic algorithms, Bayesian learning methods, explanation-based goal regression, reinforcement learning, and learning frameworks. Includes an applied machine learning component that provides exposure to established algorithms and machine learning programs. Offered winter semester. Prerequisite: CIS 500 or CIS 661 or equivalent.

      Credits: 3

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      CIS 665 - Clinical Information Systems

      Introduction to Clinical Information Systems (CLIS) important to the health care delivery process. The course covers the entire range from laboratory systems to electronic health records. Other topics covered are CLIS and health informatics, components and examples of CLIS, telemedicine, public health information systems, and modern developments. Offered fall semester. Prerequisite: CIS 500, or CIS 661, or PNH 630.

      Credits: 3

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      PNH 630 - Health Administration and Service

      Overview of the current management, organization, and delivery of U.S. health care. Current management and organization theories are compared in relation to the health care system. Major system components are defined and studied. Included are discussions of staffing, dealing with internal and external constituencies, and identification of hospital types. Offered every other year.

      Credits: 3

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      PNH 635 - Hospital Organization and Management

      Discussions of various types of hospitals. Study of their organization and management, including clinical, support and administrative functions, analysis of special operational problems, and administrative ethics. Requirements of the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Hospitals and other accrediting agencies are emphasized. Offered on sufficient demand. Prerequisite: PNH 520 or PNH 630 (may be taken concurrently).

      Credits: 3

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      PSM 691 - Internship

      Full-time or part-time, on-the-job work performed at a sponsoring entity while under the supervision of an approved mentor in an area related to applied sciences. Offered every semester. Prerequisites: Satisfactory completion of PSM common course requirements and completion or enrollment in PSM 662.

      Credits: 1 to 9

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      CIS 691 - Medical and Bioinformatics Capstone

      An integrative Capstone that synthesizes topics covered in medical/bioinformatics. Promotes advanced writing and broad perspectives of issues in contemporary information systems. Students will demonstrate ability to integrate concepts to a practical situation by leading discussions and presenting a paper on a current topic. Offered winter semester. Prerequisite: Completion of directed courses in medical and bioinformatics.

      Credits: 3

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      Page last modified October 6, 2023