Health Informatics Certificate Admission

Woman wearing scrubs sitting in classroom at Case Western Reserve

Entrance standards

Entrance to the Certificate Program will be administered by the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences. Individuals who want to participate in the program should complete an application form that includes a brief personal statement describing the reason(s) for seeking health informatics training and a recent CV or resume.

We assume that most applicants to the Certificate Program will have already obtained a postsecondary (e.g. AS, BS, BA, MS, PhD) or advanced clinical (e.g. MD, MSN, DMD) degree and be a current health or clinical professional.

How to apply

Applicants apply through our online application portal.


Required Materials for a Completed Application: 

  • Online Application: Start the online application. Please indicate that you are applying to the School of Medicine, Certificate, Health Informatics program
  • Transcripts: Include school-issued unofficial transcripts, scanned and uploaded for all colleges or universities attended. Electronic transcripts can also be emailed to informatics@case.edu 
  • Resume/CV: Upload your current resume/CV outlining all work experience and volunteer roles with timeframes. Make sure to highlight any completed research positions or opportunities experienced 
  • Statement of Purpose: Include a brief statement addressing your interest in health informatics and how you hope to utilize this certificate in your career path 

Per School of Graduate Studies requirements, non-degree-seeking individuals will be required to provide their Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). 

Individuals will be accepted into the program based on the Graduate Committee on Informatics’ review of the personal statement, letters of reference, transcripts, and any supporting documentation required by the School of Graduate Studies. Majority vote of acceptance by the committee members will be necessary for admittance. Once accepted into the Certificate Program, participants will register for the courses through the student information system.

Rolling admissions

The program has rolling admissions, so students may start in the fall, the spring or the summer. Deadlines to apply to program are: May 1 for summer, June 30 for fall and December 1 for spring.

Length of program

Once accepted into the program, individuals will have three calendar years to complete the requirements. Most students will complete the program within four semesters of acceptance, but the program can be completed in as little as two semesters.

Performance standards

A grade of B or higher in each core course, and C or higher in every elective graded course and an overall GPA of 3.00 will be required for successful completion of the Certificate Program. A minimum of twelve (12) credits must be graded. Enrollees will be responsible for keeping track of the proper sequence of courses. To oversee students’ progress in the program, enrollees will be required to submit a one-page Program Progress.

Transcript documentation

The Graduate Certificate in Biomedical & Health Informatics (12 credits) is issued through the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences. This graduate certificate will not appear on any CWRU transcripts. Courses taken toward the certificate can be used to fulfill requirements for other degrees and will appear on CWRU transcripts.

Students seeking to have their Graduate Certificate in Biomedical & Health Informatics appear on their CWRU transcripts are required to take an additional three credits of course work. The 15-credit hour certificate is issued through the School of Graduate Studies and not through the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences.

Documenting progress

To assure our students are progressing in this program, the administrative director of Non-Clinical Graduate Education will check in with students and the department leadership at the end of each semester indicating the course(s) completed that semester. The administrative director of Non- Clinical Graduate Education will notify the Department Graduate Committee on Informatics if any students are not making adequate progress towards the certificate. The committee will make recommendations for remediation or any further action to assist students in successfully completing the program.

Exit standards

Students who complete all required coursework will submit a checklist to the administrative director of Non-Clinical Graduate Education that all coursework is completed. This administrator will verify with the registrar’s office that all requirements have been met. After this verification, the academic program director will approve the awarding of the certificate in writing, and the program director will issue a certificate to the enrollee documenting completion of the program. If the student has opted for the 15-credit certificate, the program will certify the student for graduation and submit paperwork to the School of Graduate Studies for processing, to ensure the awarding of the certificate appears on the student’s official transcript.