Faculty of Applied Health Sciences

Health Informatics is a rapidly expanding area of expertise relevant to all aspects of health. Evidence-based decision-making, fundamental to effective health policy and planning, is dependent upon collection and analysis of new data as well as the analysis of existing data, and this, in turn, is increasingly dependent upon information technology.

The Health Informatics Option is designed for Health Studies students who are interested in the application of information technology to all aspects of applied health research and practice, including clinical practice, health promotion and disease prevention, delivery of health services, and health policy development. This Option offers students interdisciplinary training in basic computer science and information management in addition to their training in health sciences. Admission and graduation requirements are listed below:

1. Normally, Health Studies students who intend to have the Health Informatics Option recognized on their transcript must communicate that intention to the Associate Director, Undergraduate Studies for the School of Public Health and Health Systems, prior to the start of Year 3 by completing a Plan Modification/Internal Transfer Form (www.registrar.uwaterloo.ca/forms/PlanModification.pdf).
2. Successful completion of 20.0 units, including the requirements for the Honours Health Studies degree.
3. Students are required to complete 3.5 units from the following Health Informatics clusters:
   • Management (0.5 unit):
     BUS 111W (see WLU calendar) or AFM 131
   • Computer Science & Technology (1.0 unit):
     CS 100/200
     or
     CS 115/116
   • Socioeconomic aspects of Health Information (0.5 unit):
     STV 100, STV 202, STV 205, ECON 101
   • Multidisciplinary seminar in Health Informatics (0.5 unit):
     HLTH 451
     HLTH 452
     HLTH 473 Contemporary Issues in Health (Health Informatics) - topic to be approved by the Associate Director, Undergraduate Studies
   • 1.0 additional unit from:
     CS 330, CS 432
     or additional courses from any of the Socioeconomic aspects of Health Information list or Multidisciplinary seminar in Health Informatics list.
4. The cumulative averages required are the same as for Honours Health Studies. Refer to Applied Health Sciences, Standings.