Informaticists apply their interdisciplinary scientific and technological skillsets to analyze and develop solutions for problems central to contemporary science. The MS in Informatics enables students to either enter the informatics workforce or continue on to a doctoral program of study.
Individual and team-based assignments will enable students to build mastery of important informatics skills and their practical applications in areas that include population health, bioinformatics, remote sensing, ecological modeling, wearable computing, and machine learning and data science.
The non-thesis option of this program allows students to complete their degree through coursework and project-based learning, while the thesis option is focused on engagement with research projects under the mentorship of a faculty member and culminating in the preparation and defense of a thesis.
The program is strengthened through broad collaborations and partnerships, including the Center for Bioengineering Innovation, Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Department of Biological Sciences, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, and School of Forestry. Regional research collaborators include the Translational Genomics Research Institute, Northern Arizona Healthcare and Flagstaff Medical Center, North Country HealthCare, U.S. Geological Survey, and Northern Arizona Planetary Science Alliance.
The MS in Informatics degree program prepares graduates for careers in a wide variety of areas in the interdisciplinary application of computing, statistics, and technology to science. The thesis option of the program is particularly appropriate for preparing graduates to subsequently enter doctoral programs of study.
Common types of informatics applications include the analysis of massive data sets (Big Data), ecological processes modeling and quantification, genetic and genomic analyses, epidemiology and population health, and remote sensing with satellite and drone imaging.
Informaticists are employed by industry and government research labs, as research scientists in academia, or as entrepreneurs in cutting-edge informatics application areas.
To receive a master’s degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject areas, consisting of at least 30 units of graduate-level courses. Many master’s degree programs require more than 30 units.
You must additionally complete:
Read the full policy here.
In addition to University Requirements:
| Minimum Units for Completion | 30 |
| Additional Admission Requirements | Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required. |
| Thesis | Thesis may be required by chosen emphasis or offered as an option. |
| Comprehensive Exam | Comprehensive Exam may be required by chosen emphasis or offered as an option. |
| Oral Defense | Oral Defense may be required by chosen emphasis or offered as an option. |
| Research | Individualized research may be required by chosen emphasis or offered as an option. |
| Progression Plan Link | View Program of Study |
| Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan | Optional |
Purpose Statement
This MS in Informatics will prepare you to either enter the informatics workforce or continue on to a doctoral program of study, building core skills that are widely applicable to many areas of science.
Core coursework provides learning opportunities in the foundations of informatics, programming and computer science, structuring large-scale data sets, machine learning, and statistical data analysis. Elective coursework allows students to customize their program of study so that it is maximally aligned with their professional or research interests, with coursework available in many areas of informatics, including epidemiology, bioinformatics, ecological modeling, and remote sensing. Thesis option students will have additional opportunities to engage in informatics research and scholarship under the mentorship of an informatics faculty member as prepare a thesis on their specific research.
This program is designed for students with strong preparation in an area of science, such as biology or ecology, and experience in computer programming and data analysis gained through successful completion of a relevant undergraduate program or other professional experience. The non-thesis option of the program is designed for students seeking professional preparation, while the thesis option is particularly appropriate for students for considering further graduate study in a doctoral program.
As a graduate, you will be prepared to contribute in a wide variety of informatics areas, including population health, bioinformatics, remote sensing, ecological modeling, wearable computing, and machine learning and data science.
Student Learning Outcomes
The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies.
Admission requirements include the following:
Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.
Ready to apply? Begin your application now.
International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.
Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
This Master’s degree requires 30 units distributed as follows:
Take the following 30 units:
Professional Development Coursework (3 units)
Thesis Option (12 units)
Non-Thesis Option (12 units)
Students are responsible for ensuring that they meet all course prerequisites.
Students enrolled in this plan may not enroll in or pursue the following due to the number of overlapping units:
This program is available as an Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan wherein a student may start a master's degree while simultaneously completing their bachelor's degree.
Students ernolled at the Flagstaff campus for both undergraduate and graduate programs are eligible to complete the Bachelor of Computer Science in Computer Science and start a Master of Science in Informatics - Non-thesis option at NAU.
OR
Students ernolled at the Flagstaff campus for both undergraduate and graduate programs are eligible to complete the Bachelor of Science in Informatics and start a Master of Science in Informatics - Non-thesis option at NAU.
OR
Students ernolled at the Flagstaff campus for both undergraduate and graduate programs are eligible to complete the Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering and start a Master of Science in Informatics - Non-thesis option at NAU.
Students accepted into the Accelerated Program should complete the following requirements:
Master's Requirements
This Master’s degree requires 30 units distributed as follows:
Take the following 30 units:
Non-Thesis Option (12 units)
Students are responsible for ensuring that they meet all course prerequisites.
Students enrolled in this plan may not enroll in or pursue the following due to the number of overlapping units:
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.
Program fees are established by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR). A program fee has been approved for this program. See program fee details. Program fees are subject to change and updated July 1 for the next academic year.