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Health Information Management FAQs

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Question:  Do I have to complete the two pre-requisite courses to apply to Health Information Management or Health Informatics?

The Biomedical Sciences pre-requisite course is designed for individuals who did not complete an anatomy/physiology course in their undergraduate degree or college diploma program.  If you successfully completed such a course, then you do not require this pre-requisite.  If you have never taken an anatomy/physiology course as part of your academic history, then you will need to complete a course in this area. 


The Understanding the Canadian Healthcare course is designed for individuals with no academic background in a health care program, or no work experience in a Canadian healthcare setting. 

Question: Can I take either Biomedical Sciences or Understanding the Canadian Healthcare System course at McMaster? 

Yes, both courses are offered online at McMaster’s Centre for Continuing Education.  Please review the course schedule page for specific dates and times. 

Question: I was unable to register for the two pre-requisite courses at McMaster.  Can I take similar courses at another academic institution? 

Yes, we have put together a list of some possible options for you.  This is not an exhaustive list as there may be other courses available for you that are not on this list. 

Question: Can I be exempt from one or both of the pre-requisite courses, or can I apply for a transfer credit for a course based on my studies at another university /college?

The two pre-requisite courses are open enrolment courses and are not eligible for transfer credit application.  If you have taken a similar course at another institution, then there is no need to enrol in these courses as you meet that requirement for admission.  There are no exemptions from the pre-requisites.  The Program Manager will review your full application and supporting documentation.  Based on the review of your academic and work history, you will be notified if you meet the requirements for the program by an offer of admission.  If additional documentation is required (i.e. a reference letter from an employer), you will be notified directly. 


Documentation will only be reviewed as part of your full application submission package.  Individual documents will not be reviewed. Please refer to the Detailed Admission Requirement chart for further information. 

Question: Do I need to pay the application fee if I am not accepted to the program?

The application fee is applied to all applications received by the Centre for Continuing Education.  There are no refunds for the application fee. 

Question: Can I submit my documents for review to see if I am eligible for admission before I submit my application.

Program staff will review only the documents submitted as part of an application package. 


Question: I am taking one, or both, of the pre-requisite courses currently but the course(s) do not finish before July 15th.  Can I still apply?

Absolutely.  Please indicate in your letter of intent that you are enrolled in a class, or include a copy of your course registration as supporting documentation.  Your application will be reviewed and you may be offered a conditional acceptance pending successful completion of the pre-requisite courses.  You will be asked to submit a transcript of your completed grade to remove the conditional acceptance to full acceptance. 

Question:  I have never taken a statistics course as part of my undergraduate degree or college diploma.  Should I enrol in a course now? 

It is strongly encouraged that you complete an introductory or level 1 course in statistics before, or during the program.  There are some suggested courses listed on CCE’s website, or a number of courses are available at other colleges and universities.

Question: I have experience with computer programs such as Microsoft word, Excel and PowerPoint.  Is this sufficient for computer experience? 

You will be using these programs during your course of study; however, you will require some training working with a database system.  If you have used a database system in your work experience, please note this on your resume and letter of intent. 

Question: Do I need computer programming experience?

For the Health Informatics program, you should have completed some introductory to intermediate level programming courses.  You may not require them to start the program, but it may be necessary to complete these before you move into the Health Informatics electives. 

Question: I do not have a university degree or college diploma.  Can I still apply to the program?

You may apply as a mature student.  You must submit you application form, and relevant documentation that supports any of the admission requirements. Your application will be reviewed and the Program Manager will contact you if additional requirements are needed for admission. 

Question: Can I take more than one course at a time?

The programs are scheduled as a cohort.  This means that all students begin their studies at the same time and progress through the program together.  Each course is a 9-week duration and a 2 week break is provided between courses.  All students have the summer off. 

Question:  I have completed similar courses at another institution.  How do I apply for transfer credits? 

You must submit an application to the program with your official academic transcripts.  This information will be reviewed and if there is a potential match of courses between your earlier program and McMaster’s program, you will be asked to submit detailed course outlines to the Program Manager.  These outlines will be assessed to determine if the 80% content match requirement is met. 
The transfer of credit policy for Health Information Management and Health Informatics is provided below:

  • You may transfer up to two transfer credits into the Health Information Management Diploma program or the Health Informatics program

  The following general conditions apply:

  • courses must have an 80% overlap in content/curricula and a similar number of classroom or contact hours;
  • courses must have been taken within the last five years;
  • courses must have been taken from an accredited academic institution and listed on an official transcript with a grade
  • you must obtain a “C-“ or better to be eligible
  • you may only apply external transfer of credit to one Certificate or Diploma program;
  • advanced standing will not be granted until you register in a program;
  • transfer credits approved but not paid for within one (1) year of approval may be rescinded; and
  • you will be charged a fee of $79 per course.

Question: I am interested in taking a few courses in the program but I do not require the full diploma. Can I do this?

We suggest you send an email to the program account (himgmt@mcmaster.ca, or hinform@mcmaster.ca) and indicate which courses you are interested in completing.  You may be asked to pay the application fee or new student fee if permission is granted. 

Question: What happens if I need to stop by studies, or I need to take a break from my cohort schedule of classes? Do I need to start over when I return?

Upon notification of your request to stop your studies, or to take a break from the cohort schedule, the Program Manager will contact you with options.  You may be permitted to rejoin your cohort and pick up the missed class with the next cohort group (pending course pre-requisites).  Grades from a completed course will remain on your official academic transcript and you will not need to retake a successfully completed course in the next cohort offering.  You may be asked to retake a previously completed course if the content of the course has changed since the time of your course completion. 

Question: How much time should I be expected to work on my studies?  Can I work and complete the courses at the same time? 

The Health Information Management Diploma and Health Informatics Diploma programs are part-time programs, which means the workload and scheduling is designed for you to meet your professional, personal and academic obligations.  On average, we suggest you budget between 6-10 hours per week for your coursework.  Of course, this varies depending on the amount of content presented, or when assignments are due. 

It is important to remember that the courses are valued at a university undergraduate level; therefore, the workload expectations will correspond to a university level of study.