Dr. Gayle Prybutok – Health Data Analytics Program Coordinator

The proposed new graduate degree is a combination of 5 existing courses from the Health Services Administration MS program and 5 existing courses from the Advanced Data Analytics MS program at UNT. The proposed program will be hybrid in nature such that the 5 Data Analytics courses will be offered face-to-face while the 5 Health Services courses will be offered online. This program fits well into UNT’s strategic mission of recruiting more international graduate students by offering them a STEM graduate degree that provides 3 years of OPT post-graduation.

This program will bring value to the university and the department in which it will be housed; it will complement the existing programs within RHS and provide a pathway for current undergraduate students to pursue a graduate degree. This program is designed to meet an identified need for graduate programs that incorporate data analytics. Graduates of this program will be eligible for jobs as department directors in a variety of healthcare delivery environments and health insurance delivery environments,
where data analytics skills are highly marketable.

Although we have identified several certificate programs in this area, only one other Texas university has a full master’s degree in Health Data Analytics. Since this program utilizes existing course offerings, it will not require any additional faculty recruitment, course development, or classroom locations. The faculty in various programs within the department are aware of the proposal, recognize the contribution this program would make, and support its development.