Informatics, Ph.D.
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Informatics educates researchers, teachers, and transformational leaders who advance the science of informatics and the development of information technologies and their integration in the workplace. As a multidisciplinary field, Informatics emphasizes convergent research strategies and team-based science that engage diverse perspectives of information technology and computing with business, engineering, and social, behavioral and economic sciences to address a variety of complex problems in health care, business, engineering, and other domains.
Learning Outcomes
- At the completion of the program, students will be able to demonstrate the ability to apply advanced informatics principles and solve complex problems.
- At the completion of the program, students will be able to work in trans-disciplinary teams to analyze problems and develop, integrate and evaluate innovative solutions applying informatics and information technology.
- At the completion of the program, students will be able to design a rigorous research project in a specific informatics area of interest.
- At the completion of the program, students will be able to execute a rigorous research or development project in a specific informatics area of interest.
- At the completion of the program, students will be able to exhibit professional skills such as scientific writing, oral communication, grant writing, teaching, and professional service.
- At the completion of the program, students will be able to actively contribute to the informatics research through publication or other appropriate avenues of dissemination.
Degree Requirements (60 Post-Baccalaureate Hours)
Completion of the doctoral degree in Informatics requires a minimum of 60 credits beyond the baccalaureate degree, of which 12 must be ITEC 899 . Students having an earned master’s degree must complete a minimum of 48 credit hours beyond the master’s degree. At least half of the course work must be completed at the 700 level or higher. All programs of study must be approved by the department.
Students enrolled in graduate programs are subject to the academic regulations and degree requirements of The Graduate School and the academic program in which enrolled. The requirements described here pertain specifically to the Ph.D. in Informatics. Please check the Policy and Regulations sections of this Bulletin for university-wide requirements for doctoral degrees.
Publication Requirement
To demonstrate their ability to effectively communicate research results, Ph.D. candidates are required to submit, based on research performed while at the University of South Carolina, at least one journal article or national conference paper prior to graduation.
Program Requirements (Total 60 Hours)
| Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Informatics Core Courses | 21 |
| Research Methods | 12 |
| Dissertation | 12 |
| Electives | 15 |
Informatics Core Courses (21 hours)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ITEC 742 | Enterprise Network Management | 3 |
| or ITEC 743 | Health Information Privacy and Security | |
| ITEC 749 | Principles of Informatics | 3 |
| or ITEC 747 | Management of Health Information Systems | |
| ITEC 754 | Analysis and Design of Information Systems and Technology | 3 |
| or ITEC 752 | Systems Analysis & Design for Health Applications | |
| ITEC 765 | Human Computer Interaction, Usability and Interface Design | 3 |
| or ITEC 762 | Health Information Technology Usability and Interface Design | |
| ITEC 766 | IT Project Management | 3 |
| or ITEC 764 | Project Management for Health Information | |
| ITEC 772 | Database Systems | 3 |
| or ITEC 770 | Health IT Database Systems | |
| ITEC 785 | Enterprise Data Analytics | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 21 | |
Research Methods (12 hours)
Students must complete four research methods courses at the 700 level or above appropriate for their research focus with approval of the department.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOS 700 | Introduction to Biostatistics | 3 |
| BIOS 757 | Intermediate Biostatistics | 3 |
| BIOS 765 | Research Design in the Biomedical Sciences (pre-req EPID 741, BIOS 757)) | 3 |
| STAT 700 | Applied Statistics I | 3 |
| STAT 701 | Applied Statistics II | 3 |
| HSPM 716 | Quantitative Methods for Health Administration (pre-req HSPM 775 or BIOS 700) | 3 |
| HPEB 715 | Qualitative Research Methods in Public Health | 3 |
| PSYC 702E | Experimental Design | 3 |
| PSYC 709 | Basic Quantitative Methods in the Analysis of Behavioral Data I | 3 |
| PSYC 710 | Basic Quantitative Methods in the Analysis of Behavioral Data II (pre-req PSYC 709) | 3 |
| PSYC 821 | Theory of Psychological Measurement | 3 |
| PSYC 823 | Multivariate Analysis of Behavioral Data | 3 |
| PSYC 824 | Special Topics in Quantitative Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 825 | Introduction to Statistical Mediation Analysis | 3 |
| EDFI 730 | Qualitative Epistemologies, Paradigms, & Theories | 3 |
| EDFI 731 | Qualitative Inquiry | 3 |
| EDRM 710 | Educational Statistics I | 3 |
| EDRM 711 | Educational Statistics II (pre-req EDRM 710) | 3 |
| EDRM 712 | Nonparametric Statistics | 3 |
| EDRM 718 | Research and the Statistical Packages (pre-req EDRM 710 & EDRM 711) | 1-3 |
| EDRM 810 | Design and Analysis of Experiments (pre-req EDRM 711 or equivalent) | 3 |
| EDRM 816 | Correlational and Multivariate Methods (pre-req EDRM 711) | 3 |
| Other approved courses in quantitative research taught outside the department approved by the department | ||
Dissertation (12 hours)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ITEC 899 | Dissertation Preparation | 1-12 |
Electives (15 hours)
In addition to the above requirements, students must complete 15 hours in ITEC courses numbered 500 or above. Courses listed as Informatics Core, Research Methods, and Dissertation may not be used to satisfy an elective requirement. Courses from other departments may satisfy an elective requirement with approval of the department. Electives include:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ITEC 544 | Training Systems | 3 |
| ITEC 545 | Telecommunications | 3 |
| ITEC 552 | Linux Programming and Administration | 3 |
| ITEC 562 | Advanced Web Support Systems | 3 |
| ITEC 590 | Special Topics in Integrated Information Technology | 3 |
| ITEC 790 | Special Topics in Informatics | 3 |
| ITEC 760 | Cyberinfrastructure and Information Assurance | 3 |
| ITEC 761 | Management of Cyberinfrastructure | 3 |
| ITEC 787 | Advanced Data Analytics Tools | 3 |
| ITEC 786 | Advanced Enterprise Data Analytics | 3 |
| ITEC 781 | Artificial Intelligence and Informatics I | 3 |
| ITEC 782 | Artificial Intelligence and Informatics II | 3 |
| ITEC 775 | Large-Scale Health and Information Systems | 3 |
| ITEC 745 | Telecommunications for Health Information Technology | 3 |
| ITEC 795 | Independent Study in Health Information Technology | 1-3 |
| Courses from other departments with approval of the IIT Department. | ||
Optional Concentration in Health Informatics
Completing the Health Informatics concentration satisfies the Electives requirement. Students taking the Health Informatics Concentration also are advised to take the health-related core courses and research methods courses.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required: | ||
| ITEC 776 | Health Information Technology and Clinical Transformation | 3 |
| ITEC 775 | Large-Scale Health and Information Systems | 3 |
| Select three of the following: | ||
| ITEC 748 | Internship in Information Technology | 1-6 |
| Any 700 level ITEC course from the electives listed above | ||
| HSPM 765 | Leadership in Health Care Organizations | 1 |
| NURS 734 | Conceptual Basis of Health Systems | 3 |
| HSPM 730 | Financing of Health Care | 3 |
| or NURS 738 | Financing of Health Care | |
| HSPM 769 | Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| BIOS 710 | Effective Data Management for Public Health | 3 |
| HSPM 711 | Health Politics | 3 |
| HSPM 712 | Health Economics | 3 |
| HSPM 726 | Applied Public Health Law for Administrators | 3 |
| HSPM 777 | Healthcare Policy and Principles of Health Insurance | 3 |
| HSPM 791 | Selected Topics | 1-6 |
| HSPM 768 | Health Services Administration II | 3 |