Published on December 8, 2025 by Alison Ingle  
Healthcare Administration students

Samford University’s School of Public Health has partnered with Auburn University to offer an accelerated pathway that allows students to earn a Bachelor of Science in biomedical sciences from Auburn and a Master of Science in Health Informatics and Analytics (MSHIA) from Samford in only five years. 

Through the partnership, Auburn students will begin taking Samford’s first year of MSHIA coursework during their senior year. These graduate-level credits transfer back to Auburn, allowing students to make simultaneous progress toward both degrees. Students must be admitted to both institutions to participate, and Auburn students can apply to Samford’s MSHIA program during their junior year. The first cohort will begin in fall 2026.

This new accelerated degree path supports Samford’s #3 ranking by The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2026 Best Colleges for quality of career preparation. As health informatics and analytics plays an increasingly important role in modern health care, Samford’s MSHIA program offers students the training needed to meet that demand. The program builds strong analytical and technical skills, giving students the ability to interpret data, inform evidence-based decisions and support improvements in patient care and operations across a variety of health care settings. 

Professor Carol Ratcliffe, chair of Samford’s Department of Healthcare Administration and Informatics, said she looks forward to the opportunities this collaboration creates for students. 

“I'm so excited about our partnership with Auburn University's College of Sciences and Mathematics. Our courses are offered online and is the perfect pairing with their BS in Biomedical Sciences program,” Ratcliffe said. 

“After earning their undergraduate degree from Auburn, students can complete the graduate program in just three semesters and also have the option to earn the Healthcare Administration Graduate Minor by choosing three additional courses.” 

To learn more about the accelerated MSHIA pathway, visit samford.edu/publichealth/MSHIA-AU. 

 
Located in the Homewood suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford enrolls 6,324 students from 44 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford is widely recognized as having one of the most beautiful campuses in America, featuring rolling hills, meticulously maintained grounds and Georgian-Colonial architecture. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and boasts one of the highest scores in the nation for its 97% Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.