The inaugural cohort of the programme will commence on July 1, 2027, as the rapid digitisation of data and technological advancements increase the demand for data scientists capable of interpreting health information to inform individual choices, clinical practice, industry priorities, public health initiatives and policy decisions.
The programme aims to bridge health sciences with statistics, computing and analytical methods for big data to help improve human and planetary health. Its curriculum integrates statistics, computer science, artificial intelligence, informatics, biomedical engineering, ethics and key elements of public health.
Graduates will be equipped to apply data-driven solutions to support evidence-based decision-making on complex health problems.
The programme incorporates recent developments in digital health, applied machine learning, artificial intelligence and analytics, alongside foundational knowledge of health at individual and population levels. It comprises one year of coursework followed by a one-year mentored interdisciplinary industry internship.
Students will learn emerging approaches to analysing complex health data, including medical imaging from pathology and radiology, multiomics data such as metabolomics and genomics, exposome data and other high-dimensional datasets.
The curriculum will provide training in advanced statistical and computational methods, including multivariate and discriminant analysis, machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing and integrative data analysis. These methods will help students generate meaningful insights for health and biomedical research.
The programme follows a progressive learning pathway designed to accommodate students from diverse academic backgrounds. Learning will focus on methodological skills, real-world data related to health, healthcare and associated factors, collaborative assignments and applied projects.
The initiative comes amid the growing availability of digital health infrastructure and health data in India, alongside the increasing adoption of data-driven decision-making across clinical care, public health, biomedical research, health-related industries and healthcare organisations.
The programme aligns with national initiatives such as the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and prepares graduates for careers across healthcare, biomedical research, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, digital health organisations, hospitals, public health organisations, government agencies, academia and other national and international institutions.
Methodological rigour, ethical practice, responsible artificial intelligence and interdisciplinary collaboration are central to the programme. The curriculum aims to prepare students to develop solutions that are technically robust, meaningful for different stakeholders and populations, and socially responsible.
Professor Kaumudi Joshipura, Dean of the Bagchi School of Public Health, said the school's mission was to improve human and planetary health through research, education and action.
She highlighted the rapid transformation of technologies used to monitor health markers, inform lifestyle choices, including through wearables, and support environmental monitoring and healthcare.
Electronic health records, medical imaging, biomedical sensors, air quality monitors, data recorded through mobile phones and artificial intelligence are creating new possibilities for disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment and population health, she said.
Healthcare organisations increasingly need professionals who can combine analytical and computational skills with an understanding of health systems, epidemiology and the responsible use of health data.
The Master of Science in Health Data Science reflects Ahmedabad University’s interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial approach to education, bringing together public health, science, technology and data to address complex challenges.
Further information about the programme is available at the Ahmedabad University website under Master of Science in Health Data Science.
Ahmedabad University is a private, non-profit research university offering students a liberal education focused on interdisciplinary learning, practice orientation and research thinking.
The University has been recognised by the Government of Gujarat as a Centre of Excellence and accredited with an 'A' grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).
It was awarded Leadership and Management Team of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards Asia 2025 and received a 5-star rating, the highest awarded in the Gujarat State Institutional Rating Framework (GSIRF), for 2021-22 and 2023-24 from the Knowledge Consortium of Gujarat (KCG), Department of Education, Government of Gujarat.
The University Centre received the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) International Award for Excellence 2024. The University was also awarded a 'Platinum Rating' by the Indian Green Building Council for sustainability and green practices.
Ahmedabad University has been recognised by the UGC under Section 12(B) of the UGC Act, becoming one of the very few private research universities to receive this recognition for select research universities.
It was also recognised as a Highly Commended University for Teaching and Learning Strategy of the Year at the Times Higher Education (THE) Awards Asia 2023 and received the AACSB’s Innovations That Inspire Award 2023 for its Foundation Programme.
The University Centre was awarded a Gold Rating by the Indian Green Building Council for achieving Green Building Standards.
Established in 2009, Ahmedabad University is rooted in the vision of the Ahmedabad Education Society, one of India’s educational foundations, which was founded in 1935 by nationalist leaders.
The University offers programmes from bachelor’s to doctoral levels in humanities and social sciences, natural sciences, engineering and management through its four Schools and 10 Centres.
Its Schools are the Amrut Mody School of Management, Bagchi School of Public Health, School of Arts and Sciences, and School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Its Centres include Ahmedabad Design Lab, Centre for Heritage Management, Centre for Learning Futures, Global Centre for Environment and Energy, International Centre for Space and Cosmology, Sahyog: Centre for Promoting Health, Stepwell Centre for Asian Futures, The Climate Institute, The Institute of Manufacturing and Economy, and VentureStudio.
As an urban university, Ahmedabad University promotes independent-mindedness and diversity across all dimensions of its activities. It aims to help students develop into critical thinkers who are analytically equipped, practically oriented and contextually aware global citizens.
The University provides a contemporary educational framework that brings liberal arts, sciences and professions together to create new knowledge addressing complex societal challenges. Its interdisciplinary majors are designed to merge boundaries between disciplines and prepare students for the new economy.
With its new Health Data Science programme, the Bagchi School of Public Health is expanding its educational offerings to address the growing need for professionals capable of translating complex health data into actionable insights for research, healthcare and public policy.
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