BS in Health Informatics

Official Program Name:

Bachelor of Science in Health Information Technology

School Offering Program:

Capella University

Degree Level:

Bachelor's

Program Prerequisites:

Potential applicants to the Bachelor of Science in Health Information Technology should enjoy working with computer systems, and should be interested in working in the health care field. Applicants to Capella University who are under 24 years of age must have completed at least two years of college or have active military status; some programs may have additional admissions requirements.

Program Description:

The Bachelor of Science in Health Information Technology program at Capella University introduces students to health care organization management, market forces affecting the health care industry, medical terminology, electronic health records, data integration and warehousing, and methods of statistical analysis of clinical data. Students can examine quality management techniques for improving health care quality and efficiency, the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA), and legal issues in health care data security and privacy. Coursework includes general education studies, IT project management, risk management, vendor management, configuration management, and database design and management systems. Core IT courses examines user-centric design, network and security design, operating systems and hardware architecture, and inherent ethical issues related to the information technology industry.

Learning Format:

Online

Total Credits Required:

180 credits

Financial Aid Available:

Students enrolled in Capella University have several opportunities to reduce their tuition costs, including employer reimbursement programs, veterans benefit programs, tuition discounts through corporate alliances, U.S. Armed Forces education benefits, and credit transfers. Federal and non-federal loans and grants are available to qualifying students.

Required Courses for a Bachelor of Science in Health Information Technology:

Degree program and course requirements are subject to change. Contact Capella University to confirm the most accurate information before enrolling in a program.

Core Courses

• IT 3006: Communication Strategies for the Information Technology Professional (6 credits)
• IT 3120: Fundamentals of Project Management (6 credits)
• IT 3160: Ethical and Human Side of Information Technology (6 credits)
• IT 3200: Enterprise Architecture (6 credits)
• IT 3300: Human-Computer Interaction (6 credits)
• IT 3310: Hardware and Operating Systems Architecture (6 credits)
• IT 3340: Fundamentals of Software Architecture (6 credits)
• IT 3350: Network and Security Architecture (6 credits)

Specialization Courses

• IT 4610: Anatomical and Medical Terminology (6 credits)
• IT 4620: Managing Data in Multiple System Environments (6 credits)
• IT 4630: Statistical Analysis for Health Care (6 credits)
• IT 4640: Electronic Health Records/Clinical Systems (6 credits)
• IT 4650: Decision Support/Quality Management (6 credits)
• IT 4660: Information Security and Privacy in Health Care (6 credits)
• IT 4670: Health Care Organization and Management (6 credits)
• Elective courses (39 credits)
• IT 4990: Integrated Action Learning Capstone Project (6 credits)

General Education Courses

Students choose 45 credits with a minimum of 6 credits from each category, as well as 21 elective credits.

• Choose a minimum of 6 communication credits:
  • ENG 1000: English Composition (6 credits)
  • ENG 2000: Research Writing (6 credits)
  • ENG 3300: Business and Technical Writing (6 credits)
  • SPC 1000: Public Speaking (3 credits)
  • SPC 2000: Intercultural Communication (6 credits)
  • SPC 2050: Visual Design in Communications (3 credits)
  • SPC 3700: Conflict Resolution (6 credits)
  • SPC 4100: Media and Culture (3 credits)
• Choose a minimum of 6 humanities credits:
  • ART 2000: Art History Survey (6 credits)
  • HUM 1000: Introduction to the Humanities (6 credits)
  • HUM 1050: World Religions (3 credits)
  • HUM 3300: Global Multiculturalism and World Religions (6 credits)
  • LIT 2001: Introduction to Literature: Short Stories (3 credits)
  • LIT 2100: Women's Literature (3 credits)
  • PHI 1000: Introduction to Philosophy (6 credits)
  • PHI 2000: Ethics (6 credits)
  • PHI 2050: Human Nature and Ethics (3 credits)
  • PHI 2100: Introduction to Logic (6 credits)
  • PHI 3200: Ethics in Health Care (6 credits)
• Choose a minimum of 6 natural science and mathematics credits:
  • BIO 1000: Human Biology (6 credits)
  • BIO 1050: Biology and Society (3 credits)
  • BIO 2000: Environmental Health (6 credits)
  • CHM 1000: Chemistry for Changing Times (6 credits)
  • CHM 1050: Chemistry and the Environment (3 credits)
  • PHY 1000: Introduction to Astronomy (6 credits)
  • MAT 1050: College Algebra (6 credits)
  • MAT 1051: Pre-Calculus (6 credits)
  • MAT 2001: Statistical Reasoning (6 credits)
  • MAT 2050: Statistical Literacy (3 credits)
• MAT 2051: Discrete Mathematics (6 credits)
• Choose a minimum of 6 social science credits:
  • ECO 1050: Microeconomics (6 credits)
  • ECO 1051: Macroeconomics (6 credits)
  • HIS 1000: Immigrants in the American City (3 credits)
  • HIS 3200: History of Health Care in America (3 credits)
  • PSYC 1000: Introduction to Psychology (6 credits)
  • POL: 1000 The Politics of American Government (6 credits)
  • POL: 2000 Globalization (6 credits)
  • SOC: 1000 Introduction to Human Society (6 credits)
  • SOC: 2000 Cultural Diversity (6 credits)
  • SOC: 3400 Social Deviance (6 credits)
• General Education Electives (21 credits)

Post Graduation Opportunities

Furthering Your Education:

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Health Information Technology program at Capella University can prepare for more challenging leadership opportunities by enhancing their technical training with graduate studies. Graduates could pursue more generalized IT degrees or degrees focused on health information, such as the programs listed below:

• Master of Science in Health Informatics
• Master of Public Health in Public Health Informatics
• Master of Science in Information Systems with a concentration in Health Informatics

Potential Career Paths:

Upon successful completion of the Bachelor of Science in Health Information Technology program, graduates should have the skills needed to design, develop, or manage health care information systems. Graduates could seek employment in hospitals, clinics, insurance companies, extended care facilities, and other healthcare facilities. Examples of positions graduates could compete for could include:

• Health information manager
• Health information systems designer
• Health information security professional