B.S. Health Informatics at WGU Texas

Degree Overview

WGU Texas' online health informatics degree will give you a tremendous advantage. The B.S. in Health Informatics combines concepts in healthcare, information technology, and leadership practice to provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to be a valuable designer, developer, and manager of health information systems. You’ll become a unique asset in the high-demand fields of health informatics and health information management with the added credibility of an AHIMA certification and several recognized IT certifications.

Who the program is for:

• Healthcare professionals who want to develop IT skills to move into health informatics.
• Health information professionals who want to move into health informatics.
• IT professionals who want to move into health informatics.
• Motivated individuals who are seeking a career that combines expertise in healthcare, IT, and business.
• Individuals who have completed some college coursework or have applicable work experience.
• Individuals who can typically spend 15 or more hours per week on their studies.

Your Program of Study

In WGU Texas' online bachelor's degree in health information technology, you’ll learn the essential skills and knowledge needed to become a competent, credentialed health informatics professional. This program includes the following areas of study and completion of a capstone project.

• General Education
• Healthcare Data
• Health Information Technology
• Legal and Ethical Considerations in Healthcare
• Information Technology Fundamentals
• Medical Terminology
• Pathophysiology
• Pharmacology
• Leadership and Management
• Healthcare Compliance and Coding
• Databases
• Project Management
• Professional Practice Portfolio

Total Program: 126 Competency Units (credit equivalents)
Less: any competency units waived through transfer of prior college credits.

Note: Your prior college experience and IT certifications may waive some degree requirements.

More details about your challenging course of study

View the PDF program guide

Recognized IT Certifications Incorporated into this Program

This program incorporates several industry-recognized IT certifications, as well as an AHIMA certification, as part of your degree program. You will study for and complete the following certification exams (which are all included in your tuition—a huge cost savings for you):

• CIW Web Foundations Associate
• CompTIA Project+
• CompTIA A+
• CompTIA Healthcare IT Technician
• CompTIA Strata IT Fundamentals
• Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) Database Administration Fundamentals
• AHIMA Certified Coding Associate (CCA)

Eligibility for the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) Credential:
Graduates of WGU Texas’ B.S. in Health Informatics program are eligible to apply for the AHIMA Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) credentialing exam. More information can be found at: http://www.ahima.org/certification/rhia.aspx

CAHIIM Accredited

WGU Texas' Health Informatics program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

According to the WGU 2012 CAHIIM Annual Performance Assessment Report:

• 100% of graduates and their employers expressed satisfaction with the WGU experience
• 100% of graduates and their employers expressed satisfaction with their level of preparedness for the workplace
• The pass rate for the Registered Health Information Administrator exam (RHIA) is 100%.

Tuition and Fees

Basic Tuition: $2,890 per six-month term
Resource Fee: $145 per six-month term (non-refundable)
Application Fee: $65 (one time)

Other student responsibilities:

• Criminal Background Check: $42
• Professional Liability Insurance: $35

Learn more about Tuition and Fees

At WGU Texas, tuition is charged at a flat rate once every six months. Your tuition covers the minimum "full-time load" of competency units (the equivalent to credit hours) — 12 CUs is the minimum for undergraduate students — as well as all coursework attempted in that time. For the most part, there is no limit on the number of competency units you can attempt in a 6-month term. Whether you complete more or fewer units, you are charged the same flat rate.

Tuition compares favorably to the rates of Texas state universities. Our tuition is also typically half what other online universities charge. At WGU Texas, you enjoy the cost savings of a nonprofit university.

Federal financial aid is available to those who qualify. Learn more about financial aid

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The WGU Texas Advantage

As part of our partnership with the state of Texas, WGU Texas leverages Western Governors University’s unique, competency-based approach to education. This approach measures learning, not credit hours. Your progress is based on your demonstration of essential skills and knowledge in health informatics.

As a WGU Texas student, you'll receive a top-notch health and IT education through a curriculum, learning resources, mentoring, and student services provided by Western Governors University. This means you’ll enjoy the advantages of:

• Superior learning resources. You'll have access to all of WGU's courses of study, learning modules, e-textbooks, tutorials, and simulations as you complete your program.
• Personal support from a dedicated mentor. You'll have the support of a mentor who will be your guide throughout your WGU Texas program.
• Online communities from Texas and WGU's national student community. You’ll be able to take advantage of WGU’s robust student community and interact with students from both within Texas and from all over the country.
• Flexible online degrees that fit your lifestyle. Learning can occur anywhere and at any time. You'll be able to establish the pace at which you complete your rigorous program and create a schedule that works for you.

One of the best values in Texas higher education, at WGU Texas you can expect to earn a relevant degree on your schedule and within your budget.

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Time to Completion

How long it takes for you to complete your program will vary. Because WGU Texas is competency-based, the pace at which you complete your program depends on how quickly you are able to take and pass the required assessments. Many students are able to proceed faster than the normal pace (described below) designed into each program. But doing so isn’t easy.

For students with an associate's degree or its equivalent: 2 to 2½ years.
For students with little or no prior college: 4 to 5 years.

WGU Texas maintains a generous credit transfer policy. Learn more about transferring credits.

Speak to an Enrollment Counselor for a personalized estimate of your time to completion.

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WGU Texas Admission Process

To be admitted into this WGU Texas online Health Informatics degree, you must:

• Apply for admission
• Be a Texas resident and provide proof of residence.
• Possess a high school diploma or its equivalent.
• Demonstrate IT or healthcare experience through at least one of the following four methods:
  • Have earned an associate’s degree in IT or equivalent (A.S. or A.A.S. acceptable)
  • Have earned an associate’s degree from an allied health program (A.S or A.A.S. acceptable)
  • Hold transferable IT certifications earned within the last 5 years
  • Submit a resume showing three-plus years of IT work experience, or healthcare related work experience
• You will also be required to take and pass the Western Governors University's Readiness Assessment—a short, three-part online admissions test that helps determine the likelihood of success in a WGU Texas program.

Speak to an Enrollment Counselor to learn more about what is required of you.

More info about Admissions

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