Nova Southeastern University Undergraduate Programs
B.S. Health Informatics
Fort Lauderdale, USA
DURATION
4 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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EARLIEST START DATE
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TUITION FEES
USD 33,510
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Scholarships
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Introduction
Use Technology to Help Deliver Better Health Care
Health care faces significant challenges, notably uncontrolled costs, security issues, patient safety, and managing fast-growing volumes of data. These challenges have created a demand for professionals who can improve the safety, quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of our health care systems. Nova Southeastern University’s Bachelor of Science in Health Informatics prepares you to meet this demand.
Professions in health informatics use computers and technology to manage all aspects of health care data and information. At NSU, you’ll use the same technologies used in the real world to develop your skills. You’ll learn how and why health informatics is a vital part of our health care delivery system and study crucial components of the field including data and information, electronic medical records, ethical and legal issues, privacy and security, differences in health care systems, and how to assess health care quality. You’ll also have opportunities to apply what you’ve learned in a real-world setting through an internship. NSU’s B.S. in Health Informatics will give you an edge in propelling your career forward.
Why Should You Major in Health Informatics at NSU?
- The undergraduate Health Informatics program is housed in the same university as the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine (KPCOM).
- The only program in the nation to offer the BSHI – D.O. dual admission options (3 + 4; 4+4).
- Dual Admission option into the MS program in Biomedical Informatics.
- The program represents a collaborative effort between two prominent colleges, the KPCOM and the College of Computing and Engineering.
- Participate in NSU’s Clinic Exploration Program, which offers opportunities to shadow medical professionals on the job in many of NSU’s medical and health clinics.
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Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Curriculum
Students are required to complete 30 credit hours as part of the General Education Program and 30 additional credit hours with open electives. In addition, freshmen are required to successfully complete First-Year Semester (UNIV 1000) in their first semester at NSU (63 credits).
Core Courses (39 credits)
- Principles of Health Informatics
- Overview of the U.S. Health Care System
- Principles of Health Care Quality
- Legal and Ethical Issues in Health Informatics
- Electronic Health Records
- Health informatics Security
- Health Informatics Seminar
- Technology in the Information Age
- Excel at Spreadsheets
- Programming for Everyone
- Data Science
- Health Informatics Internship I
- Health Informatics Internship II
Major Electives Courses (18 credits)
Choose six from the following:
- Health Information Exchange
- Principles of Management and Leadership in Health Care Organizations
- Principles of Health Information Technology Governance
- Principles of Project Management in Health Care
- Bioinformatics
- Public Health Informatics
- Health Informatics Research Methods
- Independent Study in Health Informatics
- Introduction to Computer and Information Science
- Introduction to Database Systems
- Fundamentals of Computer Programming
- Web Programming and Design
- Networks and Data Communication
- Computer Security
- Web Services
- Human Computer Interaction
Students are required to take 18 credits of major electives, of which 6 credits may be taken from the Bachelor of Science in Public Health, the Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition, The Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness Coaching, or a designated course from the College of Computing and Engineering.
Experiential Learning/Internships
During your undergraduate studies, you’ll have a number of hands-on opportunities to gain real-world experience. For example, you can participate in community medical outreach events providing a variety of health care services to local, state, and international underserved communities. These interdisciplinary events allow students from multiple majors to work together as a team. Additionally, the Health Informatics Internship I and II require you to complete a hands-on project in the community. Projects vary and may include health care systems evaluation or implementation.
The Clinic Exploration Program
The Clinic Exploration Program (CEP) offers students the opportunity to shadow medical professionals on the job in many of NSU’s medical and health clinics. Program participants gain a broad perspective that shows how various medical fields work together and a practical, up-close review of several medical career options.
All undergraduate students may take part in CEP, no matter what major they pursue. Each rotation lasts two hours per week, for three weeks. Because this is a volunteer program, member commitments are flexible and voluntary.
Career Opportunities
Become a Leader in a Fast-Growing Profession
Jobs in health informatics are growing at a much faster rate than the average for all other jobs. This is due to rapidly evolving medical technologies and systems. Additionally, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that “the demand for health services is expected to increase as the population ages.” An example of some job outlooks for the date range of 2019 to 2029, in the field of health informatics, include:
- Medical Records and Health Information Technicians – 8% growth
- Health Care Database Administrators – 10% growth
- Health Care Computer Systems Analysts – 7% growth
- Health Care Operations Research Analysts – 25% growth
Average Starting Salary
Salaries you can earn with a health informatics degree vary widely because of the many career offerings associated with this degree. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics some of the average annual salaries (in 2019) of popular jobs include:
- Medical Records and Health Information Technicians – $42,630
- Health Care Database Administrators – $93,700
- Health Care Computer Systems Analysts – $90,920
- Health Care Operations Research Analysts – $84,810
Shark Destinations
With a bachelor’s in health informatics, you have a lot of flexibility in the job location. You can find employment in private practice, integrative health clinics, hospitals, and other medical settings, as well as educational and government settings. Some of the careers NSU graduates can pursue include medical informatics, nursing informatics, data entry specialist, template writer, project designer, health information technician, systems data analyst, and more.
Additionally, NSU’s B.S. in Health Informatics creates a pathway for a number of graduate programs at NSU including the Master of Science in Biomedical Informatics, Master of Science in Public Health, Master of Science in Computer Science, and others.