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B.S. Health Information Management

Bachelor of Science Health Information Management

Position yourself for one of healthcare’s hottest jobs. Choose a program in health information management designed to keep pace with the latest standards. Move up to one of healthcare’s hottest jobs.

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WGU's B.S. Health Information Management degree program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informations and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informations and Information Management Education.

Overview
This CAHIIM- accredited health information management degree program qualifies you to sit for the RHIA® exam.
With a health information management degree from WGU, you’ll be a valuable asset in the high-demand field of healthcare information technology and management —and eligibility to apply for the RHIA® credentialing exam! You'll also gain the CompTIA Project+ certification as part of your coursework, at no extra cost.

Credentialed by AHIMA, Registered Health Information Administrators (RHIA) are the data-and-knowledge link between care providers and patients. Earning an RHIA credential and becoming a health information administrator is the next step for professionals with Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT®) and other allied health professionals—and often comes with significant salary bump.

And because WGU’s online, competency-based, highly respected HIM bachelor’s degree is also accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM), it satisfies the eligibility requirement for aspiring RHIA applicants.

Additionally, if you already hold credentials from organizations such as AHIMA, HIMSS, and other HIM and IT certification programs, they may transfer to your WGU B.S. Health Information Management program—possibly allowing you to graduate faster and lowering your overall tuition costs.

Program outcomes.

WGU has a 92% pass rate for graduates of this program.

Among graduates with no previous coursework or transferrable credits, it takes an average of 39 months to complete the program.

88% of students who responded to survey questions were "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with the program.

Compare this degree: The B.S. Health Information Management program is not WGU's only undergraduate degree focused on building leadership skills in the business and administration of healthcare. You may also be interested in our B.S. Business – Healthcare Management degree program. This article can help you compare the two programs.
72% of graduates finish in

1½–4 years

WGU lets you move more quickly through material you already know and advance as soon as you're ready. The result: You may finish faster.
See how it works

Tuition per 6-month term is

$3,225

Tuition charged per term—rather than per credit—helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees. Finish faster, pay less!
See how time is money

On average, students transfer

33 credits

Your associate’s degree or previous college may waive some courses through transfer. We review your transcripts for transfer credits.
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Tuition as of January 1, 2019.

Choose the profession where health meets tech and drives innovation.

Your career in health information administration awaits. Improve patient care as the crucial link connecting medical providers, the information they gather, the technology and data systems they use to track critical patient info, and the patients themselves. Maintaining the quality of medical records is of utmost importance for individuals and for the healthcare system at large—and it is one of the areas of healthcare with the greatest opportunity for growth and improvement. As a health information management professional, you can maximize your potential and put your unique talents to good use.

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What you’ll study: relevant curriculum developed by healthcare information experts.

The WGU Bachelor of Science Health Information Management curriculum was designed, and is regularly updated, with input from the experts on our Health Professions Program Council, ensuring you learn best practices in health information management and keep up with the latest trends in the healthcare industry—the kind of HIM expertise you need for a successful career as a health information administrator. And after you complete this online program, you'll be qualified to sit for the AHIMA RHIA credentialing exam.

Download Program Guide

This health information management program provides a solid foundation in computer information systems and technology for healthcare organizations including healthcare regulation, project management of health systems, databases, and security. In addition to the health information management content, the degree program includes general education courses. The health information management component includes topics like healthcare data, health information technology, medical terminology, and healthcare compliance and coding.
Core Subject Areas

Lower-division courses may be cleared through transfer credit. Following are some examples:

Introduction to Communication

Intermediate Algebra

Critical Thinking and Logic

Introduction to Humanities

Introduction to Probability and Statistics

Introduction to Psychology

English Composition I

English Composition II

More

See all courses
Key Subject Areas

Healthcare and health information management courses include:

Classification Systems

Foundations in Healthcare Data Management

Healthcare Ecosystems

Introduction to Pharmacology

Health Information Law and Regulations

Health Information Management Capstone

Medical Terminology

Pathophysiology

Healthcare Reimbursement

Healthcare Statistics and Research

Introduction to Healthcare IT Systems

Healthcare Information Systems Management

More

See all courses
The WGU Difference

We reimagined the path to a degree. How it works for you:

It’s doable.
Efficient, flexible, individualized, and supportive, WGU puts you in the driver’s seat—allowing you to advance as quickly as you're able.

It’s surprisingly affordable.
Low, flat-rate tuition and the opportunity to speed up your program allow you to control the cost of your education.

It’s worth it.
Employers love WGU graduates. And grads report greater satisfaction, career advancement, and income growth after earning a WGU degree.

See how we do it
A supported, personalized experience.

WGU is unlike any university you’ve experienced before—in the best possible way! Take a look at what we mean:

Faculty Learning Assessment Capstone Alumni Support

Faculty

SUPPORTING YOU:

An entire team of faculty members has one goal in mind: your success. Your Program Mentor is your individually assigned faculty member, providing program guidance and instruction from the day you start to the day you graduate. In addition, Course Instructors provide subject-matter instruction and support, typically one-on-one, exactly when you need it.

Learning

Establish YOUR ROADMAP: A personalized learning plan.

Your program is made up of a series of courses, each a personalized journey toward subject mastery. A preassessment provides insight into what you already know. You’ll then learn what you still need to learn, using online learning resources—available 24/7—along with one-on-one or cohort-based faculty instruction.

Assessment

Learn it, PROVE IT: Show you know your stuff.

WGU measures learning, not time, so each course in your program culminates in an assessment—a test, paper, project, or presentation that allows you to prove what you know. As soon as you’re ready, you take the assessment—including the ability to take proctored exams from the comfort of your own home— via webcam, any time of day!

Capstone

Apply it to the REAL WORLD: You’ll solve a problem.

Throughout your program, you will focus on acquiring and proving specific competencies. At program’s end, you’ll complete a final capstone project that allows you to show off everything you’ve learned by proposing a solution to an relevant issue in your industry. Your mentor can help you select your capstone topic.

Alumni Support

Once you're a WGU Night Owl, you're ALWAYS a Night Owl.

Continued support after you graduate includes many opportunities for professional development and enrichment, career support, and networking. WGU Night Owls may be independent learners, but they also become highly engaged in our active alumni community through apps, groups, and in-person events.

The accreditation you need, plus respect and recognition.

Healthcare and nursing employers want employees with the credentials that prove they can help improve patient care while streamlining facilities and strengthening their reputations. An important measure of a health degree’s value is whether it comes from an accredited university with programs recognized for excellence by leading healthcare organizations. WGU’s commitment to quality has been recognized:

Accredited

In addition to WGU's regional accreditation through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the B.S. Health Information Management program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

Respected

“What we need are people who are truly versatile, able to learn efficiently and effectively. ... Those are the kind of people [who] represent graduates of Western Governors University.”
John Steele
Senior Vice President of Human Relations
HCA Healthcare

Recognized

This program includes a course that won a 2016 CODiE award from the Software & Information Industry Association.

Accredited

Respected

Recognized

Our programs check all the boxes. If this degree is your goal, get started toward becoming a student today—programs start the first of each month.

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Cost & Time
When we say affordable, we mean it.

$3,225

Tuition per 6-month term

+

+$320

Resource and Program Fees, per term

=

=$3,545

TOTAL PER TERM

+$65

One-time application fee

Apply FREE this week

$320 per-term fees include Resource Fee of $145 (covers all e-books and learning resources, saving you hundreds per term) and Program Fee of $175 (covers additional costs specific to this program). This program also requires a one-time Health Professions Student Fee of $350.
Control the cost of your program: Our tuition links cost to time.

By charging per term rather than per credit—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees.
Flat-rate tuition of $3,545 per term links cost to time.

By charging per 6-month term rather than per credit hour—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or can learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees.

Adjust the time and see your costs change

Your time

2 yrs

Your cost

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There's help if you need it.

Financial aid is available.

WGU is approved for federal financial aid and U.S. veterans benefits.

View more about financial aid.

WGU students borrow less than half the national average.

Our goal: You graduate with little or no debt.

The average student loan debt of WGU graduates in 2016 (among those who borrowed) was less than half the national average. WGU’s three-pronged approach to keeping your debt low and your return on investment quick: One, provide useful information and advice on responsible borrowing before enrollment. Two, keep tuition low while you're enrolled. And three, offer degree programs that lead to better-paying jobs after graduation.

Read about our Responsible Borrowing Initiative.

Degree Cost Comparison*

Online For-Profit University

Other Online Nonprofit University

WGU

Earn your health info management degree for about half what you’d pay elsewhere.

Low tuition and the ability to accelerate make WGU more affordable than most other schools. When you compare us with other programs, WGU’s Bachelor of Science Health Information Management program offers rigorous curriculum with competitive post-graduation results for around half what you'd pay at another university—or even less.

*Estimates based on July 2017 WGU and comparable universities' tuition data. Learn more about WGU's tuition and how it compares.

Transparent fees and no hidden costs.

The cost of attending college often includes much more than tuition and fees. WGU is designed to be different, and that translates to cost savings everywhere from books to babysitting.

Other universities bury you in unexpected costs. Not WGU.

Click to explore the extra costs:

Tuition Books

Parking Gas

Library / resource fees Babysitter every week for
nighttime classes

WGU

Other online college

Traditional
4 year school

This demonstration shows how various costs—including official fees and incidental costs of attending school—can add up in different learning environments. It's meant as an illustration only.

Scholarships make our already low tuition even more affordable.

Many scholarship opportunities are available. Here are just a few you may be eligible to apply for:

$2,000

Sage Scholarship

$2,000

Excellence in HIM Scholarship

$2,500

Healthcare Partners Fund

The affordable, flexible programs offered at WGU put high-quality education within your reach. Start working toward your future.

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Courses & Competencies

An online health info management degree program that teaches the skills employers expect from health information administrators.

Program consists of:
36 Courses What about transfer credits

At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to ensure your degree is proof you really know your stuff.

Every course focuses on a set of clearly defined competencies that you must prove you’ve learned—through tests, papers, projects, or other assessments. Demonstrating mastery is how you pass a course, so learning what it takes to be outstanding in your career is at the heart of WGU’s Bachelor of Science Health Information Management curriculum.

That means what you learn is often directly applicable the next day at work—and it means what you’re doing at work frequently informs the work you’re doing in your courses. It’s all about real-world applicability so every moment spent studying is time well spent.

Courses in this program.

This program consists of the following courses. Some may be waived through transfer from your previous college experience. The rest you will typically complete one at a time as you make your way through your program, working with your Program Mentor each term to build your personalized Degree Plan. You’ll work through each course as quickly as you can study and learn the material. As soon as you’re ready, you’ll pass the assessment, complete the course, and move on. This means you can finish as many courses as you're able in a term at no additional cost.

The first course you take in this program will be unlike any other you complete at WGU. Inter-Professional Leadership & Communication in Healthcare requires participation in online group meetings with faculty and fellow students. Multiple group options are available, so you will work with your enrollment counselor or mentor to determine the group whose schedule works best for you. Learn more about this unique course and how to prepare for it.

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Healthcare Management

Classification Systems

Classification Systems provides a comprehensive approach to learning about medical coding classification, coding audits and quality standards. Students will be exposed to electronic health record systems and leadership principles as they relate to management of ICD and CPT codes. There are no prerequisites for this course.

Foundations in Healthcare Data Management

Foundations in Healthcare Data Management introduces students to the concepts and terminology used in health data and health information management. This course teaches students how to apply data management and governance principles in the healthcare environment. There are no prerequisites for this course.

Healthcare Ecosystems

Healthcare Ecosystems explores the history and state of healthcare organizations in an ever-changing environment. This course covers how agencies influence healthcare delivery through legal, licensure, certification, and accreditation standards. The course will also discuss how new technologies and trends keep healthcare delivery innovative and current.

Introduction to Pharmacology

Introduction to Pharmacology provides information about drug development and approvals, pharmaceutical classifications, metabolism, and the effect of drugs on body systems. The course will introduce advancements in pharmaceutical technology, regulatory requirements within electronic health record systems, and the financial implications of pharmaceutical coding and billing. This course has no prerequisites.

Health Information Law and Regulations

Health Information Law and Regulations prepares students to manage health information in compliance with legal guidelines and teaches how to respond to questions and challenges when legal issues occur. This course presents the types of situations occurring in health information management that could result in ethical dilemmas and establishes a foundation for work based on legal and ethical guidelines.

Health Information Management Capstone

Health Information Management Capstone Project is the culmination of the student's degree program. It requires the demonstration of competencies through a deliverable of significant scope in the form of a research project. The capstone project consists of a technical work product applicable to the field of health information management. Students should consider creating this final product with the aim of expanding the body of knowledge within the profession. The topic of the Capstone must be presented to and approved by the Capstone Mentor before starting the project.

Medical Terminology

Medical Terminology focuses on the basic components of medical terminology and how terminology is used when discussing various body structures and systems. Proper use of medical terminology is critical for accurate and clear communication among medical staff, health professionals, and patients. In addition to the systems of the body, this course will discuss immunity, infections, mental health, and cancer.

Pathophysiology

Pathophysiology is an overview of the pathology and treatment of diseases in the human body and its systems. This course will explain the processes in the body that result in the signs and symptoms of disease, as well as therapeutic procedures in managing or curing the disease. The content draws on a knowledge of anatomy and physiology to understand how diseases manifest themselves and how they affect the body.

Healthcare Reimbursement

Healthcare Reimbursement explores financial practices within the healthcare industry as they relate to reimbursement policies. This course identifies how reimbursement systems impact the revenue cycle and a health information manager's role. This course has no prerequisites.

Healthcare Statistics and Research

Healthcare Statistics and Research explores the use of statistical data to support process improvement through health information research. Health information management (HIM) professionals use information systems to gather, analyze, and present data in response to administrative and clinical needs. This course has no prerequisites.

Introduction to Healthcare IT Systems

Introduction to Healthcare IT Systems introduces students to information technology as a discipline. This course also exposes students to the various roles and functions of the health information manager to support the business of healthcare. There are no prerequisites for this course.

Healthcare Information Systems Management

Healthcare Information Systems Management provides an overview of many facets of information systems that are applicable to business and healthcare. The course explores how information technology (IT) is an organizational resource that must be managed so that it supports or enables organizational strategy. The course will discuss how decision support and communication are securely facilitated in a global marketplace. The course also explores current and continuously evolving technologies, strategic thinking, and issues at the intersection of management and technology.

Healthcare System Applications

Healthcare System Applications introduces students to information systems. This course includes important topics related to management of information systems (MIS), such as system development and business continuity. The course also provides an overview of management tools and issue tracking systems. This course has no prerequisites.

Healthcare Compliance

Healthcare Compliance examines the role of the coding professional within healthcare information management. The course covers compliance plans, issues that arise with noncompliance, and management of internal and external audits.

Quality and Performance Management and Methods

Quality and Performance Management and Methods examines quality initiatives within healthcare. Quality issues cover human resource management, employee performance and patient safety. This course focuses on quality improvement initiatives and performance improvement with the health information management perspective.

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Healthcare Data

Data Analytics and Information Governance

Data Analytics and Information Governance explores the structure, methods, and approaches for using health information in the healthcare industry. By focusing on quality data collection, analytics, and industry regulations, students will examine tools that ensure quality data collection as well as use data to improve quality of care. This course has no prerequisites.

Healthcare Financial Resource Management

Healthcare Financial Resource Management examines financial practices within healthcare industries to promote effective management at department and organization levels. Focusing on financial processes associated with facility operations in the healthcare field, this course will analyze the impact of strategic financial planning and regulatory control processes. This course has no prerequisites.

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General Education

Introduction to Communication

This introductory communication course allows students to become familiar with the fundamental communication theories and practices necessary to engage in healthy professional and personal relationships. Students will survey human communication on multiple levels and critically apply the theoretical grounding of the course to interpersonal, intercultural, small group, and public presentational contexts. The course also encourages students to consider the influence of language, perception, culture, and media on their daily communicative interactions. In addition to theory, students will engage in the application of effective communication skills through systematically preparing and delivering an oral presentation. By practicing these fundamental skills in human communication, students become more competent communicators as they develop more flexible, useful, and discriminatory communicative practices in a variety of contexts.

Intermediate Algebra

This course provides an introduction of algebraic concepts and the development of the essential groundwork for College Algebra. Topics include: A review of basic mathematical skills, the real number system, algebraic expressions, linear equations, graphing, exponents and polynomials

Critical Thinking and Logic

Reasoning and Problem Solving helps students internalize a systematic process for exploring issues that takes them beyond an unexamined point of view and encourages them to become more self-aware thinkers by applying principles of problem identification and clarification, planning and information gathering, identifying assumptions and values, analysis and interpretation of information and data, reaching well-founded conclusions, and identifying the role of critical thinking in the disciplines and professions.

Introduction to Humanities

This introductory humanities course allows students to practice essential writing, communication, and critical thinking skills necessary to engage in civic and professional interactions as mature, informed adults. Whether through studying literature, visual and performing arts, or philosophy, all humanities courses stress the need to form reasoned, analytical, and articulate responses to cultural and creative works. Studying a wide variety of creative works allows students to more effectively enter the global community with a broad and enlightened perspective.

Introduction to Probability and Statistics

In this course, students demonstrate competency in the basic concepts, logic, and issues involved in statistical reasoning. Topics include summarizing and analyzing data, sampling and study design, and probability.

Introduction to Psychology

In this course, students will develop an understanding of psychology and how it helps them better understand others and themselves. Students will learn general theories about psychological development, the structure of the brain, and how psychologists study behavior. They will gain an understanding of both normal and disordered psychological behaviors, as well as general applications of the science of psychology in society (such as personality typing and counseling).

English Composition I

English Composition I introduces learners to the types of writing and thinking that are valued in college and beyond. Students will practice writing in several genres with emphasis placed on writing and revising academic arguments. Instruction and exercises in grammar, mechanics, research documentation, and style are paired with each module so that writers can practice these skills as necessary. Comp I is a foundational course designed to help students prepare for success at the college level. There are no prerequisites for English Composition I.

English Composition II

English Composition II introduces undergraduate students to research writing. It is a foundational course designed to help students prepare for advanced writing within the discipline and to complete the capstone. Specifically, this course will help students develop or improve research, reference citation, document organization, and writing skills. English Composition I or equivalent is a prerequisite for this course.

Survey of United States Constitution and Government

This course is an introduction to the U.S. Constitution and the U.S. government. Topics include (1) structure and relevance of the U.S. Constitution, (2) structure and function of governmental branches, and (3) political participation and policy making.

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Foundations of Success

Professional Leadership and Communication for Healthcare

The Professional Communication and Leadership in Healthcare course is designed to help students prepare for success in the online environment at Western Governors University and beyond. Student success starts with the social support and self-reflective awareness that will prepare students to weather the challenges of academic programs. In this course students will participate in group activities and complete several individual assignments. The group activities are aimed at finding support and gaining insight from other students. The assignments are intended to give the student an opportunity to reflect about where they are and where they would like to be. The activities in each group meeting are designed to give students several tools they can use to achieve success. This course is designed as a five-part intensive learning experience. Students will attend five group meetings during the term. At each meeting students will engage in activities that help them understand their own educational journey and find support and inspiration in the journey of others.

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Business

Organizational Behavior

Organizational Behavior and Leadership explores how to lead and manage effectively in diverse business environments. The course requires students to demonstrate the ability to apply organizational leadership theories and management strategies in a series of scenario-based problems.

Business Ethics

Business Ethics is designed to enable students to identify the ethical and socially responsible courses of actions available through the exploration of various scenarios in business. Students will also learn to develop appropriate ethics guidelines for a business. This course has no prerequisites.

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Business of IT

Business of IT - Project Management

In this course, students will build on industry standard concepts, techniques, and processes to develop a comprehensive foundation for project management activities. During a project's life cycle, students will develop the critical skills necessary to initiate, plan, execute, monitor, control, and close a project. Students will apply best practices in areas such as scope management, resource allocation, project planning, project scheduling, quality control, risk management, performance measurement, and project reporting. This course prepares students for the following certification exam: CompTIA Project+.

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Leadership and Management

Principles of Management

This course addresses strategic planning, total quality, entrepreneurship, conflict and change, human resource management, diversity, and organizational structure.

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Professional Practice Experience

Professional Practice Experience and Portfolio - Technical Level

The Professional Practice Experience (PPE) is your opportunity to put into practice all the health informatics/information management (HIIM) theories you have been studying. Any site where health information is managed in any form is a potential PPE site. PPE sites can be healthcare facilities, pharmaceutical firms, software vendors, regional health information exchanges, insurance companies, or healthcare research organizations. In addition, larger healthcare organizations may have experiences available to you in their cancer registries, information technology department, finance/business offices, compliance office, quality assurance, utilization review, or risk management departments.

Professional Practice Experience and Portfolio - Management Level

This course supports the assessment for Professional Practice: Management Portfolio II. The purpose of PPE II is to expound your experience by having you practice your future profession at the supervisory level. Any site where health information is used and you can be mentored by a department or facility manager is appropriate for PPE II.

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Health Sciences

Anatomy and Physiology I

Anatomy and Physiology I examines the structures and functions of the human body. The course is designed to provide students with a thorough understanding of human anatomy and physiology, including the interdependent operational relationships among them. Students will use a dissection lab to study organ systems of the human body in their healthy state including the digestive, skeletal, sensory, respiratory, reproductive, nervous, muscular, cardiovascular, lymphatic, integumentary, endocrine and renal systems. By examining these organ systems in a healthy state, healthcare professionals are more adept to recognize when a something is functioning abnormally, which is a key component to providing effective care to patients. For nursing students this is the first of two anatomy and physiology courses within the program of study. This course has no pre-requisites.

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General Science Content

Introduction to Biology

This course is a foundational introduction to the biological sciences. The overarching theories of life from biological research are explored as well as the fundamental concepts and principles of the study of living organisms and their interaction with the environment. Key concepts include how living organisms use and produce energy; how life grows, develops, and reproduces; how life responds to the environment to maintain internal stability; and how life evolves and adapts to the environment.

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Health Information Technology

Foundations in Healthcare Information Management

Foundations in Healthcare Information Management applies theories from business, IT, management, medicine, and consumer-centered healthcare skills. Students will learn to evaluate and analyze health information systems for implementation in health information management. There are no prerequisites for this course.

Plan to work hard: Program requirements and expectations.

The Bachelor of Science Health Information Management program is an all-online program that you will complete by studying and working independently with instruction and support from WGU faculty. You will be expected to complete at least 12 competency units (WGU's equivalent of the credit hour) each 6-month term. (Each course is typically 3 or 4 units).

The first person you speak with at WGU will be your Enrollment Counselor, an expert in your program who can explain all the requirements and expectations in more detail. You can also read more about each course in the Program Guide.

Request info from an Enrollment Counselor

Download the Program Guide

Special requirements for this program:

At the end of your program, you will complete a capstone project that represents the culmination of all your hard work—a research project applicable to the field of health information management that aims to expand the body of knowledge in the profession.

Also, while most of your courses can be accelerated based on your prior knowledge and hard work, this program begins with a cohort-based course that must be completed via eight scheduled webcam sessions with faculty and fellow students.

We offer degrees for in-demand careers that provide the knowledge and skills you need to succeed. Give your résumé the boost it needs!

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Quality you can trust: Curriculum developed with guidance from healthcare employers and experts.

Program councils—teams of industry and academic experts—drive the ongoing development of our programs and curriculum, providing input on the competencies a successful graduate needs to have mastered.
How You'll Learn
A bachelor’s degree in health information management designed to fit your life.

Competency-based education puts working, busy, adult students in the driver’s seat of their education. At most other schools—including other online programs—you move through the curriculum at a set pace, driven by semesters and hours in class. At WGU, your progress is driven by your ability to prove what you know, so how quickly you progress is largely up to you. Once you’ve mastered the defined competencies (knowledge and skills), you prove what you know through tests, papers, projects, or other assessments.

"Information technology has two paths: You can go down the degree path, or you can go down the certification path. The way that WGU interweaves those together made the choice to enroll an absolute no-brainer." Bill Burns,
B.S. Information Technology, 2015

Designed for busy adults.

At WGU, your progress is driven by your ability to prove what you’ve learned. How quickly you do that is largely up to you. You’re not committed to attend class at a certain time, complete homework on a given schedule, or log “attendance” hours.

It’s simple: Once you’ve mastered the defined competencies (knowledge and skills), you prove what you know through tests, papers, projects, or other assessments. Demonstrating mastery is how you pass a course, so learning what it takes to be outstanding in your career is at the heart of WGU’s health information management curriculum.

Competency-based Education (CBE)

How it helps you

Efficient

Save time and money by focusing efforts where they matter the most.

No two students are alike—especially adult students working in the diverse world of healthcare (or looking to break into it). Students come to school knowing different things, they learn at different speeds, and they have different amounts of time to spend studying. Competency-based education lets you prioritize where you spend your valuable time.

Flexible

Learn on your own terms.

Some people do their best studying in the early mornings, before going in to work; others are most energized when they come home in the evenings. Sometimes work gets crazy; and sometimes, it gets really crazy—deadlines loom, you hit the busy season, and then you enjoy the relative quiet of “down time.” Online programs in general offer some flexibility, but it only goes so far; thanks to the flexible scheduling and potential for acceleration you enjoy at WGU, you work when, where, and how your life allows.

Results

Know you’re learning real-world skills.

You earn a health information management degree for results—not simply to accrue credits. Competency-based education centers on competencies—the clearly defined knowledge and skills that leading employers are looking for. How do we know what they’re looking for? They tell us—and their input drives our curriculum.

Finish courses by proving what you know, as soon as you’re ready.

With competency-based education at WGU, success is measured by actual learning, not class time. You advance by demonstrating that you've mastered the course subject matter—whether you learned it through your study at WGU or picked up that knowledge through years of work experience.

Your progress through a course is driven by you.

How quickly you learn

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The time you devote to studying

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How much previous knowledge you bring
See it in action.

Play this game to see how a competency-based course works at WGU.
competency, noun

Demonstrated knowledge, skill, or ability required to advance in a degree program.

At WGU, course competencies are defined by an expert council, including employers.

For this course, there are 3 areas you need to prove competency in.

Start

First, let's take a pre‑assessment.

Determine what you already know from previous work and education experience, and where you need to focus your studies. Prove your competency in 3 areas in this exercise.

Start Pre-Assessment

Competency 1: Retrieving results...
Competency 2: Retrieving results...
Competency 3: Retrieving results...

Start Course

Second, study course materials.

Click on the free learning resources created by education experts that will help you master the competencies.

E-textbook

Web-based Tutorials

Online Classes

Simulations

Learning Communities

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Career Outlook
Gain a distinct advantage in today’s high-demand medical records and health information field.

Once you have completed WGU's online Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management degree program, you will have the knowledge and skills it takes to be an outstanding health information management professional. You will also be eligible to sit for the RHIA® exam and become a credentialed health information administrator.
WGU's B.S. Health Information Management alumni are enjoying great careers.

Our 500-plus Bachelor of Science Health Information Management alumni have great jobs and satisfying careers:
Job Titles

Outpatient coder

Director of informatics

Information systems auditor

HIMS chief

Health records manager
Diverse Industries

Hospitals

Health systems

Laboratories

Doctor’s offices/clinics

Colleges and universities
Major Employers

Primary Children’s Hospital

PeaceHealth

ARUP Laboratories

Langley Air Force Base

Veterans Health Administration
Explore a career in health info management.

Get info on a health information administrator's salary, job outlook, work environment, and more.

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WGU is a university committed to producing successful grads.

The ultimate test of your degree's value is whether it helps you become an outstanding employee and advance your career. Our happy grads—and their happy employers—confirm that WGU is the path to that kind of degree.
Happy employers

Happy grads

They're Prepared.

Employers said that WGU graduates were prepared for their jobs.

They Perform.

Employers rated WGU graduates' job performance as very good or excellent.

They Wow.

Employers said their WGU graduates have exceeded their expectations.

They're Confident.

Graduates said the majority of their coursework was related to their jobs.

They're Working.

Graduates are working full-time.

They're Satisfied.

Graduates said their degrees were worth the cost of their education.

Source: 2016 Harris Poll survey of 301 employers; 2016 Harris Poll Online survey of 1,403 new college graduates nationwide compared with survey of 1,207 WGU graduates; WGU--Gallup 2016 Report
“Our partnership with WGU enables our employees to advance their education affordably without interrupting their careers.” John Steele, Senior Vice President of Human Resources,
Hospital Corporation of America

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The first step toward change can be the hardest—we get it. Your "welcoming committee" at WGU is made up of Enrollment Counselors, Admissions Specialists, and Faculty Mentors. Your initial interactions at WGU will be guided by an Enrollment Counselor who specializes in the programs you're interested in.

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Admission requirements unique to this degree.
To be considered for enrollment into the Bachelor of Science Health Information Management program, you must possess a high school diploma or its equivalent. You must also be able to demonstrate IT, healthcare, or business experience either through one of the following:

Option 1: An associate’s degree from a CAHIIM-accredited health information technology program (A.S. or A.A.S. acceptable).

Option 2: An associate’s degree in information technology or equivalent (A.S. or A.A.S. acceptable).

Option 3: An associate’s degree from an allied health program (A.S or A.A.S. acceptable).

Option 4: An associate’s degree in business administration (A.S or A.A.S. acceptable).

Option 5: Transferable certifications earned within the last five years.

Option 6: A résumé showing three years of information technology work experience or strategic business management experience or one year of healthcare-related work experience or a healthcare-related certification (e.g., medical assistant, EMT, paramedic).

View general admissions requirements
Making an informed admission decision.

WGU seeks to admit individuals who have the capacity and determination to complete a rigorous WGU degree program … and graduate. The admission process is designed to help you and the university reach an informed decision about your likelihood of success.

At WGU we want you to graduate, not just enroll. Consequently, not every applicant is admitted because not every individual is a good fit for WGU’s programs and competency-based, online academic model.
Your existing healthcare-related certifications may transfer to WGU.

See which certs transfer.

“Enrollment was perfectly easy for me. I was able to submit online and somebody called me within a day to start the whole process. Within two or three weeks I was ready to go for my first term.” Bryon Denton
M.S. Nursing – Education

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