WGU appears in our ranking of the Top 10 Best Colleges for a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Informatics.
Western Governors University offers several degrees in the area of healthcare that include the subjects of nursing, health information management, and healthcare management. The university shares that the healthcare industry is one of the swiftest-growing areas of the economy and trained healthcare providers are in high demand. The degrees from Western Governors University are appropriate for individuals entering the workforce for the first time, as well as seasoned professionals looking to enhance their marketability in the workplace.
Bachelor’s Degrees in Healthcare and Nursing
The nursing degrees at Western Governors University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The program in health information management is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). Additionally, the National League for Nursing (NLN) named the university a “Center of Excellence in Nursing Education” for 2015 to 2019. The accolade has only been granted to 45 schools around the nation and was the result of an extensive review process by NLN.
The first of four degrees available at Western Governors University, the B.S. Nursing (RN to BSN Online) program, is designed to offer Registered Nurses (RNs) the education they need to advance their careers. The university shares that the majority of students complete their degree within six to 22 months. More than 20,000 students have successfully graduated from the program. Courses in the program include a selection of general education, healthcare education courses like Applied Healthcare Statistics and Human Growth and Development Across the Lifespan, as well as classes in health sciences, chemistry, nursing theory, and nursing science.
The second healthcare degree offered by Western Governors University is a bachelor’s degree for future nurses who do not yet have licensure as RNs. The university describes its program as “one-of-a-kind” and that it’s offered in the states of California, Indiana, Utah, Texas, and Florida. The university has partnered with various healthcare providers in those states to provide practice sites and local coaches for degree instruction. Courses in the program include Introduction to Nursing Arts and Science, Medical Dosage Calculations, Applied Healthcare Statistics, and Care of Adults with Complex Illnesses.
The third degree at WGU is the B.S. Health Information Management degree, which will qualify the graduate for jobs like Director of Informatics, Information Systems Auditor, Health Records Manager, Outpatient Coder, and HIMS Chief. Since the program is accredited by CAHIIM, students are eligible to take the RHIA exam after graduation to become a Registered Health Information Administrator. The program usually takes students around two years to complete. Classes in the program include Healthcare Reimbursement, Introduction to Healthcare IT Systems, Healthcare Compliance, and Medical Terminology.
The final degree available at WGU is a B.S. Business – Healthcare Management program designed for future leaders in healthcare. Some of the jobs available to students who graduate include Community Service Manager, Nursing Home Administrator, Health Information Manager, and Medical Records Manager. The curriculum for this degree covers a wide variety of areas like healthcare management, marketing & communications, business law & ethics, and economics. Students may qualify for federal student aid through the Department of Education for each of these programs.
About Western Governors University
Western Governors University is a non-profit, online university whose primary location is in Salt Lake City, Utah. The university was created during a meeting of the Western Governors Association in 1997 as a competency-based learning system. There are more than 91,000 students attending the online school across the nation with some of those students also attending traditional classes in various states. The university has partnered with businesses, educational facilities, and organizations across the nation to deliver face-to-face content where necessary.
The university offers 55 degrees at the bachelor’s, master’s, and post-baccalaureate levels, as well as various preparation programs for teachers. The four colleges include the College of Business, the College of Information Technology, the Teachers College, and the College of Health Professions. The university also encompasses several affiliate schools around the nation in states that include Indiana, Texas, Tennessee, North Carolina, Nevada, Missouri, and Washington. There are more than 2,400 academic staff members working for the university, as well as more than 780 part-time faculty members.
Western Governors University Accreditation Details
The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities has accredited Western Governors University to grant degrees. The accrediting agency is part of the U.S. Department of Education. The university also has a variety of programs with accreditation from other agencies that include the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, and the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education. The university also boasts accreditation from other regional accrediting commissions due to the nationwide and online approach to education delivery at the university.
Western Governors University Application Requirements
The application and admissions process at WGU requires multiple steps. The most important include an interview with an enrollment counselor, delivery of the student’s prior college and work experience, the results of the university’s Collegiate Readiness Assessment, and a demonstration of the time commitment the student can make to his or her education. Students interested in an undergraduate program must have earned a high school diploma or GED, submit their transcripts to the university, have reached the age of 16-years-old, and met all program-specific requirements. Students interested in the graduate program must similarly submit transcripts, be at least 16, and complete an interview with an enrollment counselor.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition at Western Governors University is unique in that it’s charged per session rather than per class. Students who choose to enroll full-time in classes to finish quickly can reduce their overall tuition investment. The tuition for each six-month term is similar in each college within the university. For the College of Health Professions, tuition is $3,190 for each of the undergraduate programs and $3,750 for the graduate degrees and the pre-licensure nursing program.
Students have many options for financial aid at Western Governors University including federal student aid, grants, scholarships, and benefits for VA & military students. The university shares that most students at WGU apply for federal student aid and that most applicants qualify for at least one type of federal aid. The American Association of University Administrators bestowed an “Exemplary Model Award” to Western Governors University for its efforts in helping students make smart decisions about financing their education, which means students interested in the university’s Bachelor’s degrees in healthcare and nursing may wish to explore their options at WGU.
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