Chicago State University is a public institution with more than 7,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The college specializes in programs in healthcare-related fields and was founded to provide post-secondary education to Blacks, Latinos and other minorities in the Chicago area. In fact, the school ranks 18th throughout the United States for the number of baccalaureate degrees awarded to minority students each year, reports "U.S. News and World Report," as of August 2010.
The college offers a Bachelor of Science degree program in health information administration, which carries the accreditation of CAHIIM. Students spend the first two years completing general education requirements and prerequisite courses and then apply for admission to the professional phase of the program. Those admitted spend two years completing classes related directly to healthcare information technology, such as information management, healthcare statistics and medical coding. Students complete two, 160-hour internships prior to graduation. In addition to government financial aid programs, Chicago State offers institutional scholarships and work-study placements. Illinois residents receive tuition discounts.
Chicago State University
9501 South King Drive
Chicago, IL 60628
773-995-2513
csu.edu
Founded in 1965, the University of Illinois Chicago serves as home to more than 25,800 undergraduate and graduate students. The college offers a CAHIIM-accredited Bachelor of Science in health information management program that also requires students to apply for admission after two years of general undergraduate education. Courses required for the professional phase of the program include human pathophysiology, health informatics, management and business practices, legal aspects of healthcare information technology, coding systems, human resources and financial management and coding and reimbursement. All students participate in one clinical internship prior to graduation.
The school also offers an online certificate program for students who already have a bachelor's degree in another field, but wish to become certified in health information technology or work in the field. Approximately 80 percent of freshmen and 72 percent of continuing students at the University of Illinois Chicago receive some form of financial aid, according to the "2009 Barron's Profiles of American Colleges."
University of Illinois Chicago
601 South Morgan M/C 102
Chicago, IL 60607
312-996-4350
uic.edu
Northwestern College is a private, nonsectarian medical training school with three campuses in the midwestern United States, including its Chicago branch. The college's Associate of Applied Science degree in health information technology has approval through CAHIIM. The program lasts for two years and requires coursework in health data content, coding and classification systems, quality assessment and performance, anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, databases and medical law and ethics. Federal financial aid is available for qualified students, and the college offers scholarships. Job placement assistance is available for graduates.
Northwestern College
4811 North Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL 60630
888-205-2283
northwesterncollege.edu