May 16, 2016
Financial Aid now available for students applying to Bachelor’s Degree at Mesa College
Applications for Fall 2016 upper division classes open through May
By Office of Communications
Workers in the field of health information looking to get higher paying jobs just
got more good news. Not only can they complete a four-year degree at San Diego Mesa
College at a fraction of what it costs at private institutions, but they can begin
college this fall as juniors, and they can also apply for financial aid. This thanks
to the Department of Education, which approved the college’s application for eligibility
and certification last week.
32 spots are currently open to students who qualify to enter the program as juniors,
and they will be among the first to graduate with a four year degree in Health Information
Management in 2018.
Applications for the program will be accepted through May 31.
Classes will be held in a hybrid format, with both in-class and online instruction.
Fall classes will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Mesa College Allied Health
Education and Training Facility on the college’s Kearny Mesa campus. Upper division
courses for California residents are $130 per unit.
“It’s an exciting time on the Mesa,” noted Dr. Pamela T. Luster, president. “This
is a historic first opportunity for interested students to receive a bachelor’s degree
in Health Information Management at a public educational institution in the state
of California.”
To be considered for admission, applicants must already have received a Registered
Health Information Technician RHIT certification and must complete an application
packet available at http://bit.ly/mesabsdeg. Applications must be received by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, May 31, 2016.
The HIM degree will enable those currently working in the field to advance into management
positions. Graduates obtaining their RHIA certification are qualified to be a Health
Information Department Manager or Director, a Coding Manager, a Healthcare Systems
Manager, a Data Analyst, a Quality or Compliance Coordinator, or a College/University
Professor of Health Information Technology or Health Information Management.
Mesa College is the first community college in the state of California to offer upper
division classes that lead to a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA)
certification. In January 2015, Mesa College was one of 15 California community colleges
selected to offer a bachelor’s degree as part of the state’s Baccalaureate Degree
Pilot Program. It enrolled its first freshman cohort in fall 2015.
Tags: HIM, 4-year degree, Baccalaureate, Bachelor's Degree, Financial Aid
