Healthcare Data Analytics

The Health Data Analytics Certificate Program is designed to build on the HIT Associate Degree. The future of Health Information Management will require knowledgeable workers with high degrees of specialization. Employers will expect HIM professionals to not only have the Associate Degree in HIT and the RHIT credential, but also a specialization in the HIM field such as privacy, auditing, coding, or data analysis, among others. This certification provides graduates with the ability to acquire, manage, analyze, interpret and transform data into accurate, consistent and timely information.

Career Opportunities:

  • Data Integrity Analyst
  • Data Integrity Officer
  • Data Quality Manager
  • Research Data Analyst
  • Data Resource Administrator
  • Decision Support Specialist
  • Clinical Data Specialist
  • Research and Decision Support Specialist

Graduates may find employment in any organization that uses health information data, including:

  • acute care hospitals
  • clinics
  • physician’s offices
  • ambulatory care facilities
  • long-term care facilities
  • home health agencies
  • consulting firms
  • mental health facilities
  • rehabilitation medicine facilities
  • hospice
  • correctional facilities
  • pharmaceutical companies
  • law and insurance firms
  • health product vendors
  • veterinary medicine

AHIMA offers a Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA) certification exam. Individuals who meet the AHIMA criteria would be eligible to sit for the CHDA certification exam. See the examination criteria listed below. More information regarding the CHDA credential can be found on the AHIMA website.

Candidates must meet one of the following eligibility requirements to sit for the CHDA examination:

  • Healthcare information management credential (RHIT®) and minimum of three (3) years of healthcare data experience; OR
  • Baccalaureate degree and a minimum of three (3) years of healthcare data experience
  • Healthcare information management credential (RHIA®); OR
  • Master’s in Heath Information Management (HIM) or Health Informatics from an accredited school; OR
  • Master's or higher degree and one (1) year of healthcare data experience

Courses in the Healthcare Data Analytics Certificate Program are offered totally online; all course content and exams are delivered online. Students interested in pursuing an online education must be highly motivated, independent learners and possess excellent organizational and time management skills. Students must have email and high-speed internet access. No on-campus attendance is required. As such, students must be familiar with use of the internet, email, uploading and downloading files, and various common word processing programs. Please review the technical requirements for the HIT/CIM department.

Apply to SBCC here. There is no separate application for the Health Data Analytics Program. These 8 steps to Apply and Enroll will guide you through the entire process and give you more department-specific information.

Here are department requirements for the Healthcare Data Analytics Certificate in their recommended course sequence.

Students enroll in classes prior to each semester and fees are paid prior to each semester.
Fees are different for students who are California residents and non-residents.
California resident enrollment fee = $46 per unit
Non-resident tuition and fees = $331 per unit

Cost of Medical Coding Department Requirements:
California residents = $46 x 44 units = $2,024
Non-residents = $331 x 44 units = $14,564
(Transfer credit will reduce the cost.)

Additional fees will apply. A full list of fees is available from the Cashier's Office.

For procedures to verify completion of HIT prerequisites and for course advisories, see the Course Prerequisites page. See the Transcript Evaluation page for instructions on how to complete a transcript evaluation.

Information is available from SBCC's Financial Aid Office. You can chat or email them from the Financial Aid homepage, or call them at: (805) 730-5157. They can also give you information about Board of Governors Fee Waivers, scholarships, etc.

Please note that advance planning is required to complete the necessary paperwork in short time frames!

Once you have registered and paid for your courses, please review our Orientation for Enrolled Students. During the first week of class you will complete online orientation exercises designed to familiarize you with the course and the online classroom. If you have any problems or difficulties with one or more of these steps, contact us immediately.

Once you have registered for your class(es) and the online bookstore has opened for the semester, you may purchase or rent textbooks online at sbccbooks.com.

Students must complete all department requirements with a grade of 'C' or better. Pass grading is not permitted in a student’s major area of study.

Candidates must complete at least 20% of the HIT/CIM program requirements through SBCC.

Students who are newcomers to online learning, or who have a low comfort level with computers, may want to limit their first semester to 3 units. Students who work full-time and have family and personal commitments are advised to limit enrollment to 6 units per semester. Students who work 20 hours per week, and have family and personal commitments, are advised to limit enrollment to 9 units per semester. It is recommended that students limit their enrollment in SBCC's short 6 week summer session to one HIT/CIM class.

For more information, see our Course Load Guidelines.

Additional Information

For additional information, please contact:

Dr. Gwyer Schuyler
HIT/CIM Academic Counselor
gschuyler@pipeline.sbcc.edu