Health Information Technology
Associate of Science (AS) Health Information Technology and Cancer Information · Santa Barbara City College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Overview
The Health Information Technology (HIT) Program prepares students for a career that places them right where the expanding arena of healthcare meets the cutting edge of technology. HIT professionals are the experts on patient data that consumers need to manage their own health and which healthcare providers rely on to perform their jobs. By collecting, maintaining, and analyzing health information, their work makes an important contribution to the delivery of quality care.
Graduates of this program will be granted an Associate of Science Degree in Health Information Technology. The HIT program is accredited by the Commission for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). A graduate may take the national certifying exam offered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) to become a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT).
Requirements
Associate Degree Graduation Requirements
Complete all of the following:
- All Major Requirements listed below with a “C” or better or “P” in each course (at least 20% of the major requirements must be completed through SBCC).
- One of the following General Education options:
- OPTION 1: SBCC General Education pattern OR
- OPTION 2: Cal-GETC pattern
- A minimum of 60 semester units of degree-applicable college credit (SBCC courses numbered 100 and higher and C1000 and higher).
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher in degree-applicable coursework.
- A minimum of 12 units through SBCC.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Major Requirements | ||
| Required Core | ||
| Recommended sequence of courses, offered online: | ||
| COMP 101 | Introduction to Computer Applications | 4 |
| orCIS 101 | Introduction to Computers and Information Systems | |
| HIT 135 | Basic Medical Terminology | 3 |
| BMS 146 | Human Form and Function | 3-4 |
| orBMS 100 | The Human Body | |
| HIT 101 | Introduction to Health Information Management | 3 |
| HIT 102 | Legal Aspects Of Health Care | 3 |
| HIT 204 | Basic Pathophysiology | 3 |
| HIT 201 | Pharmacology For Allied Health | 2 |
| HIT 202 | International Classification of Diseases, Diagnostic Coding | 2 |
| HIT 203 | International Classification of Diseases, Procedural Coding | 3 |
| HIT 210 | CPT Procedural Coding | 3 |
| HIT 255 | Medical Insurance and Reimbursement Methodologies | 4 |
| HIT 240 | HC Quality Management | 3 |
| HIT 220 | HIM Statistics | 2 |
| HIT 265 | HIM Computer Applications | 3 |
| STAT C1000 | Introduction to Statistics | 4 |
| orPSY 150 | Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences | |
| orSOC 125 | Introduction to Statistics in Sociology | |
| MGMT 101 | Introduction To Management | 3 |
| HIT 275 | HIT Practicum 1 | 4.5 |
| Total Units | 52.50-53.50 | |
- It is recommended that students enroll in HIT 275 during their final semester of the program. Prior completion of HIT 240 and HIT 220, as well as completion of or concurrent enrollment in MGMT 101, will support student success in this course. Students should also have a clearly defined academic plan and be actively following it to ensure readiness for this capstone learning experience.
Learning Outcomes
1. Apply biomedical and clinical knowledge to accurately assign and validate diagnostic and procedural codes within simulated or case-based healthcare records.
2. Analyze, interpret, and communicate clinical and statistical data to support decision-making, improve patient care outcomes, and inform revenue cycle and financial planning.
3. Apply and evaluate legal, ethical, accreditation, and certification standards in health information scenarios, demonstrating compliance and professional judgment.
4. Analyze and contribute to the design, implementation, or evaluation of clinical and administrative information systems within diverse healthcare environments.
5. Apply organizational and regulatory standards to ensure appropriate data storage, retrieval, retention, and information security within health information systems.
6. Demonstrate effective individual and collaborative critical thinking skills to address health information management challenges in dynamic healthcare settings.
Recommended Sequence
Make an appointment with your SBCC academic counselor through Starfish to create a Student Education Plan that reflects a recommended course sequence for this program that is tailored to your individual needs.
How to schedule an Academic Counseling appointment.