Bachelor of Science in Health and Medical Information Science

Course Summary

This programme has been paused and is no longer available for student intake.

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Look back on our Webinar event to find out all about this programme and the supports available Here

This three year, undergraduate, Level 7 degree programme delivered fully online through blended learning techniques, will equip students with an applied understanding of health informatics, eHealth concepts and applications, health statistics and data programming, medical data management and systems evaluation; applied epidemiology; health economics and predictive modelling; as well as a range of other subjects to facilitate a broader understanding of healthcare management, delivery and audit. 

 

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW 

Studying an online undergraduate programme in Health and Medical Information Science means learning a huge range of employable skills across the wider areas of Science, Health and Medical Informatics, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Economics, Public Health, Philosophy, Programming and Data Analysis.

The modules across the three years will be delivered innovatively through various modes of online learning techniques. Course materials will be linked to real-world problems in the area of Healthcare delivery and students will learn how to manage and provide evidence-based solutions.

Graduates from this programme will have a strong grounding in all areas of healthcare systems delivery, management, audit and evaluation, governance and regulatory principles. They will also have the data analysis skills necessary to critically appraise areas of process inefficiency and develop alternative frameworks for enhancing outcomes. These skills will be needed globally as the current COVID-19 pandemic will necessitate large-scale systems audit and framework development to combat future potential threats to Public Health.

YEAR ONE

First Year modules consist of the foundation blocks of health science, mathematics, statistics & computing.

YEAR TWO

Students begin to specialise in practical data and information management systems and skills whilst developing the knowledge of health and science

YEAR THREE 

The final year allows the student to explore and deepen their knowledge in relevant areas of advanced science and statistical datamanagement methods. The year culminates with a health data project.

Prospective students will be expected to log on to live lectures and tutorials daily. Live attendance and recorded lecture/ tutorial viewing will be monitored to facilitate development of effective student engagement strategies. The average weekly contact time with lecturers will be 16 hours per week per semester. 

Download the Full Programme Brochure here

Entry Requirements

Entry requirements for CAO courses at ATU Sligo are available for download below:

• Download Entry requirements for just Level 7 programmes
• Download Entry requirements for all programmes

Leaving Certificate Entry requirements

• Minimum Subjects - 5O6/H7
• English or Irish - O6/H7
• Maths F2/O6/H7

We have developed a free maths MOOC course to help students who might traditionally have struggled or have any concerns about maths. In addition, we have a full maths support team that can support our students in one-to-one or group settings. Our team would be delighted to support you if you need us at any stage during your studies. 

Career Opportunities

The design of this programme is geared towards developing and professional skills and technical qualities to meet the current and future needs of the healthcare sector and its multi-faceted health information system. 

Graduates from this programme will be able to work in a variety of settings including hospitals, long-term healthcare facilities, primary care facilities, home health agencies, insurance companies, government agencies (i.e. HSE. TULSA, HIQA, NCPE), information technology vendors, and pharmaceutical, medical devices and consultancy companies. 

Further Study

This programme offers a Level 7 qualification in Health and Medical Information Science. The development of Level 8 add-on opportunities involving a substantial work placement are underway. These will include various specialisations in the area of Health Informatics, Big Data Analytics and Health Technology Assessment. 

If a 3 year degree is not an option for you, then consider a two year Higher Certificate in Health and Medical Information Science. This is available for direct entry, not through the CAO. You can find out more information here

Testimonials

“This course gave me a really solid introduction to the area of health care data analysis. The syllabus covered established statistical techniques as well newer technologies and concepts such as data mining, big data and healthcare technology assessment. The course would suit people working in healthcare who are looking to make sense of the large datasets  that are becoming ubiquitous in modern healthcare”  Mike, Medical Physicist (2020-21)

Did you know?

ATU Sligo was one of the first institutes to offer distance learning and is now leading the way with over half our students (4,500 ) studying fully online.

Attending lectures is made easy with our online learning environment. Log into live lectures, engage in discussions, live chat and interact with fellow students and lecturers. Unable to attend? Recorded sessions are available within hours, so students can watch back at a time that suits.

For more information on this programme contact programme chairs:

Dr. Richéal Burns, Lecturer in Health Information Technology, ATU Sligo [Email]

Mr. Padraig Mc Gourty, Lecturer in Statistics and Information Technology, ATU Sligo [Email]

Programme Fees

Total fes: €9,000

To help make the payment of fees more manageable for students who are self-funding their studies, tuition fees can be paid through payment instalment plans at ATU Sligo. For further information on instalment plans, please visit our Fees and Funding webpage. 

If you apply and are approved for an online course at ATU Sligo, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of €250 to secure your place. Your deposit will then be credited against the course fees once you are registered as a student. Students at ATU Sligo are also eligible to claim tax relief at the standard rate for tuition fees.

For further information and guidance about Fees and Funding for online and part-time courses at ATU Sligo, click here.

If you are seeking to take your exams online, and you meet the eligibility criteria (overseas students and those with extenuating circumstances), an additional examinations fee will apply. For further information, please visit our Examinations webpage. 
 

For more information on fees please visit our Fees and Grants page.  Note this programme is not yet covered by the Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI).  

Course Format

Semester 1

Title	Credits
Essential Mathematics	05
Basic Computing for Health Sciences	05
Essential Skills in Health Science	10
Cell Biology	05
Healthcare Systems	05

Semester 2

Title	Credits
Introduction to Statistics in Health Science	05
Introduction to Health Ethics	05
Health Promotion Practice	10
Introduction to Health Informatics	05
Human Anatomy And Physiology	05

Semester 3

Title	Credits
Spreadsheets: Skills and Techniques in Health Sciences	05
Information Management Systems	05
Applied Health Statistics	05
Fundamentals of Health Economics	05
Medical Pharmacology	05
Biology of Disease	05

Semester 4

Title	Credits
Introduction to eHealth	10
Big Data in Health	05
Data Visualisation	05
Infectious Disease	05
Clinical Biochemistry	05

Semester 5

Title	Credits
Advanced Statistical Methods for Health Research	10
Applied Epidemiology	05
Applications in Big Data	05
Diagnostic Approaches in Healthcare	05
Health Ergonomics and Integration	05

Semester 6

Title	Credits
Decision Analytic Modelling	10
Legal and Regulatory Practices in Health	05
Data Mining	05
Health Data Project	10