BSc in Health Information Science

Health Information Science is about connecting the worlds of technology and health care. To span these worlds, you'll need expertise in both fields.

We offer a four-year co-operative education program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Health Information Science which gives you expertise in both healthcare and information technology. The program is normally full-time but under special circumstances, with permission of the director, part-time entry may be possible.

Program requirements

To meet the program requirements of the degree in Health Information Science, you must complete:
  1. 60 units comprising:
        • 43.5 units core (or 42 if BIOL waiver completed)
        • 9 units of lower-level electives (or 10.5 units if BIOL waiver completed)
        • 7.5 units of approved senior electives
  2. a minimum of three Co-op work terms.

Model plan

Fall Spring Summer
First Year - 15.0 units

HINF 115 - Programming for Healthcare

ATWP 1351 - Academic Reading and Writing

HINF 130 - Introduction to Health Information Technology or; 
HINF 140 - Introduction to the Canadian Health Care Systems (you must take both HINF 130 and 140 - whichever you take in the Fall, take the other in Spring)

BIOL 150A2 - Modern Biology or; 
BIOL 150B2- Modern Biology or;
EPHE 1412 - Human Anatomy or; 
MLSC 1022 - Biochemistry and Human Health

Elective3

HINF 112 - Introduction to Health Information Analysis

ENSH XXX – Choose any ENSH1XX
or 2XX (e.g., ENSH 202 Technical Communications: Written
and Verbal)

HINF 140 - Introduction to the Canadian Health Care Systems or; 
HINF 130 - Introduction to Health Information Technology (you must take both HINF 130 and 140)

MATH 151 - Finite Mathematics

Elective3

 NONE

Fall

Spring

 Summer
Second Year - 15.0 units + 4.5 units of Co-op

HINF 202 - Introduction to Professional Practice (0 credit course)

HINF 200 Principles of Health Database Design

HINF 230 - Organizational Behavior and Change Management

STAT 252 - Statistics for Business or; 
STAT 255 - Statistics for Life Sciences I

HINF 350 - Human Aspects of Healthcare Information Systems

Elective3

HINF 201 - Database Management and Development for Health Care Systems

HINF 265 - Health Care Delivery Organizational Models

HINF 280 - Biomedical Fundamentals

Elective3

Elective3

 HINF 0014 -Co-op work term#1

Fall

Spring

 Summer
Third Year- 15.0 units + 4.5 units of Co-op

CSC 375 - Introduction to Systems Analysis

HINF 320 - Project Management

HINF 335 - Health Information Standards

HINF 381 - Epidemiology, Population Health and Public Health

Elective3

 HINF 002 - Co-op work term#2

HINF 310 - Electronic Records and Decision Support Systems

HINF 330 - Legal and Security Issues in Health Informatics

HINF 345 - Networks, Interoperability and Systems Security

HINF 351 - Information Technology Procurement

HINF 371 - Clinical Methodologies

Fall

 Spring

Summer
Fourth Year- 15.0 units + 4.5 units of Co-op HINF 003 - Co-op work term#3

HINF 410 - Information Management and Technology

HINF 420 - Societal Implications of Information Technology

HINF 450 - Health Information System Design

HINF 461 - System Evaluation and Quality Improvement

HINF 470 - Trends in Health Informatics

HINF 485 - Artificial Intelligence in Health Care or SENIOR ELECTIVE4

SENIOR ELECTIVE4

SENIOR ELECTIVE4

SENIOR ELECTIVE4

SENIOR ELECTIVE4

 

Notes:

Please see the BC Transfer Guide for course equivalencies.

1 Satisfying the Academic Writing Requirment (AWR) does not mean you can bypass ATWP 135. ATWP 135 is a program requirement which must be satisfied. If you need more support with English, your options which satisfy the ATWP 135 and ENSH 1XX/2XX credits include:

  1. Take ATWP 101 first and then ATWP 135 OR;
  2. Take ATWP 110 – this is a full-year course.

2 Students who completed Biology 12 (BIOL12) or Anatomy & Physiology 12 (ATPH12) at a Canadian institution must complete a substitution waiver and take 1.5 units of additional elective. Students without Biology 12 or Anatomy & Physiology 12 are required to take one of: EPHE 141/MLSC 102/BIOL 150A/BIOL 150B

3 Lower-level electives should be in topics you find interesting and in which you will be successful. You will acquire the necessary skills in our HINF courses, so the electives can be in topics of your choosing which do not have schedule conflicts with your other courses

4 Completion of all courses listed in first 4 terms will be required prior to first co-op work term.

5 Students are required to select a minimum of 7.5 units from the list of Approved Senior Electives. Senior electives not on theapproved list require permission from the Faculty Undergraduate Academic Advisor, please include the description andjustification of your request and direct the e-mail to

Co-op eligibility

To be eligible to take part in the co-op work term process, you must meet all of the conditions below:

  • have completed all courses listed in the first and second year of the model program
  • have a GPA of 4.0 or better
  • be a student in good standing (not on probation)
  • not have any deferred exams outstanding
  • International students: see co-op eligibility requirements and study permit information.
  • complete the comprehensive Professional Practice course (HINF 202) before the first work-term.  This is to help prepare students for their applications, interviews and hiring process. It's typically offered in the fall term and students will register for it along with their other courses.

Eligibility for Co-op and Coursework

Undergraduate students may be eligible to take up to one course concurrently with each work term if they meet the following criteria:

  1. GPA: Must be 5.0 or higher.
  2. Course Schedule: The course must not conflict with regular work hours.
  3. Employer Permission: Must have written approval from your employer.
  4. HINF Director Permission: The Co-op Office will contact the HINF director for approval once a request has been submitted.

Complete the online form in order to request taking a course while on Co-op: link

For questions or concerns regarding co-op eligibility, please contact the Co-op Coordinator.  

**Note: Any deviation from the above will require written permission from the Director of the School.

The University Calendar is the authoritative source for complete lists of course selection and program requirements.