Accredited Nursing Informatics Programs in Alabama [2023]

Nursing Informatics Programs and Schools in Alabama

If you dream of a job as a nurse informaticist, your first step is to complete a bachelor’s degree program in nursing informatics. Fortunately, there are many such programs at colleges and universities across the nation. This goes for Alabama, too.

In fact, Alabama has a wide variety of options for getting your degree. As you’ll see in the list of nursing informatics programs below, Alabama offers you the chance to get a bachelor’s or master’s degree. You can study in person, online, or a hybrid of both. You can also study at a small school, a large school, or mid-sized schools in between.

While each of the programs outlined below is different, what remains the same is that you will get a high-quality education from an accredited university. Start the process of choosing a program by checking out these popular options!

University of South Alabama

When the University of South Alabama was founded in the early 1960s, its purpose was to provide better educational access to Alabama’s residents. Over the years, the university has done just that. Today, the school boasts almost 14,000 students and hundreds of dedicated faculty members whose mission is to help you and students like you succeed.

With small class sizes and a student-to-teacher ratio of 17:1, South Alabama is the school for you if you want individualized attention from your teachers.

The number of students at South Alabama isn’t the only thing that’s grown over the years. The school has added ten colleges and schools with course offerings at the undergraduate and graduate levels. South Alabama’s students can choose from arts and sciences, business, and nursing, to name a few.

Nursing Informatics Program Information

The Master of Science in Nursing – Nursing Informatics program at the University of South Alabama is one of 14 specialties offered by the school. It’s a 37-credit degree, provided you have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and an RN license.

However, if you have an RN but a non-BSN undergraduate degree, you must take an additional 15 credits of RN-MSN coursework. Still, even taking these classes, you can likely finish the program in two or three years of full-time studies.

The core coursework you can expect to take includes classes like:

• Scientific Underpinnings of Advanced Nursing Practice
• Evidence-Based Practice and Quality Improvement in Healthcare
• Healthcare Policy and Finance
• Organizational and Systems Leadership

There are also 25 credits of nursing informatics courses that help you build the knowledge base and skill set required to implement a data-driven approach in nursing. Part of those requirements are two 120-hour practicum experiences during which you gain relevant field experience.

To apply, you must meet the following criteria:

• Submit a primary application and a supplemental application
• Have two years of RN nursing experience
• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• Have a current RN license with no restrictions
• Be in good standing with all academic institutions and nursing programs you’ve attended
• Hold a degree from a regionally-accredited school
• Submit official transcripts from each college or university you’ve attended

University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)

The University of Alabama at Birmingham is a large school with more than 21,000 students. Many students are drawn to UAB because of its reputation as a rigorous academic institution. In fact, UAB has been ranked among the top eight percent of global universities, placing it among elite company. The school is also recognized for its diverse student body and its diverse collection of student activities and support services.

The diversity on campus comes with being one of the largest schools in the state. This is in spite of the fact that UAB is a relatively young school – it was founded in 1969. In the years since its founding, UAB has grown to include a dozen academic divisions that offer nearly 150 programs of study for students at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels.

Nursing Informatics Program Information

Your pathway to an education in nursing informatics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham resides in the school’s Nursing Health Systems Leadership MSN program. This program offers several concentrations, including nursing informatics, nursing health systems administration, nursing management of care transitions, and nursing education.

The nursing informatics track is a 40-credit program that requires 2.5 to three years to complete. This hybrid program combines online coursework and intensive campus experiences in a part-time format that’s flexible to the demands of your work and life schedule.

Once admitted, you will take courses like:

• Evidence-Based Practice and Management
• Informatics Project Evaluation/Human Factors
• Essentials of Project Management for Nursing Information Specialist
• Health Care Systems Overview for Nurse Leaders
• Developing the Advanced Nurse Leader

This program also requires you to complete two practicum experiences, each of which is two credits. The first practicum occurs in the spring semester of the second year of studies, while the second practicum occurs the following summer.

You can apply to this program by completing an online application and paying the relevant fees. Note that this program only begins in the summer term. Additionally, you must:

• Have a BSN degree from a regionally-accredited institution. The program from which you graduated must also be nationally accredited.
• Have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Have an unencumbered and unrestricted nursing license.
• Submit three letters of professional reference.
• Submit official transcripts from each college or university you have attended.

Troy University

Founded in 1887 in Troy, Alabama, Troy University is now a school system with several campuses around the state. There are also numerous affiliated sites in 17 U.S. states and 11 nations abroad. With around 15,000 students system-wide, Troy is a mid-sized school that offers the amenities of a much larger school, including many student support services that help ensure your successful graduation.

Troy has seven schools and colleges that offer nearly 50 undergraduate programs, nearly two dozen graduate programs, and several doctoral programs. Since Troy ranks highly for innovation, you can expect to enjoy cutting-edge technologies in your program of study.

Likewise, since Troy has multiple online learning programs ranked in the top 20, you can rest assured that if you study online, you will still get a top-notch education.

Nursing Informatics Program Information

Troy University’s Master of Science in Nursing is an online program designed for working nurses. The coursework and field experiences you will complete as part of the graduation requirements prepare you to combine your clinical expertise in nursing with newfound skills in the healthcare informatics space.

To complete this MSN program, you must take at least 37 credits of graduate courses and complete 480 clinical hours. Some of the classes you will take include:

• Healthcare Economics
• Data Analysis and Interpretation in Quantitative Research
• Concepts of Healthcare Informatics and Leadership
• Roles in Nursing Leadership and Informatics
• Applied Principles of Leadership and Technology in Healthcare

The clinical hours are obtained in two one-credit practicum experiences and two four-credit internships. Each experience allows you to work closely with a practicing nurse informaticist so you can see how the concepts you’ve learned in class are applied in a real-world setting.

You can apply to the Troy program three times per year. You must meet the following requirements to be eligible for unconditional admission:

• Submit an application for admission.
• Have a bachelor’s degree in nursing from a regionally-accredited university.
• Have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Hold an unencumbered RN license.
• Submit two letters of professional reference.

Alabama State University

Alabama State University was founded in 1867 after the conclusion of the Civil War. Its founders, known as the Marion 9, were formerly enslaved people who wished to have an institution of higher learning for Black residents of Alabama. Today, this Historically Black College and University (HBCU) offers educational programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels.

With dozens of programs offered in its seven colleges and graduate school, Alabama State gives you plenty of options for bettering your future with a degree. You can do so in small classes, too – the university has a student-to-faculty ratio of just 13:1. Likewise, you can learn outside the classroom with experiential programs, study abroad opportunities, and community service programs.

Nursing Informatics Program Information

The Health Information Management program at Alabama State University includes studies in information technology and medicine to create an applied program that focuses on using healthcare data to improve decision-making in healthcare settings. It is a four-year program that culminates with a Bachelor of Science degree.

In all, you need 128 credits to graduate. This includes core coursework like:

• Development of Healthcare Information Technology
• Coding
• Application and Analysis of Electronic Health Records
• Current Trends in Healthcare Delivery Systems
• Legal Aspects of Healthcare

This program also requires that you complete a management capstone experience during your final year in the program. This capstone brings together experiential learning and your studies throughout the program to test your knowledge and understanding of crucial health information management topics.

To apply as a first-year student, you must complete an online application and pay a $30 application fee. You must also submit official high transcripts and ACT or SAT test scores.

Alabama State has varying levels of admittance that allow you to enroll even if you don’t meet the top-tier qualifications. You can learn more about undergraduate admissions policies and procedures here.

Nursing Informatics Work Opportunities in Alabama

Nurse informaticists are in high demand in many areas, including Alabama. With the appropriate combination of education and experience, you might easily find a job in any number of sectors, including healthcare, education, or policymaking.

For example, you might find a job as a clinical nurse informaticist in a large hospital in one of Alabama’s larger cities, like Montgomery, Birmingham, or Huntsville. Conversely, you might pursue a research-based position at an educational institution like the University of Alabama or Auburn University.

Other opportunities for nurse informaticists are available in Alabama as well. You might work for a clinical management consulting firm to provide clients with strategies for improving the delivery of patient services. You might also pursue employment in healthcare administration, such as working as a chief clinical informatics officer for a large hospital. These are just a few examples, of course. Many other potential careers await you as a nurse informaticist in Alabama!