Programs Available at Northwestern College Online:

THE NC ADVANTAGE

All businesses need core people with a variety of knowledge and skills, including accounting, marketing, computer applications, human resources, and management strategies. While most people can’t be experts in all these areas, a general background gives you a solid foundation on which to build. You can then apply your general skills and education in any industry that interests you, and develop specific skills further while on the job. With an Associate in Applied Science Degree in Business Administration, your career can grow from an administrative services team member, to a management position with varying levels of responsibility and supervisory duties, to a top executive.

PROGRAM GOALS

Upon completion of the program, it is expected that students will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the common professional components of the business environment
• Understand and analyze ethical behaviors in the business environment
• Recognize and apply clear oral, written, and electronic communication when making professional business decisions
• Construct and implement strategies to maximize operational effectiveness in a dynamic and rapidly evolving business environment
• Prepare and present a complete business plan

BUSINESS EXTERNSHIP

This course offers students a supervised learning experience outside of the classroom. Students deal with day-to-day office situations and perform services of value for a participating employer in order to receive academic credit. Although there is no remuneration for this externship, the hands-on experience gained is invaluable.

ACCREDITATION

The Associate in Applied Science Degree in Business Administration is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

A degree in business administration prepares you to work in almost every industry including large corporations, colleges and universities, health services, social services, government agencies, financial services, insurance companies or firms, and marketing and public relations firms.

LEARN FROM A LEADER

Do you want to make the world a safer place? Would you like to make a difference within your own community? Are you interested in how the criminal justice system works? If you answered yes to these questions then consider getting your Associate in Applied Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Northwestern College, and prepare for a new career in law enforcement.

PROGRAM GOALS

Upon completion of the program, it is expected that students will be able to:

• Identify and analyze issues relative to protection of life, liberty, and property
• Evaluate the dynamics and cultures of working within the legal system
• Critically evaluate the legal rights of individuals, recognition of legal limitations, and use of discretionary authority
• Exhibit professional behavior and high ethical standards
• Demonstrate effective oral, written, and non-verbal communication skills as expected in criminal justice professions

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

The government’s effort to meet society’s need for a safer living environment is driving the rising demand for law enforcement personnel. This means that criminal justice graduates will find an increased number of opportunities for employment. Some occupations in the criminal justice field may require additional training, licensing, and/or education.

THE NC ADVANTAGE

Health information technology combines the areas of health care, administration, and information systems to manage and report health care data. This is one of the few health-related occupations in which there is no actual hands-on patient care. Health information technicians collect, summarize, utilize, and report data collected for patient care and reimbursement. They organize and manage health information data by ensuring its quality, accuracy, accessibility, and security; and they regularly communicate with physicians and other health care professionals to clarify diagnoses or to obtain additional information.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Health Information Technology Program seeks to educate entry-level health information technicians who meet the requirements determined by the profession as stated by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and upon graduation, students will be qualified to sit for the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) examination and find employment in the field.

ACCREDITATION

The Northwestern College Associate in Applied Science Degree in Health Information Technology is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

PROGRAM GOALS

Upon completion of the program, it is expected that students will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, and pharmacology
• Be adequately prepared as Health Information Technicians in health data management
• Be adequately prepared as Health Information Technicians in health statistics and quality management
• Be adequately prepared as Health Information Technicians in health services organization delivery comparably in Medical Law and Ethical Standards
• Be adequately prepared as Health Information Technicians in health informatics
• Be adequately prepared as Health Information Technicians in organization management

VIRTUAL LAB

Learning is important, but all the lectures and reading in the world can’t properly prepare anyone for a real world, HIT working environment. Experimental learning (or learning by doing) adds an essential component to the academic experience. For HIT students, getting hands-on practice with virtual software they’ll encounter outside the academic sphere can help prepare them for anything their careers might throw at them. The vLab, a cutting edge software program, provides students in campus-based and distance learning colleges with access to a full array of health information management technologies that support best practices. The Virtual Lab allows students to work with software they will encounter in the workplace that closely simulates real world applications in health information technologies. Lab exercises emphasize the acquisition of skills related to the use of the electronic tools to solve problems and make decisions, enabling students to become leaders of tomorrow’s health information management workforce.

Note: An additional fee for the Virtual lab is required.