Medical Record Administration (MRA) - Ferris Course Catalog

Locate a Course
Find a Degree
Learn about a Program
Follow a Career Path

Medical Record Administration MRA

Career Path: Business, Management, Marketing, and Technology, Health Sciences

Required Courses		Credit Hours
General Education
BIOL 109	Basic Human Anatomy/Physiology*Z	4
ENGL 150	English 1	3
ENGL 250	English 2	3
ENGL 321	Advanced Composition	3
Choose one:
COMM 105	Interpersonal Communication	3
COMM 221	Small Group Decision Making	3
Choose one:
COMM 305	Communication & Human Relations	3
COMM 365	Intercultural Communication *	3
COMM 370	Communication & Conflict	3
Choose one:
PSYC 150	Introduction to Psychology	3
SOCY 121	Introductory Sociology* RS	3
*Electives	Social Awareness (300-400 level)	6
MATH 115	College Algebra	3
*Electives:	Cultural Enrichment (HUMN 320 strongly recommended)	9
*	Scientific Understanding	4
Core
ACCT 201	Principles of Accounting 1	3
CCHS 101	Orientation - Health Care	3
CCHS 102	Safety Issues-Health Care	1
ISYS 105	Intro Micro Sys & Software	3
ISYS 200	Database Design & Implementation	3
MGMT 301	Applied Management	3
MKTG 321	Principles of Marketing	3
MRIS 103	Medical Terminology	4
Major
EHSM 315	Epidemiology & Statistics	3
HCSA 202	Health Care Law	3
HCSA 335	Supervisory Practices Health Care Workers	4
HCSA 345	Internship Orientation	1
HCSA 401	Financial Concepts in Health Care	4
HCSA 474	Planning & Promotion in Health Care	4
MRIS 101	Intro to Health Info Systems	4
MRIS 122	Health Information Systems 1	3
MRIS 204	ICD Coding	4
MRIS 209	Quality Assurance	3
MRIS 210	Fundamentals of Medical Science	3
MRIS 211	CPT Coding	3
MRIS 228	Intro to Medical Billing/Reimbursement	2
MRIS 293	Professional Practice 1	6
MRIS 493	Professional Practice 2	10
MRIS 499	Seminar in Health Information Management	3
Minimum credit hours required for B.S. degree:		129

Why Choose Medical Record Administration?

As the health care industry continues to grow and expand, the demand for medical record administrators also increases. Employment is expected to grow faster than average through the year 2008 because of rapid changes in health care regulations that require individuals skilled in the interpretation of health data. Individuals with an interest in computers, health care and business will find that medical record administration is a challenging and fulfilling career option. Many graduates are employed in hospitals, but job growth is projected to be greatest in physicians' offices and clinics, nursing homes and home health agencies.

In addition to the on-campus program, courses are offered at off-campus sites (Schoolcraft and Grand Rapids). In the off-campus program, students are required to complete professional and allied health core courses through Ferris. General education and support courses can be taken at another college or university and transferred to Ferris in fulfillment of graduation requirements. A minimum of 30 semester credit hours must be earned at Ferris in order for the degree to be granted.

At the end of the program, the student is eligible to apply to write the national certification examination to earn the designation of Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA). The Medical Record Administration program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation Health Informatics and Information Management Education.

Get a Great Job

Medical record administrators have the skills and abilities to accept supervisory positions in health care facilities. They may decide to do the same kind of work as the medical record technician or supervise the daily routine of the medical record department, working with the employees to make sure that procedures are carried out correctly. They may be responsible for training employees or evaluating their performance. Other medical record administrators work as private consultants, or work with various individuals in the health care setting to plan, assure that the facility meets accreditation requirements or serve as coordinators between other departments that deal with health information.

Earnings of health services managers vary by type and size of facility, level of responsibility and geographic region. The median salary ranges between $32,000 and $42,000. Graduates of the program are immediately employable in a variety of health care settings.

Admission Requirements

Applicants for admission to the Medical Record Administration program must have a 2.5 GPA in high school or college work.

Graduation Requirements

The Medical Record Administration program at Ferris leads to a bachelor of science degree. Graduation requires a minimum 2.0 GPA overall. Students must earn a 'C' grade or better in each core course and meet all general education requirements as outlined on the General Education website. MATH 115 proficiency or ACT math subscore of 24 or higher is required for graduation. Graduates may decide to enroll in graduate school.

More Information

College of Allied Health Sciences
Ferris State University
200 Ferris Drive
Big Rapids, MI 49307
Phone: 231-591-2770 or
800-462-8553, ext. 2266