Usability and User Experience in Health Care Graduate Certificate
May 1, 2026
August 25, 2026
Overview
This graduate certificate provides a focused area of study for students who wish to design or implement electronic health records to enhance the user experience or usability, or participate in quality improvement initiatives to enhance patient safety. Case-based individual and team projects demonstrate mastery of methods in national standards and meeting the expectations of accrediting organizations.
The this graduate certificate program is designed for:
- Students who are looking for a post-professional certificate to set themselves apart in their career, whether in their current position or to transition to a new role
- Ohio State graduate-level degree-seeking students currently enrolled in School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, nursing, biomedical informatics, engineering, or business
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Frequently Asked Questions
Online courses at Ohio State are different from on-campus courses. We have designed online courses to take advantage of the benefits of the virtual experience, including connecting to outside people and ideas, presenting information, and engaging in discussions with your classmates and faculty.
This program can be completed 100% online with no campus visits required.
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Academic Calendar
The Usability and User Experience in Health Care Graduate Certificate program enrolls students to begin the program in the Autumn semester.
Academic Calendar
The Usability and User Experience in Health Care Graduate Certificate program enrolls students to begin the program in the Autumn semester.
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Speak with a knowledgeable Enrollment Advisor who can help answer your questions and explain different aspects of the more than 70 online degrees and certificates offered at Ohio State.
Admission Criteria
- a baccalaureate or professional degree (or equivalent foreign credential) from an accredited college or university, earned by the expected date of entry into the certificate program
- a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for the last degree earned
- for international applicants and those who have held the status of U.S. permanent resident for less than one year from the first day of the first term of enrollment and are not currently an Ohio State graduate student, submission of TOEFL or IELTS scores
- currently enrolled as a degree-seeking student in a graduate program at Ohio State
The Ohio State University participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA).
SARA is a national initiative that increases student access to distance education courses and programs while maintaining compliance with state regulations. Institutions participating in SARA can offer educational opportunities in all 49 SARA member states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico without seeking individual approval in each state.
California is not a SARA member state, however, OSU may offer online courses and programs to students located in California under the California Private Post-Secondary Act of 2009.
The Application Process
Once you understand your program’s admission criteria, please note the application deadline. You’ll need a quiet space and a variety of materials for your application. To learn more, please see our Admissions page for the full process. Ready to Apply? Find your application here.
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Career Outlook
The user experience health care graduate certificate is designed for those looking to set themselves apart in their current job as a usability specialist or user experience designer, or in future employment. The certificate program provides students with an educational foundation to meet federal requirements for validating the safety of health information technology.
Top Occupations by Median Income
What They Do
Conduct research into fundamental computer and information science as theorists, designers, or inventors. Develop solutions to problems in the field of computer hardware and software.
Work Activities
Analyze problems to develop solutions involving computer hardware and software. Apply theoretical expertise and innovation to create or apply new technology, such as adapting principles for applying computers to new uses. Assign or schedule tasks to meet work priorities and goals.
Wage Range
- Entry Level: $80,670
- Mid Level: $140,910
- Senior Level: $232,120
Job Outlook
Bright
Related Careers
- Computer Systems Engineers/Architects
- Data Scientists
- Mathematicians
- Operations Research Analysts
- Software Developers
Job Sectors
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
- Engineering and Technology
- English Language
- Administration and Management
What They Do
Apply knowledge of nursing and informatics to assist in the design, development, and ongoing modification of computerized health care systems. May educate staff and assist in problem solving to promote the implementation of the health care system.
Work Activities
Translate nursing practice information between nurses and systems engineers, analysts, or designers, using object-oriented models or other techniques. Use informatics science to design or implement health information technology applications for resolution of clinical or health care administrative problems. Develop or implement policies or practices to ensure the privacy, confidentiality, or security of patient information.
Wage Range
- Entry Level: $63,160
- Mid Level: $103,790
- Senior Level: $166,030
Job Outlook
Bright
Related Careers
- Clinical Data Managers
- Health Education Specialists
- Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars
- Medical and Health Services Managers
- Nurse Practitioners
Job Sectors
- Computers and Electronics
- English Language
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Education and Training
- Customer and Personal Service
What They Do
Apply knowledge of healthcare and information systems to assist in the design, development, and continued modification and analysis of computerized healthcare systems. Abstract, collect, and analyze treatment and followup information of patients. May educate staff and assist in problem solving to promote the implementation of the healthcare information system. May design, develop, test, and implement databases with complete history, diagnosis, treatment, and health status to help monitor diseases.
Work Activities
Assign the patient to diagnosis-related groups (DRGs), using appropriate computer software. Compile medical care and census data for statistical reports on diseases treated, surgery performed, or use of hospital beds. Design databases to support healthcare applications, ensuring security, performance and reliability.
Wage Range
- Entry Level: $39,120
- Mid Level: $67,310
- Senior Level: $112,130
Job Outlook
Bright
Related Careers
- Clinical Data Managers
- Clinical Research Coordinators
- Health Informatics Specialists
- Medical Records Specialists
- Patient Representatives
National occupational information in Ohio State Online’s Career Outlook tool is sourced from O*NET Online and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The median annual wage displayed to the right of each occupational title above is based on the BLS Employment Projections program. Outlook and percent change indicate projected growth or decline over the next 10 years.
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Curriculum
User experience design is the process of creating products that provide meaningful and relevant experiences to users. The Usability and User Experience in Health Care Graduate Certificate program aims to cross-train students with health care knowledge and experience in user experience design methods. All required courses are offered online.
Assess and mitigate the risk of use-related hazards due to health information technology design and implementation, including through root cause analysis.
Learn how to design, evaluate, and implement health information technology in a simulated health environment.
Learn human factors concepts and methods to analyze contributing causes to adverse events and develop corrective actions to improve patient safety.
Apply critical thinking skills to solve a real-world problem, from assessing the problem to applying methods to generate solutions.
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As you research the right online program for you, you likely will come across the terms “asynchronous” and “synchronous.” Learn what these terms mean and how they’re important to consider when understanding how a program will fit into your life.
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Program Faculty
Usability and User Experience in Health Care Graduate Certificate students will experience unparalleled learning from our world-class faculty within The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
Program Faculty
Usability and User Experience in Health Care Graduate Certificate students will experience unparalleled learning from our world-class faculty within The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
Dr. Emily Patterson
Professor
Dr. Jennifer Garvin, PhD, MBA, RHIA, CTR, CPHQ, CCS, FAHIMA
Associate Professor
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Speak with a knowledgeable Enrollment Advisor who can help answer your questions and explain different aspects of the more than 70 online degrees and certificates offered at Ohio State.
Testimonials
Hear what our students have to say about learning online at Ohio State.
"I find that learning a little bit more about some of these methodologies brings a little more credibility to my work. I love the fact that I can mention that this is being taught to students today, and it gives it more relevancy to a lot of user experience principles."
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Speak with a knowledgeable Enrollment Advisor who can help answer your questions and explain different aspects of the more than 70 online degrees and certificates offered at Ohio State.
Tuition Fee Overview
Investing in your future with a higher education degree is one of the best investments you can make for your future success. At Ohio State, we know understanding your program’s cost is an important part of your decision-making process. Below are the tuition fees you can expect with your program.
| Tuition Fees | Per Credit Hour (unless otherwise noted) | Part-Time – Total Cost Per Semester |
|---|---|---|
| Instructional Fee | $829.75 | $4,978.5 |
| General Fee | $32.63 | $195.78 |
| Learning Technology Fee | $11.00 | $66.00 |
| Textbooks & Course Materials | $60.00 (per semester) | $60.00 |
| Distance Learning Fee | $100.00 (per semester) | $100.00 |
| Non-Resident Surcharge (if applicable) | $200.00 (per semester) | $200.00 |
| International Surcharge (if applicable) | $200.00 (per semester) | $200.00 |
Tuition fees are subject to change. The table above serves as a guide and not an official bursar’s bill. Full-Time costs are total tuition costs per semester.
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