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Online Medical Terminology Course HCM-205: Medical Terminology

Mike Minnaugh, who earned his degree from SNHU in 2024, wearing grey scrubs typing on his laptop in a medical office.

Course cost $1,026

Learning style 100% online

Term length 8 weeks

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Why SNHU? A faster way to upskill and get ahead

There are lots of advantages to taking a single course. Whether you want to grow in your current career, prepare yourself for a new one or get one step closer to a college degree, an individual course is a great way to get started.

Finish in Just 8 Weeks

Not only is a single course low-commitment, but it’s a fast way to gain skills and college credits while exploring what it’s like to take courses at SNHU.

Upskill for Your Career

SNHU courses focus on real-world, career-focused skills that you can use immediately in the workplace or to help prepare you to advance in the field.

Earn College Credits

Course credits may be transferred to a degree program at SNHU or another university, depending on your university’s transfer policy.

HCM-205: Medical Terminology Online healthcare course built for your success

Effective, professional communication is an essential skill for all healthcare professionals — and SNHU's Medical Terminology course can help you hone that skill. In just 8 weeks, you'll learn the rules for building, defining, pronouncing and spelling medical terms. You'll go a step further, too, and delve into the application of medical terminology as it relates to each body system.

And with this course under your belt, you might choose to continue your studies and pursue SNHU's bachelor's in health information management.

Skills you'll learn:

    • Use medical terminology to document patient information
    • Interpret medical records and reports to translate key patient information
  • Communicate medical terminology clearly and accurately

Highly Recommended
★★★★★★★★★☆

213 students who took this course in 2024 were surveyed and rated it 9 out of 10 stars.

Hear from our faculty

Dr. Lynn Ward, the director of SNHU's online health information management program.
Completing a medical terminology course is beneficial to anyone pursuing a career in Health Information Management for many reasons. The HIM professional often serves as a consultant across the healthcare continuum, communicating with different teams, emphasizing the need for fluency in medical terminology.
Dr. Lynn Ward, Director of Health Information Management
Minda Thurman, who earned her online bachelor's in public health from SNHU in 2023, wearing glasses and typing on her laptop at her kitchen table.

Career-focused curriculum

The assignments in your medical terminology course will focus on evaluating various types of medical records and reports, and help you learn the skills needed to read and interpret them. You'll also apply medical terminology to body systems and medical specialties as you would in a real-world clinical setting, giving you the foundation you need for a variety of healthcare roles.

Apply for free in minutes

Our no-commitment application can help you decide if SNHU is the right college for you and your career goals. Apply up until 2 days before the term starts!

Upcoming term starts: January 5, 2026 | March 2, 2026

Next class starts:
October 27, 2025

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College that fits your life

With no set class times and 24/7 access to the online classroom, you can learn on your schedule. Learn more about what it's like to take a class at SNHU.

Online Classroom

What does an online course look like?

You’ll take your courses within SNHU’s Brightspace platform. This is where you’ll find your:

  • Schedule of weekly assignments
  • Discussion boards
  • Grades
  • Instructor announcements
How to Take an Online Class at SNHU

What's next See where a single course can take you

Catch Up or Get Ahead

Online courses can help lighten the course load required by your degree program at SNHU or another university.

Transfer Your Credits

Credits you earn can transfer to SNHU degree programs, or to another university, depending on their transfer policy.

Upskill for Career Moves

For moving up the ladder or changing fields entirely, new skills can help make you more marketable.

Talk to an admission counselor: 888.327.SNHU | enroll@snhu.edu

Accreditations

SNHU is accredited by the regional accreditor the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). The university also carries specialized accreditations for some programs.

New England Commission of Higher Education Logo

Tuition & Fees

Tuition rates for SNHU's online courses are among the lowest in the nation.

Student
Cost per credit
Cost per course
Credits Earned
Online Undergraduate
$342
$1,026
3

Tuition rates are subject to change and are reviewed annually.

Please note: Books and materials are not included in the above costs. Federal Financial Aid is not available, but you can use employer tuition benefits or tuition reimbursement if available to you. Contact your employer benefits manager to see if you have funds available, or talk to our admission team to learn about payment options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Taking a medical terminology course online — like SNHU's HCM-205: Medical Terminology course — is a great way to gain a foundational knowledge in the subject.

In addition to learning the ins and outs of building, defining, pronouncing and spelling medical terms, you'll apply your knowledge of medical terminology across body systems and specialties. You'll also learn to be a translator, interpreting records and reports that contain important patient information. More than anything, you'll learn to communicate clearly and effectively — an essential skill in any healthcare role.

Choosing a 100% online medical terminology course has its perks, too. At SNHU, for example, undergraduate courses are only 8 weeks long and have no set class times — just weekly deadlines — meaning you can fit school into your schedule when and where it works for you.

This depends on which school you're taking a medical terminology course with. At SNHU, undergraduate courses — like HCM-205: Medical Terminology — are 8 weeks long.

If you complete your course and choose to go on and earn your bachelor's degree, the length of time that takes depends on a couple of factors: how many credits you're transferring in (if any), and how many courses you take per term.

At SNHU, we accept up to 90 transfer credits toward a bachelor's degree, and you can choose to attend school full-time (2 courses per term) or part-time (1 course per term). Every student is different, and the length of time an online degree program takes is different per student, too.

The cost for a medical terminology class differs depending on where and how you choose to take it. Often, online options are more affordable — and can also be great for working adults with busy schedules.

At Southern New Hampshire University, individual 3-credit undergraduate classes cost $342 per credit, so HCM-205: Medical Terminology comes out to a total of $1,026 for tuition (not including course materials). Compared to many brick and mortar options, this is a cost-effective and flexible option.

Taking a medical terminology class is a smart choice if you’re working — or looking to work in — nursing, public health, allied health or healthcare administration. The knowledge you gain in a course like this is foundational: you'll learn to communicate effectively with colleagues, interpret medical documents and use medical terminology accurately — each of which are critical skills in medical coding, billing and similar departments.

Read more about why medical billing and coding classes can be worth it.

That's entirely up to you, and really depends on your learning style and goals.

At SNHU, online courses have weekly assignment deadlines on Thursday and Sunday evenings — but otherwise, you get to create a study schedule that works best for you. Every student learns at a different pace, so the number of hours you put in to your coursework will differ. With that said, SNHU undergraduate students typically dedicate roughly 15-16 hours per course, per week.

And if you're looking for additional resources to help you study, know that you're in great hands at SNHU. As a student, you'll have access to 24/7 online tutoring, the Shapiro Library and other valuable tools to support your success.

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