Respiratory Care
The Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care at Kent State University provides advanced training for respiratory therapists seeking to enhance their expertise and career opportunities. This online program covers patient assessment, therapeutic procedures, and disease management, preparing graduates to take on leadership roles in respiratory care. Designed for current professionals, the program builds on practical knowledge to advance their impact in healthcare.
Respiratory Care Bachelor’s Degree Program Overview
The Bachelor of Science degree in Respiratory Care is a completer program designed to prepare qualified respiratory therapists with the necessary knowledge and skills to develop professionalism and advance their careers in the areas of leadership, management, education, research, disease and sleep medicine utilizing best practices in order to advance the practice of respiratory care.
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Demonstrate effective written, oral and visual communication skills by presenting arguments, recommendations and research with relevant sources used for support with proper citation.
- Use research methodology and critical inquiry to formulate research questions, search for relevant literature, critically evaluate literature to determine quality, synthesize available literature and write a research project proposal.
- Utilize research and theories of teaching and learning to produce educational materials for patients, families and healthcare professionals.
- Analyze contemporary issues and evidence-based practices in respiratory care, and demonstrate the ability to identify the impact on professional practice and the ability to advocate for patients through ethical and current best practices.
- Explore the principles of inter-professional collaboration and leadership to identify how teams come together to improve the knowledge of the team and create innovations for advancement of the field and improvements in patient outcomes.
Program Structure
120 minimum total credit hours: 30 credits (10) major requirement courses, 3 credits (1) RSPC practicum course, 7 credits (3) additional requirement courses, 3-4 credits (1) Statistics elective course, 33-34 credits (11) Kent Core courses, 44 general electives
*Required earned accredited entry-level associate degree in respiratory therapy/care or accredited entry-level bachelor’s degree in respiratory therapy/care so actual credit hours needed to graduate from program may be about 60 credits depending on transfer courses
Building upon the foundation of an associate degree in respiratory therapy, the Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care is the solution for both students completing an associate degree and working respiratory therapists who wish to expand their career options. Our accredited completer program is offered in an accelerated format that offers 7-week courses and is 100% online.
The program’s goal is to provide graduates entry into respiratory care professional practice degree programs with additional knowledge, skills, and attributes in leadership, management, education, research, and/or advanced clinical practice that will enable them to meet their current professional goals and prepare them for practice as advanced degree respiratory therapists.
Respiratory Care Bachelor’s Degree Program Admissions Requirements
Admission to the Respiratory Care major is selective. Applicants must hold an active credential for certified respiratory therapist (CRT) or registered respiratory therapist (RRT) and an entry-level degree from an accredited respiratory therapy/care program with a minimum 2.000 overall GPA.
Applicants who are actively enrolled and in good standing in the second year of an accredited entry-level associate degree in respiratory therapy/care or are actively enrolled and in good standing in the third year of an accredited entry-level bachelor’s degree in respiratory therapy/care may be conditionally enrolled in the program.
International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning a minimum 71 TOEFL iBT score, minimum 6.0 IELTS score, minimum 47 PTE score or minimum 100 DET score, or by completing the ELS level 112 Intensive English Program. For more information on international admission visit the admissions website for international students.
Program Courses
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA) | ||
| NURS 46000 | HEALTH CARE POLICY | 3 |
| RSPC 30000 | PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE IN RESPIRATORY CARE | 3 |
| RSPC 30002 | LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT IN RESPIRATORY CARE | 3 |
| RSPC 30004 | EDUCATIONAL INSTRUCTION IN RESPIRATORY CARE | 3 |
| RSPC 30006 | SLEEP MEDICINE AND POLYSOMNOGRAPHY | 3 |
| RSPC 40002 | RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT IN RESPIRATORY CARE (WIC) 1 | 3 |
| RSPC 40004 | ADVANCED PRACTICE IN RESPIRATORY CARE | 3 |
| RSPC 40006 | CONTEMPORARY ISSUES AND TRENDS IN RESPIRATORY CARE | 3 |
| RSPC 40008 | CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES | 3 |
| RSPC 40075 | INFORMATION AND PATIENT CARE TECHNOLOGY FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS | 3 |
| RSPC 41092 | PRACTICUM FOR RESPIRATORY CARE (ELR) | 3 |
| Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA) | ||
| PSYC 11762 | GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY (DIVD) (KSS) | 3 |
| LIS 30010 | INFORMATION FLUENCY IN THE WORKPLACE AND BEYOND | 3 |
| UC 10001 | FLASHES 101 | 1 |
| Statistics Electives, choose from the following: | 3-4 | |
| BA 24056 | BUSINESS ANALYTICS I | |
| MATH 10040 | INTRODUCTORY STATISTICS PLUS (KMCR) | |
| MATH 10041 | INTRODUCTORY STATISTICS (KMCR) | |
| MATH 12022 | PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS FOR LIFE SCIENCES 3 | |
| MATH 30011 | BASIC PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS 3 | |
| PH 30002 | INTRODUCTORY BIOSTATISTICS | |
| PSYC 21621 | QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN PSYCHOLOGY I | |
| SOC 32220 SOC 32221 | and DATA ANALYSIS LABORATORY | |
| Kent Core Composition | 6 | |
| Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning | 3 | |
| Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (minimum one course from each) | 9 | |
| Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines) | 3 | |
| Kent Core Basic Sciences (must include one laboratory) | 6-7 | |
| Kent Core Additional | 6 | |
| General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours) 4 | 44 | |
| Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 120 | |
1A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.
2Not required of transfer students with 25 or more credit hours
3MATH 12022 and MATH 30011 are not offered online presently.
4The majority of general elective credit hours may be transfer courses from an associate degree in respiratory care/therapy.
Progression Requirements
To be able to register for Respiratory Care (RSPC) courses, students must be admitted to professional study. Admission is a selective process. Criteria for admission into professional study are the following:
- Evidence of an earned accredited entry-level associate degree in respiratory therapy/care or accredited entry- level bachelor’s degree in respiratory therapy/care
- Evidence of earned RRT credential
- Evidence of current active license to practice respiratory therapy
Respiratory Care Bachelor’s Degree Program Tuition and Fees
Ohio Residents
| Per Credit Hour | Per 3-Credit Course | Approximate Tuition Cost |
$335.57 Lower Division Courses $393.35 Upper Division Courses | $1,006.71 Lower Division Courses $1,180.05 Upper Division Courses | $16,700 full-time1 |
Non-Ohio Residents
| Per Credit Hour | Per 3-Credit Course | Approximate Tuition Cost |
$345.57 Lower Division Courses $393.35 Upper Division Courses | $1,036.71 Lower Division Courses $1,180.05 Upper Division Courses | $17,300 full-time2 |
1The flat-rate semester fee of $3,692.65 for LOWER division courses and $4,327.54 for UPPER division courses applies to full-time Ohio resident undergraduate students taking between 12-18 credit hours per semester. The approximate tuition cost for this completer program is calculated at students completing the program in 4 semesters but is dependent upon the number of transfer credits. An average of 1 semester of LOWER division courses ($3,692.65) and 3 semesters of UPPER division courses ($12,982.62) totaling $16,675.27 was used for this calculation. This is only an estimate.
2The flat-rate semester fee of $3,692.65 for LOWER division courses and $4,327.54 for UPPER division courses applies to full-time non-Ohio resident undergraduate students enrolled in a fully online degree program and taking between 12-18 credit hours per semester, PLUS a surcharge of $10 per credit hour of actual credits taken (between 12-18 semester credits or $120-$180). The approximate tuition cost for this completer program was calculated at students completing the program in 4 semesters but is dependent upon the number of transfer credits. An average of 1 semester of LOWER division courses ($3,692.65) and 3 semesters of UPPER division courses ($12,982.62) totaling $16,675.27, PLUS $150 per-credit-hour surcharge each semester, ($600) was used for this calculation. This is only an estimate.
For part-time semesters: The $335.57 per-credit-hour tuition rate for LOWER division courses and $393.35 for UPPER division courses applies to part-time Ohio resident undergraduate students, PLUS a $10 per-credit-hour surcharge for non-Ohio resident undergraduate students, taking fewer than 12 credit hours per semester.
An additional Distance Learning fee for all students enrolled in a distance learning course is $15 per credit hour. Program tuition and costs are estimated and subject to change.
Actual tuition costs may vary based on a student’s chosen academic plan. For a complete listing of tuition rates for approved online programs, please contact Kent State’s Financial, Billing & Enrollment Center at 330-672-6000 or via our website Contact Us link.
The total program costs are estimates and are not final or binding. Program costs are based on standard fees, but fees may vary based on the actual classes taken. Kent State University disclaims any liability arising from the use of or reliance upon these program cost estimates by any person. Program costs are subject to change without notice.
Careers
- 19.4% much faster than the average
- 135,800 number of jobs
- $62,810 potential earnings
Notice: Career Information Source
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
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