
Examples of Possible Careers*
Respiratory therapists
- 19.4% much faster than the average
- 135,800 number of jobs
- $62,810 potential earnings
Contact Information
- Program Director: Yvonne George | ygeorge@kent.edu | 440-964-4308
- Speak with an Advisor
Fully Offered
- Delivery:
- Mostly online
- Location:
- Ashtabula Campus
- Cleveland Clinic Main Campus
*Note
Source of occupation titles and labor data is 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.
Description
The Associate of Applied Science degree in Respiratory Therapy Technology provides students the skills to evaluate, treat and care for patients with breathing or other cardiopulmonary disorders. Practicing under the direction of a physician, respiratory therapists assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care therapeutic treatments and diagnostic procedures. Respiratory therapists also provide complex therapy requiring considerable independent judgment, such as caring for patients on life support in intensive-care units of hospitals.
Graduates of the program are eligible to take national credentialing examinations administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care to become Certified and Registered Respiratory Therapists (CRT, RRT), Certified and Registered Pulmonary Function Technologists (CPFT, RPFT) and Neonatal Pediatric Specialist (NPS).
Accreditation
For Ashtabula: The A.A.S. degree in Respiratory Therapy Technology program at Kent State University at Ashtabula located in Ashtabula, OH, program number 200574, is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com).
For Cleveland Clinic: The Kent State University Respiratory Therapy Technology program, CoARC program number 300037, Associate of Applied Science degree at Cleveland Clinic holds Provisional Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com).
Admission Requirements
The Respiratory Therapy Technology major is cohort-based, with students admitted in the spring semester only. Spring admission is limited to 20 students at the Ashtabula Campus and 10 students at the Cleveland Clinic location.
The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.
Kent State campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, and the Twinsburg Academic Center, have open enrollment admission for students who hold a high school diploma, GED or equivalent.
For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of respiratory care principles, current theories and practices required of registered respiratory therapists as defined by the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC)
- Exhibit, professionally and fluently, technical skills and procedures utilized in current practice by registered respiratory therapists
- Express personal professional ethics and behaviors expected of registered respiratory therapists in practice to obtain and maintain a positive impact in patient care and inter-staff relations
Professional Licensure Disclosure
This program is designed to prepare students to sit for applicable licensure or certification in Ohio. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please review state educational requirements for licensure or certification and contact information for state licensing boards at Kent State's website for professional licensure disclosure.
University Requirements
All students in an applied or technical associate degree program at Kent State University must complete the following university requirements for graduation.
NOTE: University requirements may be fulfilled in this program by specific course requirements, please see Program Requirements for details.
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
Destination Kent State: First Year Experience | 1 | |
Course is not required for students with 25 transfer credits, excluding College Credit Plus, or age 21+ at time of admission. | ||
Kent Core (see table below) | 15 | |
Total Credit Hour Requirement | 60 | |
Some associate degrees require students to complete more than 60 credit hours. |
Kent Core Requirements
Requirement | Credits/Courses |
---|---|
Kent Core Composition (KCMP) | 3 |
Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning (KMCR) | 3 |
Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (KHUM/KFA) | 3 |
Kent Core Social Sciences (KSS) | 3 |
Kent Core Basic Sciences (KBS/KLAB) | 3 |
Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Program Requirements
Major Requirements
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA; min C grade required in all courses) | ||
RTT 10000 | INTRODUCTION TO RESPIRATORY THERAPY | 4 |
RTT 11003 | APPLICATION AND MECHANISMS OF CARDIOPULMONARY ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY | 3 |
RTT 11004 | THERAPEUTICS | 6 |
RTT 11008 | BLOOD GAS ANALYSIS | 2 |
RTT 21000 | CRITICAL CARE | 4 |
RTT 21001 | MECHANICAL VENTILATION | 5 |
RTT 21003 | PERINATAL AND PEDIATRIC RESPIRATORY THERAPY | 2 |
RTT 21004 | ADVANCED DIAGNOSTICS | 3 |
RTT 21006 | PULMONARY REHABILITATION AND CONTINUING CARE | 1 |
RTT 21013 | RESPIRATORY THERAPY CAPSTONE | 2 |
Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA; min C grade required in all courses) | ||
AHS 12000 | BASIC PRINCIPLES OF PHARMACOLOGY | 2 |
or RTT 11001 | RESPIRATORY CARE PHARMACOLOGY | |
BSCI 11010 | FOUNDATIONAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I (KBS) (KLAB) 1 | 3-4 |
or BSCI 21010 | ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I (KBS) (KLAB) | |
BSCI 11020 | FOUNDATIONAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II (KBS) (KLAB) 1 | 3-4 |
or BSCI 21020 | ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II | |
BSCI 20021 | BASIC MICROBIOLOGY | 3-4 |
or BSCI 30171 | GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY | |
COMM 20001 | INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION | 3 |
or COMM 26501 | INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH COMMUNICATION | |
PSYC 11762 | GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY (DIVD) (KSS) | 3 |
RTT 11002 | CARDIOPULMONARY DISEASES | 3 |
UC 10097 | DESTINATION KENT STATE: FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE | 1 |
Chemistry Elective, choose from the following: | 3-4 | |
FUNDAMENTALS OF CHEMISTRY (KBS) | ||
MOLECULES OF LIFE (KBS) | ||
GENERAL CHEMISTRY I (KBS) | ||
GENERAL CHEMISTRY II (KBS) | ||
Kent Core Composition | 3 | |
Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning | 3 | |
Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts | 3 | |
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 65 |
- 1
Students who have successfully completed ATTR 25057 and ATTR 25058 (or EXSC 25057 and EXSC 25058) may use those courses in place of BSCI 11010 and BSCI 11020 (or BSCI 21010 and BSCI 21020).
Progression Requirements
To be able to register for respiratory care (RTT) courses, students must be accepted to technical study. Acceptance is a selective process. Criteria for acceptance are the following;
- Minimum 2.700 overall GPA
- Completion, or placement out, of MATH 00022 (or equivalent)
- Completion of required first anatomy and physiology course with minimum C grade: BSCI 11010 or BSCI 21010 (or equivalent)
- Completion of required chemistry course with minimum C grade: CHEM 10050 or CHEM 10055 or CHEM 10060 or CHEM 10061 (or equivalent)
- Completion of four hours of job shadowing experience
Graduation Requirements
Minimum Major GPA | Minimum Overall GPA |
---|---|
2.000 | 2.000 |
Roadmap
This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.
Semester One | Credits | ||
---|---|---|---|
BSCI 11010 or BSCI 21010 | FOUNDATIONAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I (KBS) (KLAB) or ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I (KBS) (KLAB) | 3-4 | |
! | RTT 10000 | INTRODUCTION TO RESPIRATORY THERAPY | 4 |
! | RTT 11003 | APPLICATION AND MECHANISMS OF CARDIOPULMONARY ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY | 3 |
UC 10097 | DESTINATION KENT STATE: FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE | 1 | |
Chemistry Elective | 3-4 | ||
Credit Hours | 14 | ||
Semester Two | |||
BSCI 11020 or BSCI 21020 | FOUNDATIONAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II (KBS) (KLAB) or ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II | 3-4 | |
BSCI 20021 or BSCI 30171 | BASIC MICROBIOLOGY or GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY | 3 | |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | ||
Credit Hours | 9 | ||
Semester Three | |||
AHS 12000 or RTT 11001 | BASIC PRINCIPLES OF PHARMACOLOGY or RESPIRATORY CARE PHARMACOLOGY | 2 | |
! | RTT 11002 | CARDIOPULMONARY DISEASES | 3 |
! | RTT 11004 | THERAPEUTICS | 6 |
! | RTT 11008 | BLOOD GAS ANALYSIS | 2 |
Credit Hours | 13 | ||
Semester Four | |||
! | RTT 21001 | MECHANICAL VENTILATION | 5 |
! | RTT 21003 | PERINATAL AND PEDIATRIC RESPIRATORY THERAPY | 2 |
! | RTT 21004 | ADVANCED DIAGNOSTICS | 3 |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | ||
Credit Hours | 13 | ||
Semester Five | |||
PSYC 11762 | GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY (DIVD) (KSS) | 3 | |
! | RTT 21000 | CRITICAL CARE | 4 |
Credit Hours | 7 | ||
Semester Six | |||
COMM 20001 or COMM 26501 | INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION or INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH COMMUNICATION | 3 | |
! | RTT 21006 | PULMONARY REHABILITATION AND CONTINUING CARE | 1 |
! | RTT 21013 | RESPIRATORY THERAPY CAPSTONE | 2 |
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | ||
Credit Hours | 9 | ||
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 65 |