Respiratory Care Bachelor's Degree
ApplyRespiratory Care Bachelor's Degree Program at Skyline College is excited to launch Carousel Flexible Schedule Model effective Fall 2024. Student(s) will be able to select between an accelerated vs relax track(s) to support busy competing life schedules.
Fall Semester Application is open January 15 through June 1.
Spring Application is open July 1 through November 1.
Respiratory Care at Skyline
The Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care program allows current students and recent graduates a pathway to complete a four year degree without having to transfer, and offers a way for licensed Respiratory Care Practitioners (RCP) to return for degree completion. The program provides needed skills to enhance RCP performance and professional advancement in today's healthcare environment.
Skyline College also offers a well-established Associate’s degree program in Respiratory Care which provides entry into practice as a Respiratory Care Practitioner.
Advance your career to the next steps: set yourself up for leadership roles in the field or a pathway in research or education!
This bachelor’s degree offers students a greater ability to advance to management and leadership roles within the profession, to become advanced caregivers, to conduct health related research, and to become educators in the field. Increasingly, Respiratory Care Practitioners are taking on responsibilities, formerly conducted by physicians, requiring a greater level of critical thinking and analytical skills.
A minimum of 28 units of upper division major course work builds upon the lower division major course work. The degree also includes a minimum of 12 units of upper division general education courses in alignment with California State University guidelines.
Students will complete coursework through a capstone project developed in collaboration with faculty and community members and are aligned with student area of interest.
Students can apply through the Respiratory Care Online Application.
Skyline College also offers an associate degree in Respiratory Care.
Career Outlook
Most Respiratory Care Practitioners participate in three phases of patient care: diagnosis, treatment and patient management. While many RCPs work in hospitals, some work in nursing care facilities or travel to patients’ homes. With the higher expectation in degree attainment, practitioners will seek more opportunities in leadership roles as well as outside the acute care environment.
Demand for respiratory therapists is high, and employment is expected to grow 19% over the next decade according to the U.S. Department of Labor thanks in part to a growing aging population. Bachelor’s degree preparation provides opportunities for advancement in Respiratory Care areas and increases in salary compensation. partly due to a growing aging population. In California, respiratory therapists make an average of $96,150 per year according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Program | Type | Total Units |
|---|---|---|
| Respiratory Care | BS | 60 Units |
| Respiratory Care | AS | 60 Units |
Bachelor's Degree in Respiratory Care – Skyline College
Minimum Credits Required: 120.0
Completion of 120 semester units including upper and lower division general education course work in alignment with the California State University General Education (CSU-GE) Breadth requirements and 76.5 major semester units in Respiratory Care.
- Completion of lower division major coursework (or equivalent) to Skyline College CoARC
accredited Associate of Science (AS) Degree in Respiratory Care: (49.5 units)
- Please note: Coursework completed at another educational institution will need to be evaluated for equivalency
- General Education Requirements:
- Lower division semester unit pattern (30 units)
- Area A – English Language Communication and Critical Thinking
- Area B – Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning
- Area C – Arts and Humanities
- Area D – Social Sciences
- Area E – Lifelong Learning
- Area F – Ethnic Studies
- Lower division semester unit pattern (30 units)
- Upper division Major Coursework in Respiratory Care (28 units):
- Advanced Cardiopulmonary Respiratory Care (3 units)
- Sleep Medicine and Respiratory Care (3 units)
- Advanced Respiratory Case Management (3 units)
- Principals of Health Education (3 units)
- Health Care Research Design and Methodology (3 units)
- Respiratory Care Leadership and Management I (3 units)
- Respiratory Care Leadership and Management II (3 units)
- Advanced Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Care (3 units)
- Respiratory Care Capstone Project (4 units)
- Upper Division General Education (12 units):
- Health Communication (3 units)
- Public Health Policy (3 units)
- Multicultural Human Relations (3 units)
- Intersectionality and Citizenship (3 units)
Please Note: Above are the lists of courses you need to take to complete your degree. Requirements above should be used as a guide only. Current students should consult with the Counseling Department for their specific requirements based on their catalog rights.
- Fully Online instruction: Instruction being provided Synchronous and Asynchronous.
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Application Period Cycles:
- Fall SemesterApplication - January 15 through June 1
- Spring SemesterApplication - July 1 through November 1
- B.S. Degree Calendars
CAROUSEL FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE MODELS Tracks (9 weeks per Term):
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3. Spring Semester Entry Track 1 Schedule (3.0 Years) |
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4. Spring Semester Entry Track 2 Schedule (2.5 Years) |
Students needing to complete CSU GE courses may schedule courses throughout the program.
Program Goal
To provide graduates of 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 advance degree respiratory therapists.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of degree requirements, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate the ability to evaluate, assess and apply interventions in areas of respiratory care including sleep medicine, neonatal and pediatric care, adult critical care, and respiratory case management.
- Demonstrate the use of evidence-based-practice and respiratory driven protocols which enhance the critical thinking of the RCP and provide safe patient care.
- Develop and apply transformational leadership principles in healthcare that foster an environment of inclusion in decision making. Employing effective strategies to address various business aspects of healthcare particularly value efficacy and continuous quality improvement.
- Develop and apply effective professional oral and written communication skills and tools that empower autonomy to be an effective member of the healthcare team.
Testimonials
Advance your career to the next steps: set yourself up for leadership roles in the field or a pathway in research or education!
Advance your career to the next steps: set yourself up for leadership roles in the field or a pathway in research or education!
The Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care Program at Skyline College (Program Number: 510016) holds Provisional Accreditation of a Degree Advancement (DA) Additional Track through the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).
- Read the Respiratory Care Program 2023 Annual Report Commendation
- Read the Substantive Change Approval Letter
- Read the Board of Governors of the California Community College Approval Letter
This status signifies that a program with an Approval of Intent has demonstrated sufficient compliance with the Standards (through submission of an acceptable Provisional Accreditation Self Study Report (PSSR) and any other documentation required by the CoARC, as well as satisfactory completion of an initial on-site visit.
CoARC accredits respiratory therapy education programs in the United States. To achieve this end, it utilizes an ‘outcomes based’ process. Programmatic outcomes are performance indicators that reflect the extent to which the educational goals of the program are achieved and by which program effectiveness is documented.
Respiratory Care Bachelor's Degree Program at Skyline College is excited to launch Carousel Flexible Schedule Model effective Fall 2024. Student(s) will be able to select between an accelerated vs relax track(s) to support busy competing life schedules.
Fall Semester Application is open January 15 through June 1.
Spring Application is open July 1 through November 1.
Respiratory Care B.S. Application
Approximately 40 students will be admitted to the program each year. Selection is based on criteria approved by the Skyline College Administration and consistent with state regulations (see application instructions). Contact Nadia Tariq at tariqn@smccd.edu for further information on the Respiratory Care Baccalaureate Program. Student registration is cohort model based, requiring courses to be completed in sequence patterning. Credit may be given for previous coursework.
Contact us for further information on the Respiratory Care Program. Full-time registration is required, and all courses must be taken in sequence. Credit may be given for previous coursework.
Minimum Eligibility Requirements
Who is eligible to apply?
- Students currently enrolled in AS Respiratory Care program at Skyline College and
intend to continue to BS Respiratory Care program
OR - New graduates from other programs who have completed an accredited Respiratory Care
program equivalent to an AS in Respiratory Care and are California licensure eligible
OR - Respiratory Care Practitioners who have completed an accredited Respiratory Care program
equivalent to an AS in Respiratory Care and are California licensure eligible
AND - Completed minimum 30 units of the CSU General Education pattern, including the "Golden Four" (A1-Oral Communication, A2-Written Communication, A3-Critical Thinking, and B4-Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning) or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculumn (IGETC) for CSU or UC.
Please note: to determine specific General Education requirements, applicants are encouraged to make a counseling appointment with Lorraine DeMello.
Application Steps
The application is open until all seats are filled. Students may only apply during the active application cycle.
STEP 1: Apply to Skyline College
Enroll at Skyline College. Applicants must be currently enrolled at Skyline College and have an active Student ID Number (G-number).
STEP 2: Complete the Respiratory Care Online Application
Applicants must complete the Respiratory Care Bachelor's Degree Online Application. Please be prepared to answer all questions in one sitting. The application will take approximately 20-30 minutes to complete. Please make certain to have:
To fill out the application, you will need:
- Information ready to complete prior educational history and prerequisite grades, such as copies of transcripts.
- An approximately 500-word personal-statement ready to copy and paste that answers the following prompt: In your own words, please write a description of yourself, your goals, and why you chose respiratory care. Please address your strengths and weaknesses.
- Digital copies (PDF or Word files) of all unofficial transcripts showing completed prerequisites.
STEP 3: Submit Three Letters of Recommendation
Applicants must submit three (3) letters of recommendation. Applicants should download the Standard Form which describes what should be included in the letter. A general letter is acceptable addressing the qualities in the Standard Form. Please read the instructions on the reference form before giving them to the recommenders. The following are suggested categories for recommenders:
- Dean, counselor, principal
- Teacher or instructor
- Health care workers
- Employer or supervisor
- Leaders of community organizations (volunteer, church or club)
Recommendations from close friends or relatives will not be accepted. Completed recommendation forms may be uploaded online, scanned/emailed to Nadia Tariq, or brought/mailed to: Skyline College SMT Division/RC Program, 3300 College Dr. San Bruno, CA 94066.
Questions? Contact Nadia Tariq, Respiratory Care Program Services Coordinator, at tariqn@smccd.edu.
Priority admission:
Priority will be granted to students who are enrolled in the A.S. Respiratory Care program at Skyline College and intend to continue to B.S. Respiratory Care program, who have completed and submitted all application materials, and have completed 30 CSU GE pattern lower division units.
Remaining seats will be granted to the following applicants:
- New graduates from other programs who have completed an accredited Respiratory Care
Program equivalent to an A.S. in Respiratory Care, are California licensure eligible,
have completed and submitted all application materials, and have completed 30 CSU
GE pattern lower division units.
AND
- Respiratory Care Practitioners who have completed an accredited Respiratory Care Program equivalent to an A.S. in Respiratory Care, are California licensure eligible, have completed and submitted all application materials, and have completed 30 CSU GE pattern lower division units.
Application Lottery Protocol:
If more applications are received than space allows, a lottery system will be setup and a waiting list will be formed. Forty (40) applicants will be accepted each for each cohort, and fifteen more will be waitlisted.
Any submitted application without official transcript documentation by the application deadline of the current cycle year will be considered incomplete.
Carousel Flexible Schedule Models
Respiratory Care Bachelor's Degree Program at Skyline College is excited to launch Carousel Flexible Schedule Model effective Fall 2024. Student(s) will be able to select between an accelerated vs relax track(s) to support busy competing life schedules.
Carousel Flexible Schedule Models Tracks (9 weeks per Term):
Students needing to complete CSU GE courses may schedule courses throughout the program.
Other Information
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Program Cost: $46 per unit-lower division, $130 per unit-upper division + books and supplies |
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Fully Online instruction: Instruction being provided Synchronous and Asynchronous. |
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Application Period Cycles:
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Current Student Resources
Respiratory Care Resources
Use the links below to find additional information about respiratory therapy, visit the websites of national and state organizations, and download study aids, clinical guidelines, and details about the program at Skyline College.