RESPIRATORY CARE (B.S., A.S.)
School of Health Sciences

Flexible Learning Format with convenient, accessible scheduling through online or classroom adult-oriented learning environments. Regional Accreditation — The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association. Affordable Tuition — Full-time financial aid availability and reasonable costs. Faculty — Academic credentials and real-world experience.

Why choose a career in Respiratory Care
Respiratory care practitioners evaluate, treat, and care for patients with breathing or other cardiopulmonary disorders. We practice under the direction of a physician to provide therapeutic treatment and diagnostic procedures to all types of patients, from premature infants whose lungs are not fully developed to elderly people whose lungs are diseased.

Respiratory care is a “high-tech high-touch” field that is great for those who interested in caring for people. In fact, it’s that sincere desire to help people that really is the hallmark of those who are drawn respiratory care.

Most respiratory care practitioners work in hospitals; others work in home health care, physicians’ offices, or nursing care facilities.

If you’re curious about joining the Respiratory Care field, here’s a short quiz, "Be an RT," that you can take on the website of our national professional association, the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC).

What can I study?
Built upon a comprehensive foundation of liberal arts and sciences, MSU’s respiratory care programs prepare students with scientific knowledge supplemented by actual and simulated clinical and field experiences.

MSU offers both A.S. and B.S. programs of study for respiratory care. The A.S. program is a sixteen month program from which students graduate registry eligible, which means you’re able to sit for the RRT exams – the highest certification for respiratory care practitioners. Because of MSU’s low teacher-student ratio, our students are well prepared for their certification exams.

What’s the difference between the A.S. and B.S. programs? Well, the A.S. program qualifies eligible graduates for certification and entry into the profession; the B.S. program qualifies those already working in respiratory care for specialization and career advancement.

Career options
Just like many health care specialties, respiratory care practitioners are expected to be in demand as the baby boom generation begins to retire and requires more health services. Job opportunities for respiratory care practitioners are expected to grow faster than the average for other occupations through 2012. The median annual wage in 2002 was $40,200.

Another great option for respiratory care practitioners is the opportunity to specialize. You might choose long-term care, neonatal-pediatrics, or pulmonary rehab, just to name a few. To read about other specialties, visit the AARC’s "Do Your Own Thing!" page.

Please see our catalog for program and degree requirements.