Respiratory Therapy Major

Help treat asthma, emphysema and cystic fibrosis

With a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy from Carlow University, you will receive a combination of academic and clinical training to master specialized respiratory skills to help patients with cardiopulmonary disorders. Respiratory therapists help treat asthma, emphysema and cystic fibrosis, among other disorders and health conditions. You will be trained to become an active clinician and upon completion, you will be eligible to take the National Board of Respiratory Care Examinations.

Respiratory Therapy curriculum

You will learn the fundamentals of respiratory care, relevant equipment, and patient management. You will gain an understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the cardiopulmonary system. You will learn about mechanical ventilation concepts in both classroom and laboratory settings, and what happens during adult, pediatric and neonatal cardiac arrest.

Required courses include Respiratory Care Pharmacology, Respiratory Care in Alternate Settings and Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiology, plus courses in anatomy and physiology. In a practicum, you will work in a clinical facility caring for patients who are receiving drug aerosol and other treatments.

Quick facts

• Learn in a laboratory setting and work on rotations with professional partners
• Prepare yourself for an in-demand career with opportunity for growth
• Master specialized respiratory skills

Accreditation

The Respiratory Therapy program holds Provisional Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).

Visit CoARC website
CoARC program number: 200617

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.

View CoARC outcomes

The program is also recognized by the National Board for Respiratory Care toward being eligible for the Respiratory Care Credentialing Examinations, and students completing this program are considered graduates of a CoARC-accredited program.

Admission requirements and application process

Carlow taught what she needed to be successful

Liz Stadelman ’19 said her Carlow professors stressed the importance of learning neonatal heart dysfunctions, how to properly read an EKG and every cardiac normal value needed to properly evaluate cardiac illnesses. “This unit is by far the most intricate and difficult to work in, but my education from Carlow University has given me the necessary experience needed to succeed. I am forever thankful for my professors who truly challenged me to be the best Respiratory Therapist I could be.”