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Are you looking for a flexible online option to earn a bachelor's degree in respiratory care? Our program includes opportunities for working professionals who want to advance their education.

Program Overview

To provide graduates of entry into respiratory care professional practice degree programs with additional knowledge, skills, and attributes in leadership, management, education, research, or advanced clinical practice both to meet their current professional goals and to prepare them for practice as advanced degree respiratory therapist.

Degree Advancement Students

Our degree advancement option is designed for working professionals who already have an associate degree.

This program is available only to those with professional experience as a respiratory therapist and possessing current Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential. The degree completion program is fully online, with no need to come to campus. You'll set the course schedule that fits for you.

The 30-credit hour degree advancement curriculum is spread over eight-week course blocks. Upon acceptance, you'll work with an advisor to organize a graduation plan. The program offers a fast track and extended track options.

  • Automatic eligibility for in-state Kansas tuition rates
  • No requirement to pay KU Medical Center student campus fees, except for the student records maintenance fee
  • Possible eligibility for transfer credit of previous course work
  • Interprofessional and independent educational experiences and opportunities within the program

Join us for an online info session!

Hear from current KU students and faculty of this program Tuesday, November 14, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. This online information session provides you with the opportunity to ask questions and learn about eligibility requirements, prerequisites, courses and more.

SIGN UP!

Lambda Beta Society – KU Chapter

Lambda Beta Society logoThe University of Kansas is a member of the Lambda Beta Society. Students in our program have the opportunity to be nominated for membership if their GPA ranks in the top 25 percent of their class.

This national honor society for respiratory therapists also offers scholarships to respiratory care students, recognizes students in its permanent "Roll of Excellence," and provides honor cords for graduation, in addition to other benefits. Learn more at lambdabeta.org.

Advising and Questions

For questions about this program and whether it's right for you, contact Cheryl Skinner, M.Sc., RRT, at respiratory@kumc.edu. Cheryl is the coordinator for KU's online respiratory therapy programs.  

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Students will demonstrate the ability to access, interpret, and review relevant medical literature associated with respiratory care and/or related to management, clinical practice or education.
  • Students will participate as a multidisciplinary team member providing education and disease management to acute and chronically ill patients and their families along with understanding the expanded roles that respiratory therapists hold.
  • Students will demonstrate cultural competency as a health care provider on an interprofessional team. Students will demonstrate the ability to solve complex health care situations and take into consideration ethical concerns of all members of the team while focusing on direct and indirect patient care.
  • Students will successfully pass professional credentialing exams including: Adult Critical Care Specialist (ACCS), Neonatal and Pediatric Specialist (NPS), and/or the Asthma Educator (AE-C) (NAECB) national board exams.
  • Students will demonstrate the ability to solve complex leadership problems, implement process improvement, and provide effective oral and written communication skills.
  • Students will develop and present a professionally relevant project related to their personal professional goals.

Accreditation Statement

Logo of the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory CareThe University of Kansas respiratory care program at KU Medical Center is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com), program number 510012.

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 the programmatic outcomes data at coarc.com.

KU's bachelor's degree advancement program in respiratory care does not provide eligibility for professional licensing required for employment. Students enter this program having already obtained credentialing for health care practice.

Documents relating to accreditation status are available at the department office by request. Information for students.

KU School of Health Professions

University of Kansas Medical Center
Respiratory Care and Diagnostic Science
3901 Rainbow Boulevard
Mailstop 1013
Kansas City, KS 66160
913-588-4630 • 711 TTY