Respiratory Care, B.S.
To ensure the respiratory therapy workforce is prepared to meet the growing challenges and demands it will face in terms of protocol-driven care and disease management, the American Association for Respiratory Care has called for 80 percent of therapists to hold or be working toward a bachelor's degree. The degree provides the opportunity for professional career enhancement and offers the foundation for rapid advancement in administration, research, and critical care.
This program requires a secondary admission process.Program Overview
This secondary admission program is for students who do not currently have a respiratory care (BSRC) degree. This program is offered in two formats:
- Students complete one year of prerequisite and general education coursework, two years of primarily professional coursework, and a final year of BSRC classes (1+2+1).
- Students complete two years of prerequisite and general education coursework and two years of professional coursework (2+2).
Students who are currently respiratory therapists and are interested in pursuing an RRT-BSRC are encouraged to visit gvsu.edu/respiratory to contact the respiratory care program director.
- Pulmonary diagnosis and treatment
- Respiratory care specialties such as home care, ECMO, polysomnography, and more
- Adult critical care, including management of ventilators
- Neonatal and pediatric critical care
- Research
Why Study Respiratory Care at Grand Valley?
- GVSU runs the only entry-level BSRC program in the state of Michigan. Strong curriculum and knowledgeable faculty members prepare students for leadership within the field.
- Students enjoy small class sizes, a cohort educational experience, and clinical education at multiple world-class hospitals. The clinical site placements expose students to diverse experiences, allowing them to network across multiple health systems and develop broad skill sets.
- Located in the Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall in the heart of the medical community in downtown Grand Rapids.
- Facilities utilize state-of-the-art equipment to prepare students for current and emerging techniques and protocols.
- Graduates are eligible for the National Board of Respiratory Care examination, allowing them to become licensed RRTs immediately after graduation.
Career Insights
This tool shows an overview of potential career opportunities for this major. Actual salaries, employment opportunities, and job titles may change over time.
Location & Format
All undergraduate students begin their academic career on the Allendale Campus. Students in this major continue their upper division studies on the GVSU Health Campus, near the Grand Rapids Medical Mile.
Format:- Face To Face
Coursework
Classes are tailored to prepare students to be successful professionals through lecture, lab, and clinical courses:
Combined Degree Programs
Many GVSU undergraduate programs can be combined with an existing master’s degree program to save on tuition and get you into the workforce sooner. On average, you can save $8,500 by pursuing a combined degree and take up to four fewer courses than if earning the degrees separately.
Talk with an advisor about how you can build your combined degree from existing programs to further personalize your education and create your own niche area of expertise.
Admission Requirements
SECONDARY ADMISSION
Respiratory care requires a selective secondary
admissions/application process. See the Academic Programs section of
the catalog for details.
Helpful Links
For More Information
College of Health ProfessionsSchool of Interdisciplinary Health
Respiratory Care
gvsu.edu/respiratory
500
Lafayette Ave. NE, Suite 420
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(616) 331-5572