About the Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care Program

The Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care Program receives significant support from the Central Arkansas Veteran’s Healthcare System.

The Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care Program is dedicated to developing practitioners of influence who demonstrate the value of our profession and lead it forward to meet the needs of a diverse health care community.

Core Values

• We value and steward our legacy of student excellence and national prominence.
• We value our collective vision that embraces change to promote the future of respiratory care.
• We value a supportive environment that promotes a culture of professional achievement and mutual respect.

The UAMS Department of Respiratory Care’s bachelor’s, master’s and degree advancement programs are dedicated to graduating practitioners of influence who are prepared to lead our profession forward in a complex and diverse health care environment!

Our program is dedicated to achieving all our student success goals. Learn more about them on our Goals and Competencies page.

Our program’s educational objectives are detailed in our core competencies. Learn more about them on our Goals and Competencies page.

On-Campus Program

The traditional On-Campus Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care Program offers two tracks. The five-semester full-time track requires two years to complete, while the eight-semester part-time track requires three years to complete.

Online Degree Advancement Program

The Department of Respiratory Care also offers the Online Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care Degree Advancement Program which is designed for practicing professionals and graduates of Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care accredited associate degree programs in respiratory care wishing to complete the Bachelor of Science in respiratory care. The online program also offers both full-time and part-time track options.

On-Campus Program

The On-Campus Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care Program is a full- or part-time day program consisting of five to eight sequential semesters. This degree program is meant for students entering the respiratory care profession for the first time.

The program consists of 58 semester credit hours of prerequisite coursework and 62 semester credit hours in the respiratory care curriculum for a total of 120 semester credit hours.

Students earn certifications by completing the Neonatal Resuscitation Program from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Advanced Cardiac Life Support course from the American Heart Association, and the Pediatric Advanced Life Support course from the American Heart Association.

Online Degree Advancement Program

The Online Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care Degree Advancement Program is a 30-semester credit professional program offered in a 100% online format.

This program is perfect for working respiratory therapists who need the flexibility to complete their bachelor’s degree while meeting family, professional and personal obligations.

The curriculum allows students to pursue study in specific areas of interest or professional specialties through various projects, papers and/or directed study. In this way, students have the opportunity to prepare for advanced levels of specialty credentialing, if desired.

A current National Board for Respiratory Care Registered Respiratory Therapist credential is required.

On-Campus Program

Each track of the Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care Program admits a cohort of students beginning each fall semester.

The number of students in each cohort depends upon clinical slot availability. Second-year part-time students and first-year full-time students comprise a clinical cohort of 24 students.

Online Degree Advancement Program

The maximum number of students accepted to the Online Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care Degree Advancement Program program may vary from year to year. Cohort size is dependent on several factors that include, but are not limited to, the number of students currently enrolled, the number of available faculty advisors and the size of the traditional program cohort.

The full-time cohort begins with the summer term, while the part-time cohort begins each fall term.

With a bachelor’s degree in respiratory care from UAMS, you will be up-to-date with current practices and trends that will help you meet broader challenges in the field. Bachelor’s degrees support a practitioner’s work in expanded roles, such as education, administration, pulmonary disease management, discharge planning, laboratory settings or research.

You’ll have the values, knowledge and confidence to take advantage of your opportunities for promotion and increase your effectiveness in the field. Our online respiratory therapist bachelor’s degree will help you advance your practice and benefit from additional compensation in advanced roles.

Having a bachelor’s degree opens the door for promotions into other respiratory therapist positions. Department managers, supervisors, clinical specialists, industry representatives, research coordinators, clinical educators and others expand their earning potential. Salaries for these positions are often substantially higher than staff salaries. These advanced roles often require only a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, making them attainable early in one’s career.

Graduates earning a bachelor’s degree in respiratory care demonstrate improved success on credentialing examinations for both entry-to-practice exams and advanced specialty credentials such as neonatal and pediatric specialty, adult critical care or pulmonary function testing.

A Bachelor of Science in respiratory care is awarded upon successful completion of all requirements for either track of the UAMS Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care Program.

Successful completion of the degree program qualifies graduates to sit for the national credentialing exams and apply for state licensure. The program boasts an exceptional, nationally-recognized credentialing success rate.

However, completion of the program does not itself ensure certification, registration or state licensure. Each student is responsible for familiarizing himself or herself with the applicable requirements, including the examination schedules.

Certification and Registration by the National Board of Respiratory Care

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care Program are eligible to apply for the Therapist Multiple Choice Examination offered by the National Board for Respiratory Care.

Successful candidates who exceed a lower threshold score earn the Certified Respiratory Therapist credential.

Candidates who exceed an upper threshold are eligible to sit for the Clinical Simulation Examination.

Candidates who pass both the Therapist Multiple Choice Examination upper threshold score and the Clinical Simulation Examination are awarded the Registered Respiratory Therapist credential.

State Licensure

Successful completion of professional coursework in the Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care Program satisfies the academic requirements to apply for a license in the state of Arkansas. State licensure also requires successful completion of the National Board of Respiratory Care credentialing examination.