Degree Description

The Respiratory Therapist is a health care professional who specializes in the application of scientific knowledge in providing and supporting the cardiopulmonary requirements for a wide variety of patients that include newborn infants, children, adults and the elderly. Respiratory Therapists work under the direction of a physician to assess, manage, treat, educate and care for patients with a wide range of cardiopulmonary disorders. The Respiratory Therapist works in a collaborative fashion with other health care providers to restore the cardiopulmonary health of the patient. The main career opportunities for Respiratory Therapy are found in: acute care hospitals, post-acute care centers, home care, pulmonary function laboratories, pulmonary rehabilitation clinics, and asthma clinics. Additional opportunities may be found in: sleep medicine centers, hyperbaric medicine, respiratory education, air transport, physician’s offices, medical research, armed services and as traveling therapists.

Career Possibilities

A degree in Respiratory Therapy offers many career opportunities. Career Coach allows you to explore different career options for the degree you are pursuing. You can even take a look at each job title to see an in-depth overview, salary, job growth, and live job postings.

Degree Pathway

Degree Pathways outline one possible sequence of courses students may complete to fulfill their degree requirements as full-time students over the course of two years.

Program Information & Forms