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BS in Respiratory Therapy

Two students from Georgia Southern's B.S. in Respiratory Therapy program practice assessing patient breathing with industry-standard tools

As a respiratory therapist, you won鈥檛 just help people with acute or chronic illnesses and breathing disorders survive 鈥 you鈥檒l help them overcome their challenges and live more fulfilling lives.

Locations

  • Armstrong Campus (In Person Only)
  • Online (Bridge Program Only)

Why Major in Respiratory Therapy at Georgia Southern?

  • 100%: Placement rate for Georgia Southern grads over the past three years.
  • Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).
  • Graduates are eligible for two certifications immediately after completing the program.
  • For the Bridge Program, associate degree holders can earn a BS online while still working.
  • 130 credit hours to completion.

It鈥檚 easy to take breathing for granted 鈥 until an illness or disorder takes away our ability to inhale and exhale without difficulty. From emergency scenarios, traumas and cardiopulmonary problems to recommending treatments, respiratory therapists administer various life-saving interventions and critical care and guide patient recovery, helping restore lung function for individuals across the lifespan. 

These professionals support and influence doctors鈥 care plans and diagnose and treat heart and lung illnesses and breathing disorders. In addition to supplying oxygen and managing ventilators, respiratory therapists help patients living with chronic conditions ranging from asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia to lung cancer learn to manage these challenges.

In 橘子视频鈥檚 Bachelor of Science (BS) in Respiratory Therapy program, you鈥檒l train for this vital allied health role on the latest equipment in recently renovated, up-to-date facilities. In the process, you鈥檒l get hands-on experience using mechanical ventilation life-support equipment and artificial airways while working alongside skilled faculty focused on your success.

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What Can You Do With a Bachelor鈥檚 in Respiratory Therapy?

A variety of health care settings need respiratory therapists, from acute-care hospitals, long-term acute-care hospitals, doctors鈥 offices, nursing homes and cardiac/pulmonary rehabilitation to research, sleep labs, residential care facilities and in-home care. Your work will be as varied as the patients you face: You鈥檒l administer tests to diagnose respiratory conditions, help patients in need of critical care use ventilators and other equipment, develop treatment programs and more. In some hospitals, respiratory therapists play a role in disease prevention, smoking cessation counseling and other related jobs.

With extensive additional training, graduates of Georgia Southern鈥檚 program may eventually qualify for five board subspecialist certifications: Adult Critical Care Specialist (ACCS); Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Care Specialist (NPS); Sleep Disorders Testing and Therapeutic Intervention Specialist (SDS); Pulmonary Function Technology Specialist (RPFT); and Asthma Education Specialist (AE-C).

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Median annual pay in 2023 for respiratory therapists. (BLS)

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Expected job growth for respiratory therapists by 2032. (BLS)

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Respiratory therapy鈥檚 rank on U.S. News & World Report鈥檚 list of 鈥淏est Health Care Jobs 2024.鈥

Where our graduates work:

  • Adult Cystic Fibrosis Center
  • Children鈥檚 Healthcare of Atlanta
  • Compassionate Care Hospice
  • Emory Healthcare
  • Memorial Health University Medical Center
  • St. Joseph鈥檚/Candler

What our graduates do:

  • Asthma and cystic fibrosis educator
  • Case manager
  • Respiratory therapist
  • Sleep disorders specialist
  • Smoking cessation counselor

What You鈥檒l Learn

Students combine classes, lab training and extensive clinical practice starting their first year in our entry-level respiratory therapy program. Coursework covers topics such as anatomy and physiology, cardiopulmonary care, mechanical ventilation, diagnostic therapies and more. 

The respiratory therapy curriculum coursework plus extensive clinical experience qualifies graduates from our CoARC-accredited program to take the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) credentialing exam and pursue the credential of Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT), which ultimately equips them to obtain state licensure for practice. 

Through this sequence, students learn to treat individuals ranging from neonatal and pediatric patients to those living with late-in-life conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 

Program Formats

Georgia Southern鈥檚 respiratory therapy program empowers you to soar at every stage of your educational journey 鈥 whether you鈥檙e just getting started or plotting your next move.

While you study the field鈥檚 scientific foundation based on evidence-based medicine, you鈥檒l train on industry-standard equipment in person and have access to laboratory and clinical experiences. Traditional Entry students apply to the program after completing all core requirements.

In this fully online program picking up where your AS or AAS in Respiratory Therapy left off, you鈥檒l grow your knowledge base, strengthen your critical thinking and interpersonal skills, and deepen your understanding of your role within an interdisciplinary health care team.

Build Your Experience

The real work of respiratory therapy happens in the field. At Georgia Southern, you鈥檒l go beyond the classroom to gain professional experience long before you graduate.

A student from Georgia Southern's B.S. in Respiratory Therapy program practices reading a gauge on an oxygen tank ahead of a practicum assignment

Internships and Practicums

As a student in the respiratory therapy program, you鈥檒l complete multiple mandatory fieldwork assignments. These internships and practicums in acute care areas and other workplaces help sharpen and test your knowledge and grow your skills.

Practicing on a manikin, three students from Georgia Southern's B.S. in Respiratory Therapy program learn to analyze patient breathing

Get Involved

Build professional skills in student groups such as the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and the Health Sciences Student Association (HSSA). Meet practitioners, learn about industry trends and take part in service opportunities.

Want to Learn More?

Explore essential information about our BSN program, including application details, accreditation status, and licensing disclosures. Gain insight into the program’s credibility and requirements to help you start your journey toward success with the knowledge you need.

Admission to 橘子视频 does not guarantee admission to the respiratory therapy program. The Department of Clinical Sciences has a separate formal admissions process managed by the . 

Applicants must apply to both Georgia Southern and the respiratory therapy (RT) program. 

Admission to the RT program is made on a space-available basis and is limited to the best-qualified students. Meeting admission criteria does not constitute acceptance into the program. Minimum admission criteria include:

  1. Completion of all Core requirements for the major before the program start date.
  2. An overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or greater.
  3. A grade of 鈥淐鈥 or higher is required for all courses in Core Areas A, D and F.
  4. A calculated GPA of 2.5 or greater in math and science courses found in Areas A, D and F. This calculated GPA includes all passed and failed attempts of a course except for courses for which academic renewal has been approved.
  5. Students with outstanding admission requirements must provide proof of meeting with the program director before the beginning of the admitted semester. Failure to do so will result in removal from the admitted list.
  6. Students who are dismissed from the program due to more than one (1) course failure may be considered for readmission to the program after a period of five years.
  7. Prospective qualified students are required to shadow a respiratory therapist for a minimum of four hours before the start of the program. Note 鈥 not having shadowing hours completed will not prevent prospective qualified students from being interviewed.
    1. Prospective qualified students must meet minimum admissions criteria to obtain assistance from the RT program for shadowing hours. 
    2. Students should contact for assistance in shadowing.

Follow these steps to complete the Georgia Southern application: 

  • Create an .
  • Complete our online application using the PIN you received after creating your application account.
  • Once complete, pay the $30 application fee or upload a . Previous Georgia Southern applicants and dual enrollment students do not need to pay the fee.

You can check your application status at three days after completing your application. This page contains live information about your admission status, including a checklist of missing documents we need to make a decision.

Additional Considerations

Selecting and Changing Your Major

Students who declare a respiratory therapy major will start as health science: pre-professional respiratory therapy majors. Students will be advised by professional advisors on their home campus. Once accepted into the respiratory therapy program, the student will be changed to a respiratory therapy major prior to the start of their first semester in the program.

Prerequisites and Academic Requirements

Students interviewed for the program are usually late sophomores approaching 60-70+ hours of semester credit and have completed the initial Area D sequence of science (Biol, Chem, Physics and Labs) and statistics. The core curriculum guide can be found through the Waters College of Health Professions (WCHP) Advisement Center. Students can work with their advisors and select courses with an emphasis on completing the sciences by the end of their sophomore year. We recommend that students take the sequence of BIOL 1107 and 1108 and labs, Human Anatomy and Physiology I, Human Anatomy and Physiology II and labs, Microbiology and lab, and Physical Environment (no lab) prior to the spring interview. 

Additionally, your overall and math/science GPAs should be at least 2.5 to be considered as a respiratory therapy major student (especially in Area D and F sciences), and you should be near completion of all electives in Area A-E courses to make you a more competitive candidate. Typically, admitted students have overall and math/science GPAs of at least 3.0 to be competitive.

The Interview Process

The application process, College Application Services or CAS, starts in November, and the deadline is March 1st. We interview in the spring and/or summer of the year. You can interview as a provisional candidate if your classes are not complete. You will meet with students and faculty members at the 60-120 minute interview in the spring and/or summer preceding the program鈥檚 start date in the fall.

Admission to 橘子视频

All transfer credits must be evaluated by the Undergraduate Office of Admissions and posted on the Georgia Southern transcript upon official acceptance to the University. Degree Completion/Bridge BSRT applicants will have official transcripts or transfer credit, course substitutions or achieve a 鈥淐鈥 or better in all classes required in Areas A-E. 

The Degree Completion/Bridge BSRT program is for NBRC-credentialed RRTs with an AS or AAS in Respiratory Therapy who wish to complete their bachelor鈥檚 degree in respiratory therapy while working in the field. Military respiratory therapists will receive special consideration. The respiratory therapy program requires students to fill out an additional application, which can be found here: . 

Additional required forms to submit to the program:

  1. Copy of AS or AAS in Respiratory Therapy/Care degree transcript,
  2. Overall GPA of at least 2.5, 
  3. Copy of NBRC RRT credential,
  4. R茅sum茅 of respiratory therapy work history,
  5. Verification of current state license, 
  6. Documentation of additional NBRC specialty credentials, if applicable, and
  7. Documentation of BLS, ACLS, PALS and/or NRP.

Transferring Credits


If you have transfer credit, check and choose your state and college for transferring credit. Ideally, classes should transfer as equivalent to a Georgia Southern course (i.e., BIOL, CHEM), NOT as an elective (ELEC). Discuss transfer credit concerns with your advisor.

If you鈥檙e an NBRC-credentialed RRT who already has an associate degree in respiratory therapy, you can elevate your career prospects with an online BS from Georgia Southern. 

Our respiratory therapy Bridge program allows you to complete your bachelor鈥檚 degree while continuing to work. You鈥檒l take classes online on your own schedule. RRTs can gain equivalency credits based on experience.

For All Online Programs

Federal law requires colleges and universities to make certain disclosures to prospective students of these programs. These disclosures include information on the University鈥檚 authority to operate outside of Georgia, complaint processes, adverse actions and refunds.

For required disclosures in general with regard to online programs offered by the University, visit the .

橘子视频鈥檚 respiratory therapy program awards the Bachelor of Science degree and is accredited by the (CoARC), program #200277.

CoARC accredits respiratory therapy education programs in the United States. To achieve this end, it utilizes an 鈥渙utcome-based鈥 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.

The Department of Clinical Sciences anticipates that graduates of this program will seek the following professional certifications: Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) and Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT), which will allow graduates to obtain state licensure.


The Department of Clinical Sciences has determined that the required classes and educational activities of this academic program will qualify a graduate of this program to take the credentialing exam for a Respiratory Therapist, which then qualifies students to obtain a State License in Georgia. The credentialing process is a two-part, nationally administered examination. Part one, a comprehensive written exam, is taken after graduation. Graduates who pass this exam will earn the entry-level credential 鈥淐ertified Respiratory Therapist鈥 (CRT) and will be eligible to take the Clinical Simulation Examination. The entry-level CRT credential is required for licensure by most states and the Georgia Composite State Board of Medical Examiners. Candidates who pass both the Therapist Multi-Choice Examination and Clinical Simulation Examinations will earn the credential 鈥淩egistered Respiratory Therapist鈥 (RRT). The Department has not determined whether this program satisfies the requirements of all states and territories for the Respiratory Therapist State Licensure. Visit the to determine the requirements of your state or territory. 

Number of GraduatesJob PlacementRetentionTMC Exam High Cut ScoreGraduate SatisfactionEmployer Satisfaction
3-Year Average17100%86%90%100%100%

Many of the clinical programs offered by the Waters College of Health Professions require a clinical internship or practicum experience to fulfill degree requirements. Pursuant to the University’s legal agreements, participants in clinical experiences are required to abide by the workplace rules of the clinical site. The University is aware of recent federal requirements that would mandate vaccination against COVID-19 for those working in certain settings, including health care. At this time, we expect that these new requirements may significantly impact our ability to locate a placement for students who remain unvaccinated. As always, WCHP will continue to make every effort to place students at clinical sites. However, please be aware that we may be unable to locate a site to accept unvaccinated students, which may cause a delay or inability to progress and complete the program of study.

Faculty Feature

Frances Mercado-Rodriguez is more than a respiratory therapist. She鈥檚 also a leader in the community. In addition to assisting critically ill patients during her decade in the field, she has led efforts to connect high schoolers with postsecondary education and serves on the board of a nonprofit that makes karate accessible to all.

Meet Our Faculty
Georgia Southern B.S. in Respiratory Therapy Faculty Member Frances Mercado-Rodriguez

Take the Next Step

Learn to give the gift of breathing more easily with a bachelor鈥檚 in respiratory therapy from Georgia Southern. See how you can start a career in this growing field today.

Contact Us

Department of Clinical Sciences

橘子视频 Armstrong Campus
11935 Abercorn Street
Savannah, GA 31419

Respiratory Therapy
Phone: 912-344-2550
Fax: 912-344-3472
Email: respiratory@georgiasouthern.edu