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RST Program

Respiratory Therapy

Learn advanced clinical, research and leadership skills.

See How You Can Afford It

120 Credit Hours
8 Semesters

$25,294 – $32,734*

Hands-On Training in Critical Respiratory Care.

See How You Can Afford It

2 Yrs. 76 Credit Hours
4 Semesters

$16,820 – $21,500*

Learn advanced clinical, research and leadership skills.

See How You Can Afford It

120 Credit Hours
8 Semesters

$25,294 – $32,734*

Hands-On Training in Critical Respiratory Care.

See How You Can Afford It

2 Yrs. 76 Credit Hours
4 Semesters

$16,820 – $21,500*

Start Your Career: By the Numbers

Review Complete Outcome Statistics For This Program
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Award
Winning

Earn your degree from an award-winning program.

Career
Advancement

Complete the bachelor’s degree to pursue advanced roles.

Build
Connections

Small class sizes allow you to build strong relationships with your instructors and classmates.

Breathe Life into Your Career

Help people of all ages breathe easier with the Respiratory Therapy program. You complete training to become a registered respiratory therapist (RRT). RRTs care for patients with lung and heart issues.

Hands-courses and clinical rotations to prepare you to work with patients of all ages. Practice skills like:

  • Operating life support systems

  • Assessing lung function

  • Diagnosing and treating breathing disorders

  • Setting up artificial airways

  • Analyzing fluids in the lab

  • Educating patients and families about lung diseases and breathing disorders

Find work in many settings, including hospitals, emergency rooms and intensive care units.

Take your career to the next level with the bachelor’s program. A bachelor’s degree can open doors to hospitals and clinics that have a degree preference. Plus, you can learn advanced concepts and boost your career advancement opportunities!

Program Information

Explore our accreditation information, find program contacts and learn more about how to apply for the program.

The Respiratory Therapy programs are selective-admission programs.

Candidate Selection Form – Associate of Applied Science

Candidate Selection Form – Bachelor of Science

Application Requirements and Information

General Admissions to Ozarks Tech

Admission to Ozarks Technical Community College is open to all individuals who can benefit from its educational programs. A focus of the college mission is on the academic, career and personal goals of the student. OTC may admit you as a First-Time student just completing their high school, GED or HiSET requirements or as a Transfer student coming from another institution finishing up a certificate or degree. For more information, visit OTC Admissions.

Wondering how you’re going to pay for college? At OTC, we believe that cost shouldn’t be a barrier to earning a degree. Our staff will work with you to make a financial plan. To browse the resources available to you, see paying for college.

At Ozarks Tech, we want your transfer process to be easy. We accomplish this goal through articulation agreements. These agreements are an official partnership to match coursework between schools. This gives you a more seamless transition from Ozarks Tech to a four-year institution.

We have established an agreement for this program. This will simplify the transfer of your credits to partner schools. To understand how this degree will transfer, review the current articulation agreements. Be sure to consult with your transfer school to ensure you’re on the right path toward completing your four-year degree.

Brandon Burk
Respiratory Therapy Program Director
417-447-8823

Respiratory Therapy Team

Accreditation

The Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC), program number 200351, Associate of Applied Science degree at the Springfield, MO campus, is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). www.coarc.com

The Bachelors of Science in Respiratory Therapy Program, CoARC program number 210351, located in Waynesville, MO and Springfield, MO, holds Provisional Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com).

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.

CoARC Program Outcome Data

OTC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Our current accreditation status with the HLC is displayed on the page linked below. Our next comprehensive evaluation will be in 2030-2031. View more on OTC Accreditation.

Program Outcomes

View program outcomes

Find Your Community

Getting involved is a great way to build connections and find your community on campus. With a variety of clubs and organizations and campus events it’s easy to find your people.

Life at Ozarks Tech

Interested in learning more?

Join us for our next informational session! Informational sessions are a great way to learn more about the programs or ask any questions you may have.

View full list of informational sessions

Course Information

Discover overview information, course sequences and specific course descriptions. Or, view the full catalog to see all the details.

Respiratory Therapy (B.S.)

B.S. Degree: 120 Hours

The Respiratory Therapy, Bachelor of Science program, is accredited by the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). The four-year program graduates are eligible for the national registry exam leading to a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) and eligible for state licensure as a Respiratory Care Practitioner. Registered Respiratory Therapists may work in hospital settings with critical and noncritical patients or for home health companies who specialize in respiratory care and equipment. The Bachelor degree option provides students with additional knowledge in advanced clinical concepts, research, and leadership. 

A grade of “C” or better is required for all BSRT required courses.

This is a limited and selective enrollment program which admits a new class in the Spring semester. 

Respiratory Therapy (B.S.) – Prerequisite Courses – 60 Credit Hours

Respiratory Therapy (B.S.) – Prerequisite Courses – 60 Credit Hours

General Education Requirements – 42 Credit Hours

General Education Requirements – 42 Credit Hours

CORE 42 is a statewide general education course of study intended to ensure that all graduates possess a common core of college-level skills and knowledge. CORE 42 specifies the basic competencies and knowledge areas that all students completing degrees at a Missouri public institution of higher education must complete. CORE 42 is comprised of dozens of courses distributed across five knowledge areas. These courses are designated with a Missouri Transfer (MOTR) course number, which guarantees the one-to-one transfer of these courses among all Missouri public institutions of higher education. Please refer to MDHE Core Transfer Curriculum for detailed information on CORE 42 courses.

All knowledge areas below, designated with the CORE 42 logo indicate all courses in that area have been evaluated and provided a MOTR number for transfer to all Missouri public institutions of higher education.

Mathematical Sciences – 3 Credit Hours

Mathematical Sciences – 3 Credit Hours

Note: MTH 128 or MTH 128S is preferred for OTC’s Helth Sciences progams. 

Written Communication – 6 Credit Hours

Written Communication – 6 Credit Hours

Oral Communication – 3 Credit Hours

Oral Communication – 3 Credit Hours

Humanities and Fine Arts – 9 Credit Hours (from at least 2 disciplines, and a limit of no more that 3 credit hours of performance courses can be applied to Humanities and Fine Arts)

Humanities and Fine Arts – 9 Credit Hours (from at least 2 disciplines, and a limit of no more that 3 credit hours of performance courses can be applied to Humanities and Fine Arts)

Natural Sciences – 7 Credit Hours (from at least 2 disciplines, including one course with a lab component)

Natural Sciences – 7 Credit Hours (from at least 2 disciplines, including one course with a lab component)

Social and Behavioral Sciences – 9 Credit Hours

Social and Behavioral Sciences – 9 Credit Hours

Core Electives – 5 Credit Hours

Core Electives – 5 Credit Hours

Any course with an approved MOTR number or additional hours from a MOTR approved course can be utilized to fulfill the Core electives requirement.  Credit received from an OTC course may be greater than the MOTR transfer equivalency.  The additional credit provided form OTC for a MOTR approved course will move the additional credit to the Core electives (e.g. CHM 160 at OTC = 4 credit hours, MOTR equivalency = 3 credit hours; additional 1 hour moved to Core electives).

Program Requirements – 18 Credit Hours

Program Requirements – 18 Credit Hours

Respiratory Therapy (B.S.) Program Requirements – 60 Credit Hours

Respiratory Therapy (B.S.) Program Requirements – 60 Credit Hours

Respiratory Therapy (A.A.S.)

A.A.S. Degree: 76 Hours

The Respiratory Therapy program is accredited by the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). The two-year program graduates are eligible for the national registry exam leading to a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) and eligible for state licensure as a Respiratory Care Practitioner. Registered Respiratory Therapists may work in hospital settings with critical and noncritical patients or for home health companies who specialize in respiratory care and equipment.

This is a limited and selective enrollment program which admits a new class each summer. Interested persons should contact the Health Sciences Office for applications and procedures. The application deadline for the program is February 15.

A grade of “C” or better is required for all respiratory therapy required courses.

The program is accredited by Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Therapy (CoARC), 264 Precision Blvd, Telford, TN 37690, (817) 283-2835  https://coarc.com/

Pre-Admission Requirements – 30 Credit Hours

Pre-Admission Requirements – 30 Credit Hours

Respiratory Therapy Program Requirements – 46 Credit Hours

Respiratory Therapy Program Requirements – 46 Credit Hours

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Notices & Disclaimers

*Costs displayed are based on current tuition and fee rates for the program’s required credit hours, as approved by the OTC Board of Trustees, and are subject to change without notice. Estimates reflect both in-district and out-of-district residency rates. Actual costs, degree completion time, and credit requirements may vary based on residency, prior credits, elective courses, program updates, and enrollment factors. For additional information on attendance costs, visit Cost of Attendance, tuition and fees or contact us at 417-447-6900.

**Graduation rates vary by individual. For details on program enrollment, retention, exam/certification, and employment rates, visit Student Outcomes / Student Right-to-Know. Some careers on this list may require additional education and training. For program-specific accreditation visit OTC Accreditation.

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