Start Your Career: By the Numbers
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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:
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Operating life support systems
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Assessing lung function
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Diagnosing and treating breathing disorders
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Setting up artificial airways
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Analyzing fluids in the lab
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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!
Nationally Recognized Training for a Meaningful Career
Ozarks Tech is the only community college in the nation to receive the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Therapy Care’s Distinguished RRT Credentialing Success Award every year since its inception in 2009.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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
Location: Springfield Campus, Waynesville Center
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 higher is required for all BSRT prefix courses.
This is a limited and selective enrollment program which admits a new class in the Spring semester.
Respiratory Therapy (A.A.S.)
A.A.S. Degree: 76 Hours
Location: Springfield Campus
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/
More Tools for Finding Your Path
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.