Welcome! We are so pleased that you are considering a future in Respiratory Care.
The Bachelor of Science Respiratory Care degree provides students with the knowledge, skills and judgement required to become a licensed registered respiratory therapist (RRT).
Respiratory Care Profession Information
- Respiratory Therapy is a specialized health care field where practitioners are trained in pulmonary medicine in order to work therapeutically with people suffering from pulmonary disease.
- Respiratory therapists can find jobs in hospitals as staff therapist, shift supervisor, and department manager. They can also specialize in home care or venture into the corporate world working with equipment manufacturers. Teaching is also an option with some becoming faculty at schools or a clinical education coordinator for a hospital.
- Average projected salary for Respiratory Therapists is over $62,000 a year. The U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics predict that employment of respiratory therapists is expected to increase faster than average over the next decade.
Application Requirements
Admission to the respiratory care program is competitive. Each year, there are many students majoring in pre-respiratory care who meet the requirements to submit an application. However, the Department of Respiratory Care accepts only 26 students each fall .
- Applicants to the respiratory care program must earn a grade of C – (2.00) or above in all pre-respiratory care courses and have a cumulative college GPA of 2.0 or above in order for their respiratory care application to be considered by the Department of Respiratory Care for admission. View Application Instructions.
- Pre-professional courses may be taken at Boise State University or eligible courses may be transferred to Boise State from other schools. Some pre-respiratory care courses may be in progress when a student applies to the respiratory care program, but most pre-professional care courses must be completed before applying.
Physical and Technical Requirements
In order to perform the tasks required of a Respiratory Care Practitioner, certain physical capabilities are required.
- Students must demonstrate the ability to perform required functions as a routine part of classroom, laboratory, or clinical education.
- Students should be aware that successful graduation of the Respiratory Therapy Program will depend upon the ability to meet the technical standards listed on our Physical and Technical Job Performance Requirements for a Respiratory Care Practitioner page.
Respiratory Care Program Curriculum
Students accepted into the respiratory care program can anticipate a challenging academic experience that emphasizes the strong professional values, core respiratory care competencies and leadership skills needed in today’s complex healthcare environment.
In addition to didactic courses, respiratory care students complete clinical rotations at sites that include hospitals and health care clinics.
What Makes Our Program Unique
- Boise State graduates consistently achieve higher pass rates for Registered Respiratory Therapy licensure than the national average.
- The Bachelor of Science Respiratory Care program has awarded over $24,000 in scholarships during the last year.
- Our faculty are supportive teachers who are passionate about respiratory care. The respiratory care program has an exceptional 10:1 faculty/student ratio in our undergraduate clinical courses.
- The Department of Respiratory Care has developed strong partnerships with local health care facilities that expand clinical experience opportunities for our students and provide key introductions to potential employers.
- Our Experiential Learning Lab allows students to receive life-like simulation training on-campus.
- Boise State graduates have excellent job placement following graduation.
We also have a Frequently Asked Questions page to help in your journey!