Respiratory Care
Associate in Applied Science-Transfer, Allied Health
Two-year Degree
90 Units
Seattle Central College's Respiratory Care track is a full-time, face-to-face, rigorous bachelor’s degree program that combines classroom training with practical, hands-on experience. This program will prepare you to become a member of a dedicated healthcare team that treats patients with cardiopulmonary disorders. The Respiratory Care Track in the Bachelor of Applied Science in Allied Health program combines classroom theory with practical, hands-on experience, preparing students to become members of dedicated healthcare teams that treat patients with cardiopulmonary (heart and lung) disorders.
Get Started
College Application Steps
Visit our Enroll Now page to learn more about how to apply (the application is always free).
Additional Program Specific Steps
- Attend a Respiratory Care Information Session (required).
- Complete the 5-Step Enrollment Process for Seattle Central College, which includes placement testing and transcript evaluations to ensure you meet the eligibility requirements.
- Meet with an Advisor to create an education plan.
- Apply to the Respiratory Care program.
Additional Useful Information
Sign up for a tour or information session.
College Tuition
Learn more about the tuition and fees to attend college.
Save money at Central. Tuition and fees at a two-year college are significantly lower than a four-year college or university.
Financial Aid
It's time to apply for Financial Aid for next year by completing either the FAFSA or the WASFA.
Need help paying for college?
To apply for financial aid, including grants and scholarships you don’t have to pay back, visit our Paying for College page for details. Part-time and full-time students can qualify for financial aid funds.
Workforce Funding
This academic plan may be eligible for additional funding through Workforce Education. Students in this program may be eligible for:
- Worker Retraining
- Opportunity Grant
- In-person
Respiratory Care is a cohort-based program that typically begins classes in winter quarter.
Program Information
The Respiratory Care pathway can lead to various career opportunities.
Examples include:
Career titles and data are supplied by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For current employment and wage estimates, please visit O*NET OnLine.
A Bachelor's degree or higher may be required for some careers listed above.
Completing this program prepares graduates for quick entry into a variety of high-demand healthcare careers or to transfer into an applied bachelor's degree (BAS) program to continue their education.
- Complete a Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) and submit results for approval.
- Complete the Prerequisite Courses with a 2.0 GPA or higher. Classes include:
- BIOL& 160 General Biology
- BIOL& 241 Human Anatomy and Physiology I (must be within the past 5 years)
- BIOL& 242 Human Anatomy and Physiology II (must be within the past 5 years)
- BIOL& 260 Microbiology
- CHEM& 121 Introduction to Chemistry
- CHEM& 122/131 Organic Chemistry
- MATH& 146 Introduction to Statistics
- ENGL& 101 English Composition I
- ENGL& 102 Composition II
- PSYC& 100 General Psychology OR PSYC &200 Lifespan Psychology
- HUM 105 Intercultural Communication
- Additional 5 credit Visual, Literacy and Performing Arts (VLPA) class
- AHE 168 Medical Terminology (recommended)
Please note BIOL& 241 and BIOL& 242 must be taken within 5 years of applying to the program. There are no time limits on the other prerequisite classes.
90 Units
General Education
30 units. Minimum 2.0 grade required.
| Course | Course Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL& 101 | English Composition I | 5 |
| Biology or Chemistry Lab | Choose a course | 6 |
| HUM 105 or CMST 205 | Choose a course | 5 |
| Math Statistics | Choose a course | 5 |
| VLPA, ICS, or NW Electives | Choose a course | 10 |
Allied Health Courses
30 units from Allied Health courses. Minimum 2.0 grade required. At least 10 college units in this section must be from a certificate in an allied health field from a regionally accredited institution.
| Course | Course Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Allied Health Courses | Choose a course | 30 |
Related Electives
30 units. Minimum 2.0 grade required. This section can be fulfilled by any combination of the following:
- Additional general education credits chosen from the courses tagged as fulfilling the AA degree Areas of Knowledge requirements (marked as VLPA*, ISC, or NW in the online course schedule)
- Allied health certificate credits if more than 30 credits were transferred in from the student's certificate
- Up to 15 credits of the following courses: ACCT& 201-203, BTM 108, 109, 118-120, 231-233, 236, 237, 245, 260, 265, 278
- Up to 3 credits of PEC courses
- Up to 6 credits of HDC courses
- Note: No more than 10 credits of studio/performing arts VLPA classes will count toward AAS-T degree.
| Course | Course Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Pick one from the following list | Choose a course | 30 |
Units
The sample schedule and quarterly to-do list below will help you explore courses and complete tasks on time. The sample schedule assumes a fall quarter start. Please work with your advisor to create a customized education plan that meets your goals.
Before you begin:
- Please visit the Enroll Now page for everything you need to do.
- Review the Academic Calendar for key enrollment dates.
- If you need help with the Steps to Enroll, please contact the Academic Advising Center.
- Research and apply for grants and scholarships.
Quarter 1, 18 Units
| Course | Course Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| RCP 320 | Acute Care Clinical I | 4 |
| AHE 213 | Respiratory Care Clinical Assessment | 2 |
| RCP 323 | Pathophysiology for Respiratory Care | 2 |
| RCP 328 | Advanced Therapeutic Approaches | 4 |
| RCP 329 | Advanced Therapeutic Approaches Equip and Tech | 1 |
| AHE 330 | Information Literacy for Health Sciences | 5 |
Quarter 2, 18 Units
| Course | Course Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| RCP 330 | Acute Care Clinical II | 5 |
| RCP 338 | Fundamentals of Mechanical Ventilation | 4 |
| RCP 339 | Mechanical Ventilation Equipment and Techniques | 1 |
| AHE 401 | Principles of Research | 5 |
| AHE 107 | Introduction to Healthcare Leadership | 3 |
Quarter 3, 14 Units
| Course | Course Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| RCP 340 | Adult Critical Care Clinical I | 4 |
| RCP 468 | Adv Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics | 3 |
| RCP 469 | Diagnostic Equipment and Techniques | 1 |
| RCP 451 | Neonatal/Pediatric Pathophysiology | 2 |
| CHED 304 | Principles of Higher Education In Allied Health | 2 |
| AHE 209 | Introduction to Respiratory Care | 2 |
Quarter 4, 15 Units
| Course | Course Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| RCP 450 | Adult Critical Care Clinical II | 6 |
| RCP 347 | Cardiology for Respiratory Care | 2 |
| RCP 467 | Advanced Cardiopulmonary Physiology | 2 |
| RCP 458 | Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Care | 4 |
| RCP 459 | Neonatal/Pediatric Equipment and Techniques | 1 |
Quarter 5, 18 Units
| Course | Course Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| RCP 460 | Neonatal/Pediatric Clinical | 6 |
| RCP 348 | Advanced Mechanical Ventilation | 5 |
| RCP 349 | Adv Mechanical Ventilation Equipment & Technique | 1 |
| RCP 455 | Advanced Pharmacology (Respiratory Care) | 2 |
| RCP 463 | Advanced Pathophysiology for Respiratory Care | 2 |
| RCP 479 | Senior Capstone Project I | 2 |
Quarter 6, 14 Units
| Course | Course Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| RCP 470 | Adult Critical Care Clinical III | 6 |
| RCP 472 | Advanced Practitioner Exam Review | 1 |
| RCP 476 | Advanced Patient Assessment | 3 |
| RCP 464 | Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Home Care | 2 |
| RCP 480 | Senior Capstone Project II | 2 |
- Develop academic background in the health sciences so student can locate and understand theoretical underpinnings of their scope of practice or specialty within Allied Health.
- Appreciate the role of scientific inquiry and the changing nature of evidence based medicine.
- Improve ability to work effectively as a member of health care teams and to better understand how Allied Health professions contribute to health care delivery.
- More effectively advocate on behalf of patients to diverse health care practitioners and patient care teams.
- Improve oral and written communications, spoken communication, critical thinking, and quantitative analysis to reflect college mastery at the Associate's level.
If you are interested in a career as a Physician Assistant (PA), the pre-Physician Assistant option of the Respiratory Care program can help you meet the academic admissions requirements for the Physician Assistant master's degree at the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine's MEDEX Northwest program.
The Seattle Central College Respiratory Care Track for the Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Allied Health program, CoARC Program #200344 in Seattle, Washington is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (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. View CoARC programmatic outcomes data.
Please contact the Respiratory Care Program with any questions at jennifer.clark@seattlecolleges.edu.
This program meets the educational requirements for preparing students to take the national certification exams administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care (nbrc.org). Students who complete the program and achieve the appropriate credentials can apply for licensure anywhere in the United States where a license is required. A list of contacts for license by state is available at https://www.aarc.org/advocacy/state-society-resources/state-licensure-contacts.
Program data from ctcLink:
- Academic Plan: HSAAHAAS
- Sub Plan: AAST_AHRSP
- Degree: AAS-T_AlliedHealth
- Plan Transcript Description: Associate of Applied Science-Transfer - Allied Health
- Academic Plan Currently Offered: Yes
- Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP): 51.0000
Respiratory Care
Jennifer Clark
RespiratoryCareBAS@seattlecolleges.edu
206/934-3186
Advising Center
BE 1104
AdvisorCentral@seattlecolleges.edu
206/934-4068
Faculty and Staff
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