BHS in Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences with Emphasis in Respiratory Therapy

Degree Program Description

Respiratory therapists assess and treat dysfunction involving the heart and lungs. Respiratory therapists work in hospitals, intensive care units, emergency rooms, air and ambulance transport, neonatal and pediatric units, patient homes, sleep laboratories, skilled nursing facilities, and in the medical device industry. They work closely with physicians to manage ventilators and artificial airways, administer prescribed inhaled medications, perform pulmonary function testing, and analyze arterial blood specimens.

Entry into Practice RRT

The Respiratory Therapy program at MU includes two years of pre-requisite coursework and two years (including one summer semester) of professional coursework. Students graduate with the Bachelor of Health Science (BHS) degree in Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences with an emphasis in Respiratory Therapy. Graduates of the program are eligible to take credentialing examinations administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC https://www.nbrc.org/).

Entry to BHS in CDS with an Emphasis in RT Program Goals

The goal of the Entry to BHS Respiratory Therapy Program is to prepare graduates with demonstrated competence in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains of respiratory care practice as performed by registered respiratory therapists (RRTs) and to prepare leaders for the field of respiratory care by including curricular content with objectives related to the acquisition of skills in one or more of the following: management, education, research, and advanced clinical practice (which may include an area of clinical specialization). 

Entry to BHS in CDS with an Emphasis in RT Expected Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate the ability to evaluate, comprehend, and apply clinical information in order to match patient needs with therapeutic interventions. 
  2. Exhibit technical proficiency in all of the skills necessary to fulfill the role as an advanced level respiratory therapist. 
  3. Display professional behavior consistent with employer expectations for a registered respiratory therapist. 

RRT Degree Advancement

A fully online degree advancement program is available for credentialed registered respiratory therapists (RRT) who seek a bachelor's degree. This program includes professional courses to enhance student knowledge in the areas of management, education, research and adult, neonatal/pediatric critical care. Students may transfer general education and respiratory therapy coursework from a regionally accredited institution/program prior to completing the core requirements of the program. 

RRT Degree Advancement Program Goals

This program provides graduates of entry into respiratory care professional practice degree programs with additional knowledge, skills, and attributes in leadership, management, education, research, or advanced clinical practice both to meet their current professional goals and to prepare them for practice as advanced degree respiratory therapists. 

RRT Degree Advancement Expected Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Utilize management and leadership principles to solve problems and improve performance. 
  2. Demonstrate strategies and techniques to enhance patient education and rehabilitation. 
  3. Employ research methodology to analyze relevant medical literature.
  4. Integrate pertinent clinical data into recommendations for appropriate critical care interventions. 
  5. Understand ethical theories and principles as they apply to patient scenarios.
  6. Analyze multiple perspectives on current issues in healthcare. 

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Major Program Requirements

There are two options for completing the degree based on a student’s entry level into the program and previous experiences. The Entry into Practice program is for students who are interested in becoming a respiratory therapist. The RRT Degree Advancement option is for students who are credentialed as registered respiratory therapists. The Degree Advancement option takes a student’s previous general education and respiratory therapy coursework into account, and subsequent required coursework to complete the program will be adjusted accordingly. There is no clinical component for the Degree Advancement option.

In addition to pre-requisite and Core requirements below, students must meet degree and University requirements, including University general education requirements. A separate application is required for admission to the program. Students are encouraged to work with an advisor in order to best structure the pre-requisites and prepare for the program application. Students must complete the courses below or an approved equivalent with a grade of C or higher to earn the BHS in Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences with an emphasis in Respiratory Therapy degree. 

Pre-Respiratory Therapy Requirements 45
MATH 1100College Algebra3
or MATH 1050 Quantitative Reasoning
ENGLSH 1000Writing and Rhetoric3
or ENGLSH 1000H Honors Writing and Rhetoric
COMMUN 1200Public Speaking3
or COMMUN 1200H Public Speaking - Honors
1000-level or higher Psychology course 3
BIO_SC 1010
BIO_SC 1020
General Principles and Concepts of Biology
and General Biology Laboratory *
5
or BIO_SC 1030 General Principles and Concepts of Biology with Laboratory
or BIO_SC 1500 Introduction to Biological Systems with Laboratory
or BIO_SC 1500H Introduction to Biological Systems with Laboratory Honors
CDS 2190Medical Terminology *3
CHEM 1400
CHEM 1401
College Chemistry I
and College Chemistry I Laboratory
4
or CHEM 1400H
CHEM 1401H
College Chemistry I - Honors
and College Chemistry I Laboratory - Honors
or CHEM 1100 Atoms and Molecules with Lab
PTH_AS 2201
PTH_AS 2203
Human Anatomy Lecture
and Human Anatomy Laboratory
5
MICROB 2800Microbiology for Nursing and Health Professions4-5
or MICROB 3200 Medical Microbiology and Immunology
or BIO_SC 3750
BIO_SC 3760
General Microbiology
and Microbiology Laboratory
MPP 3202Elements of Physiology5
or BIO_SC 3700 Human Physiology
STAT 1200Introductory Statistical Reasoning3
or STAT 1300 Elementary Statistics
or STAT 2500 Introduction to Probability and Statistics I
or ESC_PS 4170 Introduction to Applied Statistics
CDS 3100WIntroduction to Research - Writing Intensive (CDS 3100W is preferred)3
or HLTH_SCI 4200W Introduction to The Research Process and Evidence Base - Writing Intensive
RS_THR 1000Introduction to Respiratory Therapy * (Optional)1
Major Core Requirements - Entry into Practice70
CDS 3460Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Diagnostic Applications I3
CDS 4440Organization and Administration2
CDS 4460Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Diagnostic Applications II3
CDS 4500Emergency and Disaster Management in Healthcare1
RS_THR 3220Equipment and Therapeutics3
RS_THR 3240Assessment and Therapeutics Lab3
RS_THR 3290Cardiopulmonary Pharmacology3
RS_THR 3420WPrinciples of Mechanical Ventilation - Writing Intensive3
RS_THR 3440Mechanical Ventilation Lab3
RS_THR 3941Clinical Practice I2
RS_THR 3942Clinical Practice II4
RS_THR 3943Clinical Practice III2
RS_THR 4020Perinatal/Neonatal Respiratory Care3
RS_THR 4040Respiratory Pathophysiology5
RS_THR 4240Pulmonary Rehabilitation3
RS_THR 4420Pediatric Respiratory Care3
RS_THR 4620Pulmonary Function Technologies3
RS_THR 4930Current Issues in Respiratory Care3
RS_THR 4940Clinical Practice IV5
RS_THR 4973Clinical Practice V4
RS_THR 4983Clinical Practice VI4
RS_THR 4993Clincal Practice VII5
Major Core Requirements - RRT Degree Advancement25
CDS 4500Emergency and Disaster Management in Healthcare1
HLTH_SCI 4480Clinical Ethics3
or HLTH_SCI 4480W Clinical Ethics - Writing Intensive
or PHIL 2440 Medical Ethics
RS_THR 4240Pulmonary Rehabilitation3
RS_THR 4420Pediatric Respiratory Care3
RS_THR 4440Organization and Administration3
or CDS 4985 Healthcare Organization and Leadership
RS_THR 4660Advanced Mechanical Ventilation Theory3
RS_THR 4820Adult Critical Care3
or RS_THR 4860 Neonatal and Pediatric Critical Care
RS_THR 4930Current Issues in Respiratory Care3
CDS 3100WIntroduction to Research - Writing Intensive (CDS 3100W is preferred) Can be completed within Program for Degree Advancement students3
or HLTH_SCI 4200W Introduction to The Research Process and Evidence Base - Writing Intensive
*

Not required for degree advancement students. 

Professional Credentialing/Licensure

After graduation, entry to practice students are eligible to take the credentialing exams offered by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC). The RRT credential is required to begin RRT Degree Advancement core courses. 

Graduates will also be required to apply for licensing in the state in which they choose to work.

Accreditation

The University of Missouri Respiratory Therapy Program’s Bachelor of Health Science in Clinical & Diagnostic Sciences with an emphasis in Respiratory Therapy, CoARC #200033, in Columbia, MO is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (https://coarc.com/).

The University of Missouri Respiratory Therapy Program’s Bachelor of Health Science in Clinical & Diagnostic Sciences RRT Degree Advancement Program, CoARC #510020, holds Provisional Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)This status signifies that a program with an Approval of Intent has demonstrated sufficient compliance with the Standards through submission of an acceptable Provisional Accreditation Self-Study Report and any other documentation required by the CoARC, as well as satisfactory completion of an initial on-site visit. 

Programmatic outcomes data for entry into practice programs are available to the public on the CoARC website.

Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care

264 Precision Blvd
Telford, TN 37690
817-283-2835
https://coarc.com/

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Semester Plan for Entry to Practice

Below is a sample plan of study, semester by semester. A student's actual plan may vary based on course choices where options are available. An individualized semester plan will be created for RRT Degree Advancement students by the program director or CHS Student Services. 

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
BIO_SC 1010
BIO_SC 1020
5CHEM 1400
CHEM 1401
4 
MATH 1100 or 10503ENGLSH 10003 
PSYCH 1000any level psych will be accepted3COMMUN 12003 
Humanities3STAT 1200 or ESC_PS 41703 
 14 13  
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
CDS 3100W or HLTH_SCI 4200W3MPP 32025 
HIST 1100, 1200, or POL_SC 11003MICROB 2800 or 32004 
PTH_AS 2201
PTH_AS 2203
52000+ level Humanities3 
RS_THR 1000 (recommended)1CDS 21903 
SOCIOL 1000 (or other Beh/Social Science)3  
 15 15  
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
RS_THR 32203CDS 34603CDS 44603
RS_THR 32403RS_THR 3420W3RS_THR 39432
RS_THR 32903RS_THR 34403RS_THR 42403
RS_THR 39412RS_THR 39424 
RS_THR 40405RS_THR 40203 
 16 16 8
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
CDS 44402RS_THR 49303 
CDS 45001RS_THR 49734 
RS_THR 44203RS_THR 49834 
RS_THR 46203RS_THR 49935 
RS_THR 49405  
 14 16  
Total Credits: 127

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Degree Audit

The degree audit is an automated report reflecting a student’s academic progress toward the completion of a degree. 

MU students can request a degree audit by logging in to myDegreePlanner. Students may also access myDegreePlanner via myZou, in the Student Center, click on the Academic Progress Tile, then select Request Degree Audit. The audit automatically pulls in the student’s MU course work, transfer courses and courses in progress. This is available to current students, admitted students, and those who last attended less than three terms ago.

Past MU students can request a degree audit by contacting the Academic Advising Unit of the division in which they were last enrolled at MU. For contact information, go to https://advising.missouri.edu/contact/.

Prospective students, can access a preliminary MU degree audit via https://www.transferology.com. Information on the college credits already earned will have to be manually entered before it can be evaluated against current degree requirements.

For additional details on degree audits, go to https://registrar.missouri.edu/degrees-audits/degree-audits/.

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Major and Career Exploration

The University of Missouri has many resources to assist you in exploring majors and career possibilities. For guidance, visit the Majors and Careers website or view specific resources below.

  • If you are considering a change of major or are exploring multiple majors, schedule an appointment with an advisor in the Discovery Center by calling (573)884-9700 or through MU Connect Discovery Center service in you success network.

  • If you have decided on a major, visit an academic advisor in the School or College that you are interested in to discuss the process of declaring the major

  • If you would like to learn more about your career interests, abilities, values and talents, visit the MU Career Center. No Appointment is necessary to explore career options with one of our staff members.

For additional major and career exploration resources, visit Major & Career Exploration in the catalog.

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