UC Clermont

Respiratory Care

AAS

Why study Respiratory Care?

Respiratory Care encompasses the evaluation, treatment, and care of patients with breathing or cardiopulmonary disorders. Practicing under the direction of a physician, respiratory therapists must be proficient in all areas of respiratory care, such as bedside pulmonary care, life-support systems management, diagnostic testing, pulmonary rehabilitation, and long-term care. Respiratory therapists evaluate and treat all types of patients, from premature infants whose lungs are not fully developed to elderly people whose lungs are diseased.

Program graduates earn an Associate of Applied Science degree and are eligible to take the National Board for Respiratory Care exam required to earn the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential. Additionally, students may apply for a student license to practice respiratory care in the state of Ohio after successful completion of the first year in the program. Upon completion of the associate's degree program, students have the option of continuing their education in the University of Cincinnati’s online Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy (BSRT) degree if desired.

For more information on certification and registry, visit the National Board for Respiratory Care website.

Details of the program, inlcuding information sessions, are posted on the Respiratory Care Important Information page.

Federal regulations require the University of Cincinnati to publicly disclose whether completion of certain programs that lead or may lead to professional licensure or certification would meet a given state’s educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification required for employment in an occupation (regardless of whether the program is on-ground, online, or hybrid).   To learn whether a University program meets a given state’s educational requirements, please visit the University of Cincinnati State Authorization webpage.

Admission Requirements

Application to the UC Clermont Respiratory Care program is a two-level process. UC Clermont is an open-access college, and all students are admitted after completing the application. However, admission into the Respiratory Care Program is selective and requires a separate application, which should be submitted between January 1 and February 15 of every year. The program admits up to 25 students each fall semester. Admission is selective and based upon pre-determined criteria. Please see your allied health academic advisor for complete information regarding this process.

The online application can be accessed on UCBA's Undergraduate Admissions page, and a PDF summary of the admissions process is shared on the Respiratory Care Important Information page. 

Admission into UC Clermont  

After the college receives your application, transcripts, and placement test scores, we will review your file. The college will notify you of your admission status and assign you an advisor. You must meet with your allied health advisor before registering for classes. Please call 513-558-8317 or email clermont.advising@uc.edu to schedule your appointment.

The University of Cincinnati reaffirms its policy that discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, age, sexual orientation, veteran status, or gender identity and expression shall not be practiced in any of its activities.  University Rule 3361: 10-13-01

Application to the UC Clermont Respiratory Care Program

All students admitted to Clermont College who are interested in Respiratory Care will first be admitted to the college as a Pre-Respiratory care major. Students will remain in the Pre-Respiratory Care program while they take necessary pre-requisite courses required to become eligible for admission to the Respiratory Care Program, and/or while they await the application window.

All applicants to the program must have:

  • a high school diploma or GED
  • completed high school or college-level biology with a grade of C or better (Applicants without this background may take college-level science courses at UC Clermont before applying to the technical core. See an Academic Advisor for appropriate college-level courses.)
  • an overall GPA of 2.75 or higher
  • test into college-level reading, writing, and algebra or statistics (as determined by the placement test)

Once admitted into the Respiratory Care Program, you will be required to submit the following documentation before you begin the program:

  • Physical examination
  • TB test
  • Proof of current immunizations
  • Background check
  • American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) for the Healthcare Provider

The respiratory class sequence starts each fall semester and continues for five semesters including one summer term. The respiratory care courses are offered during days, Monday through Friday. (Many non-respiratory care classes are offered in the evenings or online.)

Please Be Aware
If you have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, especially if it involves abuse of alcohol or controlled substances, you may be disqualified from licensure.  If this applies to you, please discuss your personal situation with the respiratory care state licensure board that governs the state in which you will work. Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana all require background checks as part of their standard licensing application process (For Ohio, please contact the  State Medical Board of Ohio in Columbus, Ohio, (614) 466-3934).

There are essential functions required of all students enrolled in the Respiratory Care Program. Respiratory therapists are responsible for the care of patients, some critically ill. RTs often use highly technical life support equipment and often make decisions that can affect patient outcomes and safety. Therefore, to be successful in the Respiratory Care Program, all students must be able to perform, or learn to perform, the essential functions listed below. Students who are not capable of performing, or do not demonstrate that they are effectively performing these essential functions in the classroom, lab, or clinical setting will not be permitted to continue in the Respiratory Care Program.

Respiratory care is an excellent, constantly growing and changing field. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that respiratory care is one of the fastest-growing careers in the healthcare field, expected to grow 14 percent through 2031, with a median salary of $61,830.

The graduating class of 2020 saw 100 percent of students find a job within six months of graduation. Their employers rated them as satisfactory in all areas of review. One hundred percent of this class passed the Therapist Multiple Choice Board Exam.

The information provided is sourced from a third party, Lightcast. Their product, called Career Coach, combines extensive labor market data from Lightcast and the U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics. It provides insights on industry, occupation, compensation, and projected growth for each profession. Economic and workforce information is available for various geographic regions. Some careers may require additional training or education.

Academic advising is an essential part of your educational experience.

We are committed to providing advice and assistance throughout your academic journey. You and your advisor work together to create an academic plan based on your goals. 
 
Questions? Email us at clermont.advising@uc.edu or call 513-558-8317 to schedule an appointment.

UC Clermont students have access to free tutoring and academic support services through Learning Commons. The Learning Commons provides centralized academic support for all University of Cincinnati students by bringing together faculty, best-practices in teaching and learning, and hundreds of outstanding peer educators to create flexible academic success programming. Free services available to UC Clermont students include academic coaching, group review sessions, success skills workshops, and tutoring in writing, math, science and more. Services are available on-campus or virtually. Visit the Learning Commons webpage for more information or schedule an appointment online.

Academic Coaching – Academic coaches help students get organized and learn to be efficient and effective with their study time during one-on-one sessions. Academic Coaches work with students on new strategies or exercises to try before the next meeting and later meetings allow tailoring new approaches to develop the best study and test taking habits for unique goals and strengths. Schedule one-hour sessions as often as once per week.

Academic Writing Center (AWC) – The Academic Writing Center (AWC) offers tutoring for all stages of the writing process, from brainstorming to incorporating research. The AWC is not course-specific and can help with discipline-specific documents, as well as non-course-based writing. Schedule a one-on-one appointment with a trained writing tutor or submit a paper online for feedback within 48 hours.

Group Review Sessions (GRS) – Group Review Sessions (GRS) are small study groups, led by a peer leader, that meet to review content that is covered in course-supported lectures each week. Find the list of supported courses on the Learning Commons website.

Math & Science Support Center (MASS) – The MASS Center offers virtual study tables for many undergraduate mathematics and science courses. Study tables provide a collaborative learning space so that students can learn from their peers who have excelled (the table leader) as well as their fellow class members attending the study table. No appointment is necessary for these scheduled group study sessions. You can view the up-to-date study table schedule on the Learning Commons website.

Peer Tutoring – Peer tutoring sessions are one-on-one with a subject-specific tutor to answer questions and help you master content in more than 200 undergraduate courses, including subjects such as math, science, languages and business. Schedule appointments up to 7 days in advance for one-hour, 90-minute or two-hour session. If you notice your desired course is not offered, please let us know.

Preparatory Composition – Students enrolled in UC Clermont Preparatory English (ENGL0099) courses have dedicated support from professional tutors. Information about these services and how to connect with the tutor is included in the course syllabus.

Success Skills Workshops – Success Skills Workshops are free one-hour sessions that focus on skills students need to be successful in college (study skills, note-taking, motivation, etc.). While there is no shortcut to success, the goal of the workshops is to empower students to identify and apply academic habits and soft skills through a deeper understanding and purpose of them. When students RSVP for a workshop, they will be able to register for the upcoming workshops one at a time and up to nine days prior to the workshop date.

Canvas Navigator Workshop – Designed to help students who are new to college and need help navigating their coursework online. The workshop shows students how to access their course materials, publisher homework, quizzes, textbooks, academic services like tutoring, and more. Students who attend this workshop can expect to gain clarity on what they need to do on a weekly basis to stay on track with their course work throughout the semester, which helps students stay motivated leading to greater confidence and success in their courses.

Math Placement Test Workshop – Offered to prospective and current UC students who want to brush up on their math skills before taking the Math Placement Test. The free synchronous online workshop is led by a UC Clermont professional tutor. The three-week workshop series is offered monthly except in January. It is recommended that students sign up for all three weeks to get the maximum benefit from these workshops.

Math for Science Students Workshop – Designed for students enrolled in entry-level biology and chemistry courses, these workshops cover foundational math concepts that students need to success in their science courses. The synchronous online workshops are led by a UC Clermont tutor. The workshop repeats each week starting the week before classes begin and continuing through week 3 of the semester.

In order to graduate from UC Clermont, a student must:

  • Complete all required course work and program requirements.
  • Obtain at least a 2.0 university grade point average.
  • Be in good academic standing; that is, not on academic or disciplinary probation or suspension.
  • Meet the college's residency requirement of 20 semester credit hours.
  • File formal application for the degree by the posted semester of graduation deadline

We accept transfer applications all year long, and you may start any semester, provided your transcripts arrive in time to be evaluated before the start of the semester you wish to attend.

If you have not taken college-level mathematics or English, you will need to take the placement test.

 

Other UC students may transfer into Clermont College by completing the application for change in college and program. You are urged to see your advisor before transferring into a different major to minimize any impact on your degree progress.

You must also meet all first-year admission requirements.

You must demonstrate English proficiency. You must also meet admissions deadlines and visa requirements, and provide documentation of sufficient funds before we can complete your admission. Please call the International Admissions Office (513) 556-2069 for details or email with questions.

Learn more about becoming an international student at UC Clermont.

Explore unique opportunities, faculty, and resources available in Science and Health

Application Deadlines

For specific deadline information, visit the Admissions webpage.

You should plan to start respiratory care in the fall semester, because the basic series of foundation courses required for this program starts in the fall and continues sequentially through the spring.

The University of Cincinnati and all regional campuses are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

The UC Clermont Respiratory Program, CoARC #200260, an Associate Degree program, is located on the UC Clermont campus and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com). 

Program Outcomes 

Programmatic outcomes data reported on the CoARC website include:

  • 3-year time period being reported
  • RRT credentialing success
  • achievement of the high cut score on the TMC Exam
  • retention
  • job placement
  • overall graduate and employer satisfaction
  • total number of program enrollees
  • total number of program graduates
  • maximum annual enrollment

Contact Information

Admissions
Clermont College
4200 Clermont College Drive
Batavia, OH 45103
(513) 558-8316
clermont.admissions@uc.edu

Find related programs in the following interest areas:

Program Code: 34ASC-RC-AAS