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Career Information
The Bachelor of Science Degree Completion Program enables registered respiratory therapists to earn a bachelor’s degree in the field with minimal disruption to their lives and livelihoods. A bachelor’s degree can increase base pay and enhance competitiveness for positions such as disease or case manager, clinical educator, supervisor, departmental director, medical equipment marketer, clinical specialist and pharmaceutical representative.
The percentage of respiratory therapists with higher degrees has increased considerably since 2000, according to a 2005 study of the American Association for Respiratory Care. Approximately a third of respiratory therapists have a bachelor’s or graduate degree. Average salaries for experienced respiratory therapists range from $50,000 to $70,000, depending on job responsibilities, education and location. The field is particularly lucrative in private industry.
The program enables working individuals to earn a degree through flexible scheduling with a curriculum tailored to the student’s interests, needs and background. The program has a low student-to-teacher ratio and strongly emphasizes professional and academic growth.
The program requires 30 semester hours at GHSU for most registered respiratory therapists with an associate degree. The length may vary depending on the student’s experience and the number of general education courses needed. Course work includes lectures,Web-based learning, individualized independent study and clinical training in such diverse areas as perinatal/pediatrics, burn care, pulmonary functions and diagnostic sleep studies.
Admission is based on college grade point average, personal interview, references and assessment of professional qualities needed to complete the program. Admission criteria include current National Board for Respiratory Care credentials as a registered respiratory therapist; a minimum overall GPA of 2.30; current cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first-aid certification; and a minimum TOEFL score of 500 and TSE-P score of 45 for applicants whose first language is not English. Completion of the CPR for Professional Rescuers course is strongly recommended. Computer literacy is expected.
In addition to demonstrating personal characteristics appropriate for a health professions career, students must satisfy general and specific technical standards. Visit www.georgiahealth.edu/sah/respther/techstandards.htm to review these requirements.
GHSU participates in all federal student aid programs. Educational assistance may be available for students who want to work in rural Georgia. GHSU helps students fund their education through grants, scholarships, loans, a service commitment program and/or employment. GHSU students are very competitive for national, regional and local scholarships for the first and second years.
Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care
1248 Harwood Road
Bedford,Texas 76012-4244
817-283-2835
A complete application must be received one month before the beginning of the semester in which you plan to attend. Earlier application is encouraged.
Apply online at www.georgiahealth.edu/Admissions, or contact:
Office of Admissions
170 Kelly Building–Administration
Georgia Health Sciences University
Augusta, Georgia 30912
Telephone: 706-721-2725
800-519-3388
E-mail: Admissions@georgiahealth.edu
Courses to Take the First Two Years
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The program’s core curriculum is divided into six categories (A-F). Options for completing these prerequisites for transfer to GHSU:
| A. Essential Skills |
9 semester hours |
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| English Composition I |
3 hours |
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| English Composition II |
3 hours |
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| (literature-based) |
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College Algebra, Mathematical Modeling,
Trigonometry, Pre-calculus or Calculus |
3 hours |
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| B. Institutional Options** |
4-5 semester hours |
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Introduction to Computers
Critical Thinking
Creative Writing
Ethics
Health and Wellness
Statistics
Economics
Speech
Medical Terminology
Any approved guided elective from Area F |
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| C. Humanities and Fine Arts** |
6 semester hours |
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Ethics
Foreign Language
Speech, Oral Communications
Literature
Philosophy
Drama, Art or Music Appreciation
Logic
Electives in Humanities and Fine Arts
Religion |
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| D. Science, Mathematics and Technology |
10-11 semester hours |
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| One eight-hour laboratory course sequence in biology, chemistry or physics and an additional course in mathematics, science or technology. |
| E. Social Science** |
12 semester hours |
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U.S. History
U.S. Government
Other History
Economics
Psychology
Sociology
Anthropology
Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups
Lower-division electives in Psychology and Sociology
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| F. Courses Appropriate to the Major |
18 semester hours |
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| Anatomy and Physiology I and II w/labs |
8 hours |
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| Microbiology |
4 hours |
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Guided electives
Biology,* Chemistry,* Research
Methods, Human Development,
Physics, Statistics |
6 hours |
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* If this is taken in another area of the core, additional hours would be taken in additional guided electives to total 18 semester hours.
** If a student planning to transfer to GHSU from another school in the University System of Georgia has completed this area with courses taken there or at another institution from which GHSU accepts transfer credit, GHSU will accept the area as satisfied. A student planning to transfer from a school not in the University System of Georgia should choose from the list of courses.
Estimated Tuition and Fees
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For estimated tuition and fees, please see the Tuition and Fees section of this catalog.
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