Degree Description

The Respiratory Therapist is a health care professional who specializes in the application of scientific knowledge in providing and supporting the cardiopulmonary requirements for a wide variety of patients that include newborn infants, children, adults and the elderly. Respiratory Therapists work under the direction of a physician to assess, manage, treat, educate and care for patients with a wide range of cardiopulmonary disorders. The Respiratory Therapist works in a collaborative fashion with other health care providers to restore the cardiopulmonary health of the patient. The main career opportunities for Respiratory Therapy are found in: acute care hospitals, post-acute care centers, home care, pulmonary function laboratories, pulmonary rehabilitation clinics, and asthma clinics. Additional opportunities may be found in: sleep medicine centers, hyperbaric medicine, respiratory education, air transport, physician’s offices, medical research, armed services and as traveling therapists.

Career Possibilities

A degree in Respiratory Therapy offers many career opportunities. Career Coach allows you to explore different career options for the degree you are pursuing. You can even take a look at each job title to see an in-depth overview, salary, job growth, and live job postings.

Explore the Career Coach for Respiratory Therapy

Degree Pathway

Degree Pathways outline one possible sequence of courses students may complete to fulfill their degree requirements as full-time students over the course of two years.

Program Information & Forms