B.S. in Respiratory Therapy at East Tennessee State University

Earn your bachelor’s degree in respiratory therapy from East Tennessee State University and impact the lives of cardiopulmonary patients. Through this program, you will study issues that affect the heart and lungs, such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, cystic fibrosis, and sleep apnea. You’ll also get hands-on experience performing diagnostic tests for lung capacity, administering breathing treatments, and recording patient progress. You’ll be prepared to provide expert patient care for cardiopulmonary patients in our region and beyond.

Career Opportunities and Professional Outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of respiratory therapists is projected to grow 13% from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations. The median annual salary for a respiratory therapist is $77,960. With a respiratory therapy degree, you can pursue a variety of careers related to cardiopulmonary care, such as:

• Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)
• Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT)
• Respiratory Therapy Educator
• Rehabilitation Specialist
• Sleep Technologist
• Asthma Educator
• Pharmaceutical Sales Representative for Respiratory Medications
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation Specialist
• Critical Care Transport Respiratory Therapist

Online Bachelor of Science - Degree Completion Program

This degree completion program is designed for healthcare professionals seeking to advance their expertise in respiratory care. Respiratory Theraptists can increase their prospects for hiring and promotion with this seamless pathway to earning a bachelor's degree. The fully-online Respiratory Therapy B.S. completion program offers students who have already completed an associate degree in respiratory therapy the chance to complete a bachelor’s degree in a relatively short period of time. While many 4-year universities will not accept the majority of transfer credit from Associate of Applied Science (AAS) programs, students who have already completed their associate degree will be awarded credit for 43 credit hours of major courses through the online degree completion program, allowing them to complete their bachelor’s degree in as few as 30 credit hours.

Admission Requirements and Steps to Apply

Interested students must have an associate of applied science degree in Respiratory Therapy and be licensed, or license-eligible, in the discipline. To begin the process, follow these steps:

1. Step 1 - Create your ETSU Application Account by choosing the "Sign Up" option.
2. Step 2 - Sign into the ETSU Application Portal and select "Start a New Application".
3. Step 3 - Choose "Undergraduate," select your student type, select your start term, then choose Respiratory Therapy and complete the remainder of the form.

The ETSU Respiratory Therapy program has 24 available seats in the program each fall semester, and the application deadline is May 15.

Program Costs and Financial Information

The costs associated with attending ETSU can include both direct and indirect costs. The following table provides an estimate of tuition per credit hour:

The **eRate applies to students living out of state and taking all web-based courses. Tuition discounts are available for border county students.

Accreditation and Institutional Excellence

The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Respiratory Therapy at East Tennessee State University, CoARC number 200398, is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). The College of Health Sciences is part of the university’s Academic Health Sciences Center (AHSC), which offers a robust combination of health sciences programs and patient-care facilities. Currently, ETSU is one of fewer than 125 institutions worldwide that are members of the Association of Academic Health Centers.