Program Overview
The Respiratory Therapy Associate Degree Program prepares students to evaluate, treat, and manage patients with cardiopulmonary disorders in diverse healthcare settings. The program combines didactic coursework, laboratory simulation, and extensive clinical experience to develop competency in patient assessment, diagnostic testing, therapeutic intervention, and life-support management. Students complete 800 clinical hours in diverse settings: adult critical care, neonatal/pediatric intensive care, emergency/trauma, pulmonary rehabilitation, and home care. Graduates are eligible to sit for the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) Therapist Examination (TMC) and, upon achieving the high cut score, may proceed to the NBRC Clinical Simulation Examination (CSE) to earn the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential.
This program is part of MWTEC (Michigan Workforce Training and Education Collaboration). All RTT courses are completed online through MWTEC. All RTT courses are charged at a rate established by MWTEC. This rate differs from the Southwestern Michigan College tuition rate. NOTE: This is a competitive admission program, limited seats are available. An approved Department application is needed prior to acceptance into the RTT course sequence. The RTT course sequence is Fall start only.
To earn this degree, students must fulfill all requirements as defined by the Graduation Requirements for Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) Degree Programs . Each student should submit a graduation application at least one full semester before they plan to graduate. Courses taken out of sequence may delay a student’s ability to complete the program in a timely manner. Please refer to the Example Course Sequencing below and consult your advisor regularly.
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