General Admission Requirements
Courses to Take the First Two Years
Obtain an Application for Admission
Contact an Admissions Counselor
An Admissions Counselor will be glad to answer your questions via e-mail or to give you a call. Please include your complete telephone number in message.
Graduate Education Opportunities for Respiratory Therapy
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Career Opportunities in Health Science
Respiratory Therapy
Bachelor of
Science
Degree Completion for Registered Respiratory Therapists
On-Campus
Print Version (4 page PDF file)
Advancing Your Career
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 MCG Program
The B.S. Degree Completion program enables working
individuals to earn a degree
through flexible scheduling with a curriculum
individually tailored to the student’s
interests, needs and background. The program
has a low student-toteacher ratio
and strongly emphasizes professional and
academic growth.
The B.S. Degree Completion program requires only 30 semester hours at MCG for most registered respiratory therapists with an associate degree.The length of the program 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 Requirements
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 scoreof 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.
Technical Standards
In addition to demonstrating personal
characteristics appropriate for a health professions
career, students must satisfy general and specific
technical standards for this program. Please visit
www.mcg.edu/sah/respther/techstandards.htm to
review these requirements.
Professional Licensure Credit
Upon successful completion of the academic and
professional requirements established by the
Department of Respiratory Therapy and the Medical
College of Georgia, the following upper-division
courses will be credited by proof of
successful completion of the Registered
Respiratory Therapist (RRT) exam, the
advanced practice exam administered by the
National Board for Respiratory Care(NBRC):
| RESP 3199 | Medical Terminology | (1) |
| RESP 3204 | Fundamentals of Respiratory Care Practice I | (4) |
| RESP 3208 | Fundamentals of Respiratory Care Practice I Lab | (2) |
| RESP 3304 | Fundamentals of Respiratory Care Practice II | (2) |
| RESP 3308 | Fundamentals of Respiratory Care Practice II Lab | (1) |
| RESP 3212 | Respiratory Care Pharmacology | (3) |
| RESP 4650 | Respiratory Care Seminar | (2) |
| RESP 3325 | Clinical I | (4) |
| RESP 4428 | Clinical IV | (6) |
| RESP 4430 | Clinical VI | (3) |
| RESP 4431 | Clinical VII | (2) |
| Total credit: | 30 semester hours | |
Estimated Full-Time Academic Expenses
| Tuition | Fees | Books/Supplies/Other | |
| Per semester | $2,044* | 343.50 | 1000** |
* Non-residents of Georgia pay an additional $5,730 tuition per semester. Residents of Aiken and Edgefield counties in South Carolina and Russell and Lee counties in Alabama receive a waiver of non-resident tuition.
** Costs vary by major. Please check with your department for details.
(Costs are for 2007-2008. All tuition charges, board, room rent or other charges are subject to change at the end of any academic term. An increase of 3-5% per year is expected.))
Estimated Living Expenses
| Off-Campus | Off-Campus | Commuter | |
| 9 months | $15,282 | $17,262 | $11,950 |
| 12 months | $20,376 | $23,016 | $15,080 |
Financial Aid
MCG participates in all federal student aid programs. Educational assistance may be available for students who want to work in rural Georgia. MCG helps students fund their education through grants, scholarships, loans, a service commitment program and/or employment. MCG students are very competitive for national, regional and local scholarships for the first and second years.
Academic Common Market
The MCG Department of Respiratory Therapy participates in the Academic
Common Market. Students from Delaware, South Carolina and Virginia may petition
their home state to learn whether they qualify for in-state tuition at MCG.
Accreditation
Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care
1248 Harwood Road
Bedford, Texas 76012-4244
(817) 283-2835
When to Apply
A complete application must be received one month
prior to the beginning of the
semester in which you plan to attend. Earlier
application is encouraged.
How to Get an Application
To receive an application for this career field, visit
www.mcg.edu/admissions, or call or
write:
Office of Academic Admissions
170 Kelly Building–Administration
Medical College of Georgia
Augusta, Georgia 30912
Telephone: (706) 721-2725 or 1-800-519-3388
E-mail:
Web site: www.mcg.edu/admissions
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an application deadline?
No. Students may apply at any time. However, you should apply at least one month before the beginning of the semester in which you plan to attend.
Do I need to complete all of my core courses before entering the program?
Yes. The core requirements must be completed before you can be admitted to the Degree Completion Program. However, application can be made prior to completion of the core. Therefore, students are encouraged to apply early to allow for review of their current academic status. Early acceptance (or guaranteed acceptance) can be offered contingent upon an applicant’s completion of the 60 hours of academic core.
If you are interested in the Degree Completion Program, you are encouraged to contact the MCG Respiratory Therapy Department as soon as possible. We will provide counseling in regard to eligibility requirements.
Can I attend the program part-time?
Yes. Various courses are offered each semester at MCG for students to take on campus. Other courses are offered via the web as web-based learning. The web-based courses are designed to require no or minimal travel to the MCG campus during the semester. Therefore, Degree Completion students who wish to earn their bachelor’s degree part-time can do so with minimal impact to their current jobs and family life. The Degree Completion program is designed so that full-time students will complete the program in as few as three semesters and part-time students who take five credit hours per semester can complete the program in six semesters.
What do you mean by proof of certification in CPR and first aid?
We require a copy of your card validating CPR certification through your first semester on campus and proof that you have completed a first aid course. The course need not be completed before you apply, but you must submit the information before admittance. We strongly recommend the American Heart Association’s CPR program for health care providers. CPR certification is required for all clinical rotations.
What about my references?
MCG requires two references for admission. We prefer recent academic, clinical or employment references.
Can I get credit for the courses I took in my previous respiratory therapy program?
The B.S. program requires 60 hours of academic core and 60 hours of professional core. Credit toward the professional core is given for your professional credential; we award 30 hours for the RRT credential. Most students who earn their RRT credential through an associate program will already have completed at least 30 hours of the academic core and many will have earned much more. Depending on the accreditation of the college you attended, these courses may transfer as academic core courses. Upon application and receipt of your official transcripts, a transcript evaluation will be performed by the MCG Office of Academic Admissions and forwarded to you and our department.
What if I take U.S./American History and American Government courses in a college outside of Georgia?
The U.S. History and U.S. Government legislative requirements will be satisfied; however, the Georgia History and Georgia Constitution legislative requirements will not be. Georgia also requires the Regents Exam for writing and essay. These requirements can be satisfied by exam after enrollment at MCG.
I haven’t been in school for a long time. Will I have to retake any courses?
Probably not. Depending on the accreditation of the college you attended, most of the core courses should transfer if they match the current core descriptions. This will be determined when the transcripts are officially evaluated by the Office of Academic Admissions.
I am a certified respiratory therapist (CRT). Can I attend the DEGREE COMPLETION Program?
Applicants for the Degree Completion Program must have the registered respiratory therapist (RRT) credentials from the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC). CRTs who complete the academic core may be eligible to sit for the RRT exam. CRTs are encouraged to check on their RRT eligibility with the NBRC.
Where can I obtain the academic core?
Academic core can be obtained at accredited colleges and universities. However, MCG will not accept credit from some schools. Applicants should check with the MCG Office of Academic Admissions on the transferability of credit prior to attempting their core course work. Many accredited colleges and universities now offer core courses as on-line instruction. Please check with the colleges in your area to see if this is a viable option for you.