Harper College will be closed on Monday, September 7, in observance of Labor Day.
COMING SOON! Harper College has been working with leading area hospitals to develop an accredited Respiratory Therapist degree program.
This 69 credit-hour Respiratory Care Science degree program prepares students to practice as nationally credentialed respiratory care practitioners serving as key members of the healthcare team. Skilled in assessing patients with breathing disorders in the emergency room, intensive care units and many other areas in healthcare facilities, respiratory therapists work directly with physicians on newborn, pediatric or adult patients to analyze oxygen levels and breathing difficulty. Therapists administer prescribed medications to relieve breathing distress, provide pulmonary/lung therapies, and conduct lung diagnostics for all ages. Graduates find employment in many settings such as hospitals, pulmonary rehabilitation clinics, doctors' offices, sleep labs, homecare, and air-life transport teams as they provide direct patient care in the emergency room, newborn/pediatric/adult intensive care units, and many other essential areas.
Respiratory care students will attend lab and lecture classes and engage in experiential clinical rotations in area hospitals. The proposed AAS degree program is seeking accreditation from The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) which will qualify graduates to sit for national board credentialing exams to become a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) through the National Board for Respiratory Care immediately upon degree completion.
Respiratory Care Science is a limited enrollment program. For admission requirements, please contact the Admissions Outreach Office at 847.925.6700 or visit harpercollege.edu. Students who apply for this limited enrollment program are obligated to meet the current admission requirements and follow program curriculum as defined at the time of acceptance to the program.
Respiratory Care Science is a limited enrollment program. For admission requirements, please contact the Admissions Outreach Office at 847.925.6700 or visit harpercollege.edu. Students who apply for this limited enrollment program are obligated to meet the current admission requirements and follow program curriculum as defined at the time of acceptance to the program.
| Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
Prerequisites | ||
| A grade of C or better in all BIO, HSC and ENG coursework is required for all students. | ||
| BIO 260 | Human Anatomy | 4 |
| ENG 101 | Composition I | 3 |
| HSC 112 | Medical Terminology | 2 |
| MTH 102 | General Education Mathematics1 | 3 |
| Hours | 12 | |
First Semester | ||
| A grade of C or better in all RCS coursework is required for all students. | ||
| RCS 101 | Fundamentals of Respiratory Care | 3 |
| RCS 102 | Respiratory Care Instrumentation I | 3 |
| RCS 103 | Pharmacology for Respiratory Care | 2 |
| RCS 104 | Cardioplumonary Anatomy and Physiology | 2 |
| RCS 105 | Respiratory Care Clinical Practice I | 3 |
| Hours | 13 | |
Second Semester | ||
| A grade of C or better in all RCS coursework is required for all students. | ||
| RCS 106 | Cardiopulmonary Disease | 3 |
| RCS 107 | Critical Care Concepts | 3 |
| RCS 108 | Respiratory Care Instrumentation II | 3 |
| RCS 109 | Respiratory Care Clinical Practice II | 3 |
| Hours | 12 | |
Third Semester | ||
| A grade of C or better in all RCS coursework is required for all students. | ||
| RCS 210 | Respiratory Care Clinical Practice III | 3 |
| RCS 211 | Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Care | 2 |
| SPE 101 | Fundamentals of Speech Communication | 3 |
| Hours | 8 | |
Fourth Semester | ||
| A grade of C or better in all RCS coursework is required for all students. | ||
| BIO 230 | Microbiology | 4 |
| RCS 212 | Mechanical Ventilation | 3 |
| RCS 213 | Respiratory Care Clinical Practice IV | 3 |
| RCS 214 | Respiratory Care Rehabilitation/Diagnostics | 2 |
| Hours | 12 | |
Fifth Semester | ||
| A grade of C or better in all RCS and CHM coursework is required for all students. | ||
| CHM 100 | Chemistry for the Health Sciences | 4 |
| PSY 101 | Introduction to Psychology+ | 3 |
| RCS 215 | Respiratory Care Research | 2 |
| RCS 216 | Respiratory Care ICU Internship | 3 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 69 | |
This course meets the World Culture and Diversity graduation requirement.
MTH 102 or higher.
For more information about starting your career as a respiratory therapist at Harper, please contact Admissions Outreach at 847.925.6700 or fill out our request information form.