Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care
The Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care program allows current students, recent graduates, and licensed Respiratory Care Practitioners (RCP) a pathway to complete a four-year degree. The program provides needed skills to enhance RCPs performance and professional advancement in today’s healthcare environment.
Increasingly, Respiratory Care Practitioners are taking on responsibilities, formerly conducted by physicians, requiring a distinguished level of critical thinking and analytical skills.
The Baccalaureate Degree Advancement in Respiratory Care at Skyline College is designed
to equip respiratory care professionals with the advanced knowledge and skills necessary
to pursue leadership and management positions, engage in health-related research,
provide advanced-level patient care, and contribute to the field as educators. The
program is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care
(CoARC).
(Program Number: 510016)
Offered entirely online, the Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care (BSRC) Program is structured to support the needs of working professionals. It promotes academic independence while providing structured guidance from experienced and dedicated faculty.
The BSRC program is fully aligned with the degree standards established by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and the California Community College Baccalaureate Degree Program (CCC-BDP) Committee, ensuring full compliance with both state and regional accreditation requirements.
The program consists of a total of 120 semester units, distributed as follows:
- At the Associate Level, this includes:
- 46 units of Respiratory Care (ASRC) major coursework
- 34 General education courses fulfilling Cal-GETC (California General Education Transfer Curriculum) requirements
- At the Bachelor Level, this includes:
- A minimum of 40 semester units, which consist of the BSRC upper-division major coursework and upper-division general education
See the Bachelor’s in Science in Respiratory Care degree for further requirements.
Associate's in Respiratory Care to Bachelor's in Respiratory Care
A Pathway to Skyline College’s Respiratory Care Baccalaureate Degree for Students Who Have Already Achieved an Associate’s Degree in Respiratory Care from A Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) Approved College.
Students who wish to pursue a Bachelor’s of Science (BS) degree in Respiratory Care at Skyline College, who have already been awarded an Associate’s Degree in Respiratory Care from a CoARC accredited college or university in the United States, will be exempt from the Bachelor’s Degree lower division major coursework requirements with the exception of three prerequisite courses (RPTH 450: Respiratory Diseases II, RPTH 485: Clinical Medicine Seminar and Professional Development, and RPTH 490: Neonatal and Pediatric Respiratory Care). The evaluation of these three prerequisite courses will be done individually by the SMCCCD Transcript Evaluation Services*.
For more information, visit the district Transcript Evaluation Service website.
*Skyline College Respiratory Care faculty have created a crosswalk to assist in the individual evaluation of prerequisite courses. Please see chart below.
Course Articulation
| Other College | Skyline RPTH 450 Respiratory Diseases II (3 units) | Skyline RPTH 485 Clinical Medicine Seminar and Professional Development (2 units) | Skyline RPTH 490 Neonatal and Pediatric Respiratory Care (2.5 units) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foothill College | RSPT 51 C Patient Assessment and Pulmonary Disease (4 units) and RSPT 63 Advanced Pathophysiology and Patient Management (3 units) | RSPT 62 Management, Resume and National Board Exam (1 Unit) | RSPT 61B Neonatal Respiratory Care (3 units) RSPT 61 D Pediatric Respiratory Care (2 units) |
| Ohlone College | RT-258 Patient Care II Respiratory Pathophysiology (1.5 Units) and RT-323 Advanced Respiratory Pathophysiology (2 Units) | RT 385 Respiratory Computer Simulation, Graduation and NBRC Preparations (1.5 Units) | RT 297 - Neonatal and Pediatric Respiratory Care (2 units) and RT-330 Clinical Practicum in Neonatal and Pediatric Respiratory Care (1.5 units) |
| American River College | RC 110 Cardiopulmonary Pathologies for Respiratory Care (4 Units) | RC 140 Professional Development in Respiratory Care (2 Units) and RC 295 Independent Studies in Respiratory Care (1-3 Units) | RC 130 Respiratory Care in Neonatal and Pediatric Populations & Diagnostic Studies (3 units) and RC 131 Respiratory Care in Neonatal and Pediatric Populations & Diagnostic Studies Laboratory (1 Unit) |
| Napa Valley College | RESP 150 Respiratory Care Theroy II (3 Units) RESP 230 Respiratory Care Topics I (1 unit) | RESP 280 Respiratory Care Topics II (2 Units) | RESP-220 Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Care (4 Units) RESP 230 Respiratory Care Topics I (1 unit) |