Respiratory Care Bachelor's in Science Degree Program

The Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care program offers graduates of CoARC-accredited, AS degree Respiratory Care programs and licensed Respiratory Care Practitioners (RCPs) a pathway to complete their four-year degree without the need to transfer to a four-year college or university.

The curriculum provides advanced education in key areas, including cardiopulmonary pathophysiology, respiratory case management, neonatal/pediatric respiratory care, health education in respiratory care, research methodology, quantitative principles, sleep medicine in respiratory care, and leadership and management in the field.

As the role of Respiratory Care Practitioners continues to evolve, with practitioners increasingly taking on responsibilities once reserved for physicians, this program is designed to equip students with the critical thinking, analytical skills, and specialized knowledge necessary to excel in these advanced roles.

The Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care program requires the completion of up to 120 semester units including lower and upper-division general education coursework in alignment with the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) requirements and 74 semester units in Respiratory Care.

Program Requirements:

• Completion of lower division major coursework (or equivalent)
• Skyline College CoARC-accredited associate in science (AS) Degree in Respiratory Care (46 units)

• Cal-GETC General EducationRequirements:
• Lower-division semester units (34 units)
• Upper-division Major Coursework in Respiratory Care (28 units)
• Upper-division General Education (12 units)

The cost of tuition is $130 per unit for upper-division coursework, much less than at a four-year institution.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS, SELECTION PROCEDURES, AND GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

Admission to the Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care is by special application and can be found on the Respiratory Care Program website: http://skylinecollege.edu/respiratorycarebachelors/. Students are admitted into the program twice a year, in the Fall and Spring semesters. The program can accommodate up to 70 students.

Application Requirements:

To apply students must:

• Have completed an associate degree in Respiratory Care from a CoARC-accredited program.
• Completed the following prerequisite courses.
• English Composition: ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000E, or equivalent
• Oral Communication*: COMM C1000, or equivalent
• Critical Thinking and Composition: ENGL C1001 or ENGL 165, or equivalent
• College-level Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning (Introduction to Statistics is highly recommended).
• Be licensed or eligible for licensure as a Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP).

*Students with catalog rights before Fall 2025, who successfully completed a CSU GE-Breath Area A1 or IGETC Area 1C course, will have been deemed to have met the Oral Communication requirement.

Selection procedures: (based on criteria approved by the Skyline College Administration and consistent with state regulations)

• Applicants will be accepted annually until the maximum student threshold of 70 is reached.
• If more applicants are received than space allows, a lottery system will be implemented, and a waiting list will be formed.

Priority will be granted to students who are enrolled in the A.S. Respiratory Care program at Skyline College and intend to continue to B.S. Respiratory Care Program and have completed 34 Cal-GETC lower-division GE units.

Remaining seats will be granted to the following applicants:

• Applicants who have completed an associate degree in Respiratory Care from an accredited program outside of Skyline College, are California licensure eligible, have completed 34 Cal-GETC lower-division GE units, and submitted all application materials.
• Respiratory Care Practitioners who have completed an accredited Respiratory Care Program equivalent to an A.S. in Respiratory Care, are California licensure eligible, have completed and submitted all application materials, and have completed 34 Cal-GETC lower-division GE units.

For further information, please visit the program website at https://skylinecollege.edu/respiratorycarebachelors/

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

To graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care, students must meet the following requirements.

• Complete 120 semester units to include lower-division and upper-division major and general education requirements.
• Earn a minimum grade point average (GPA) of at least a 2.0 in all coursework applied to the degree.
• Minimum grade of "C" or better in all major course requirements.
• Certified completion of the Cal-GETC General Education pattern.
• A minimum of 12 units must be completed in residence at Skyline College.