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Respiratory Therapy Program

Applications for Fall 2023 entrance through Fall 2025 entrance (RESP)

Application Timeline Campus Locations
Fall Enrollment - Apply in February Lincoln - Day

Admissions Guidelines

Minimum requirements to apply to the Respiratory Therapy program:

  • CCRI Application for Enrollment into General Studies with a pre-Respiratory Therapy (RESP) concentration.
  • Official copy of a high school transcript, GED® transcript or baccalaureate transcript from an accredited institution, including date of graduation or completion.
  • ACCUPLACER test issued by CCRI's Department of Advising and Counseling.
    • Reading Comprehension Requirement:
      • Score of 80 or above in Classic Accuplacer is required in Reading Comprehension
        or score of 253 or above in Next Generation Accuplacer is required in Reading Comprehension
        or ENGL 0890: Critical Reading with a grade of "B-" or better
        or a Bachelor's degree
  • Complete the following required prerequisite courses with a grade of "C" or better:
    • BIOL 2201: Anatomy & Physiology I and BIOL 2202: Anatomy & Physiology II 

    • MATH 1200: College Algebra
      MATH 1025 and MATH 1175 also meet this requirement
    • RESP 1000: Introduction to Respiratory Therapy
    • CHEM 1010: Survey of Biomedical Chemistry
      CHEM 1030 also meets this requirement
  • A minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 2.5 is required to apply to the program and be maintained until enrolled in Respiratory Therapy.

    All the above requirements must be met satisfactorily BEFORE submission of the Performance-Based Health Science (PBHS) application and does not guarantee acceptance.  Students declining acceptance into the program for the semester must resubmit a PBHS application for the program and meet current requirements.  Once accepted into the program, the student must attend a mandatory orientation conducted by the Allied and Rehabilitative Health Department.
  • Complete and submit an online PBHS application here.
    Deadlines are listed on the form.

Conditionally accepted students are required to complete the following:

    • When directed by notification from the Office of Enrollment Services, students must submit a background check
      Results of BCI may prevent admission due to clinical agencies' requirements.
    • Applicants must have a physical examination and the required immunizations completed prior to beginning the Respiratory Therapy program.
    • Students also must have a current CPR card (American Heart Association, Healthcare Provider level) obtained through an AHA-recognized community training center. This course is also available at CCRI (HEAL 0200). CPR must be documented prior to the start of the Respiratory Therapy program.

Final acceptance is based upon the completion of the above criteria.

Please note: Requirements are subject to change.
For more clarifying information regarding any of the above please contact the Office of Enrollment Services at:

  • Akintola Fayanjuola, Liston Campus, 401-456-6104, [email protected]
  • If more specific information is needed, contact Amy Chaves, the Respiratory Therapy Program Director, at 401-333-7024 or via email at [email protected]

Respiratory Therapy Program Admission Criteria Point System

The performance‐based acceptance process is based on the performance indicators identified for the program. A point system based on the admissions guidelines has been assigned to the performance criteria.

The criteria for the incoming class will include:

  • Grades in MATH 1200 (or MATH 1025 or 1175) and BIOL 2201 & BIOL 2202
  • Number of general education courses required for program completion:
    • BIOL 2202
    • BIOL 2210
    • PSYC 2010
  • ACCUPLACER reading score/degree completion
Grades for prerequisite courses CHEM 1010, MATH 1200 (or MATH 1025 or MATH 1175), and an average of the grades in BIOL 2201 & 2202* Each course's letter grade is converted to points and added
A     (4.0) 40 points
A-    (3.7) 37 points
B+   (3.3) 33 points
B     (3.0) 30 points
B-    (2.7) 27 points
C+   (2.3) 23 points
C     (2.0) 20 point
Maximum points 120 points 
   
Number of general education courses required for program completion: Points applied if the course(s) are completed before application to program
BIOL 2202 10 points
BIOL 2210 10 points
PSYC 2010 10 points
Maximum Points 30 points
   
ACCUPLACER Reading Comprehension Test* Score  
ACCUPLACER score of 90 or better  
or Next Generation ACCUPLACER score of 259 or better  
or a bachelor's degree   
or  a grade of "A" in ENGL 0890  
Maximum points 5 points (can only receive points once, even if multiple criteria are met)
   
Maximum Total Points 155 points

In the event of a tie, tie, grades for the required general education courses will be considered. Students will receive points based on the following scale:

Grades for courses required for program completion: ENGL 1010, BIOL 2210 and PSYC 2010 Each course's letter grade is converted to points and added
A    (4.0) 40 points
A-   (3.7) 37 points
B+  (3.3) 33 points
B    (3.0) 30 points
B-   (2.7) 27 points
C+  (2.3) 23 points
C    (2.0) 20 points
Maximum points 120 points
 

Credits granted through AP, CLEP, challenge exams or assessment of prior learning will be recognized as satisfying course requirements and will be assigned points equivalent to a grade of "B."

A student with a baccalaureate degree or higher may still be required to complete an ACCUPLACER test depending on the prerequisites for individual general education courses.

Please review the Department of Health website to learn about licensing requirements for the health sciences professions.

Please note: A Social Security number is required to begin the certification process for the health sciences professions.

For all potential applicants to the Respiratory Therapy Program:

Because we are constantly discovering new ways in which the human body works, BIOL 2202 or Anatomy & Physiology II MUST be taken within the five (5) years before your application to the program.  To put it more simply, if you have taken BIOL 2202 more than five years prior to admission into the Respiratory Therapy Program, you will be required to repeat the course.