Jun 05, 2025  
2025-2026 Gaston College Catalog and Student Handbook 
    
2025-2026 Gaston College Catalog and Student Handbook

Respiratory Therapy, A.A.S. (A45720)


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Courses required to meet graduation requirements in this curriculum are offered during daytime hours. Minimum time for completion: five semesters full-time attendance. The Associate of Applied Science degree is awarded graduates of this curriculum.

The Respiratory Therapy curriculum prepares individuals to function as respiratory therapists through demonstrated competence in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning domains of respiratory care practice. Graduates perform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures with exposure to current and emerging practice settings.

The curriculum prepares graduates to operate within inter-professional teams and effectively communicate with clients/patients of various ages, ethnicities, and cultures. Application of problem solving strategies, applying ethical decision making, and understanding professional responsibilities are emphasized.

Graduates are eligible to complete the credentialing process through the National Board for Respiratory Care, which will qualify them for a license to practice in a variety of healthcare settings with responsibilities for assessment, treatment, management and education of patients with cardiopulmonary diseases.

The Respiratory Therapy curriculum prepares individuals to function as respiratory graduates with demonstrated competence in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior), learning domains of respiratory care practice as performed by Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRT).

Note: Students must complete college level chemistry (CHM 100 or greater), 4 credit hours, prior to admission into the Respiratory Therapy program.

General Education Courses


Total Program Hours: 73


Developmental Course Requirements


Developmental coursework (both prerequisite and corequisite) will be required of students whose placement test measures indicate a need for greater proficiency in the areas of English and/or mathematics. Please refer to the Course Description section for prerequisite and corequisite course information.

Suggested Program Sequence Day


Total Program Hours: 73


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