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Occupational Description
Respiratory therapists help diagnose, treat, rehabilitate and educate to prevent and manage cardiopulmonary diseases. Procedures performed by therapists include: environmental control, drug therapy, bronchopulmonary clearance techniques, and administration of medical gases.

Practitioners also provide ventilator support, pulmonary rehabilitation and CPR. They are skilled in airway maintenance, procurement and analysis of arterial blood gas samples and in the performance of pulmonary function tests.

Respiratory Therapists work primarily in hospitals caring for patients in nurseries, medical and surgical units, adult and pediatric intensive care units, and emergency rooms.

Employment opportunities also are available in nursing homes and rehabilitation hospitals, in organizations providing home care, physicians' offices and clinics, and in commercial organizations that manufacture and distribute medical supplies.

Overview of the Ball State University Program
This baccalaureate degree program prepares students for careers in Respiratory Therapy. The Ball State University program is offered in cooperation with Clarian Health in Indianapolis.

The program is divided into two components. The first (General Studies) component is completed on the BSU campus in Muncie, Indiana. The second (Professional Studies) component is offered in Indianapolis at Methodist Hospital with clinical sites throughout Central Indiana.

Program Admission, Application Process, and Acceptance 

Students may enter the General Studies portion of the program upon admission to the university; however, admission to the university does not guarantee acceptance to the Professional Studies phase of the program. Students may apply for admission to the Professional Studies portion of the program when the following requirements are met:

• 28 hours of required courses are completed
• 10 of these completed hours are in required math/science courses
• "C" or better in required math/science courses
• 2.5 overall GPA
• completion and documentation of at least three hours of clinical observation

Applications may be obtained in the Department of Physiology and Health Science office in CL 325. Complete the application, attach a copy of your Ball State University DAPR (Degree Audit Progress Report) showing fall grades and spring registration, your current, official BSU transcript, and transcripts from any other colleges and universities (other than BSU) you have attended.

The application deadline is January 1st of each year. Because of the limited number of clinical positions available, it may be the case that not all of the students meeting the minimum admission requirements will be admitted to the Professional Studies portion of the program. Qualified applicants will be required to meet with program faculty in Indianapolis before final selections are made.

Selection
Qualified applicants will be ranked based on their cumulative GPA. ALL undergraduate college credit attempted will be included in the computation of the GPA, including all attempted transfer hours.

Program Accreditation
The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. Graduates of the program receive a Bachelor of Science Degree in Respiratory Therapy, and are eligible to take the entry-level and advanced-practitioner examinations offered by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC). Successful completion of each examination allows the graduate to use credentials recognized throughout the nation.

Graduates are also eligible to take licensing examinations required in most states. Those states, including Indiana, which require licensure as part of their credentialing process use the entry-level examination offered by the NBRC.

Persons who have been convicted of a crime may wish to contact the Program Director prior to entering the program to determine if they will be permitted to take the licensing examination upon completion of the baccalaureate degree.

For more information about the Baccalaureate Degree in Respiratory Therapy, contact undergraduate departmental advisor Terrie Greenwalt at (765) 285-8368.

General Studies
The General Studies component includes 67 semester hours taken at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind. This phase of the program may be started during any semester; however, some courses are offered only during certain semesters each year. All required courses must be taken for credit on a letter-grade basis.

First Semester:

• ENG 103- English Composition 1. (3)*
• MATHS 125- Mathematics and Its Applications. (3)*
• CS 104- Introduction to Computers. (3)
• CHEM 101- General, Organic, and Biochemistry for the Health Sciences. (5)*
• PEFWL elective (2)*

*Fulfills a Core requirement

Second Semester:

• ENG 104- English Composition 2. (3)*
• MATHS 111- Intermediate Algebra. 
• COMM 210- Fundamentals of Public Communication. (3)*
• ANAT 201- Fundamentals of Human Anatomy. (3)**
• PSYSC 100- General Psychology. (3)*
• Fine Arts or Social/Behavioral Science elective (3)*

**Prerequiste waived

Third Semester:

• PHYSL 2105- Human Physiology 1. (5)
• HIST 150- The West in the World. (3)*
• PSYSC 241- Statistics. (3)
• PHIL 100- Introduction to Philosophy. (3)*
• International/Global Studies elective (3)*

Fourth Semester:

• BIO 113- Microbiology for the Health Sciences. (5)
• HSC 160- Fundamentals of Human Health. (3)*
• PHYCS 110- General Physics 1. (4)*
• Fine Arts or Social/Behavioral Science elective (3)*
  

Professional Studies
The clinical phase of the program, which includes 70 semester hours, begins at Clarian Health in Indianapolis each August and runs five semesters. Students attend courses taught in classrooms and laboratories at Methodist Hospital. Extensive clinical experience is obtained at hospitals and healthcare facilities throughout central Indiana. If, due to remedial courses, major change, etc., a student is unable to complete the General Studies component by the time the Professional Studies courses begin, it will be necessary to reapply the following year.

Fall Semester-Year 3

• AHSC 303- Introduction to Human Diseases for Respiratory Therapists. (2)
• AHSC 311- Cardiorespiratory Physiology. (3)
• AHSC 315- Cardiorespiratory Assessment and Patient Care. (3)
• AHSC 325- General Respiratory Care. (4)
• AHSC 326- Respiratory Care Techniques 1. (2)
• AHSC 333- Cardiorespiratory Pharmacology 1. (2)

Spring Semester-Year 3

• AHSC 350- Cardiorespiratory Diseases. (3)
• AHSC 355- Life Support. (3)
• AHSC 356- Respiratory Care Techniques 2. (2)
• AHSC 385- Respiratory Care Practicum 1. (3)
• AHSC 405- Neonatal - Pediatric Respiratory Care. (3)
• AHSC 444- Cardiorespiratory Pharmacology 2. (2)

Summer Session:

AHSC 395- Respiratory Care Practicum 2. (4)

Fall Semester-Year 4:

• AHSC 371- Pulmonary Diagnostics. (3)
• AHSC 420- Introduction to Research in Respiratory Care. (2)
• AHSC 451- Cardiorespiratory Monitoring and Special Techniques. (3)
• AHSC 456- Respiratory Care Practicum 3. (6)
• AHSC 461- Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Geriatrics. (3)

Spring Semester-Year 4:

• AHSC 430- Management and Leadership for Respiratory Care. (3)
• AHSC 440- Advanced Cardiac Life Support. (2)
• AHSC 445- Seminar in Cardiorespiratory Care. (3)
• AHSC 480- Patient Education Techniques for Respiratory Therapists. (3)
• AHSC 485- Respiratory Care Practicum 4. (6)