Degree Offered
- Bachelor of Science
Nature of the Program
Respiratory professionals are members of the interprofessional care team who work with physicians and other care providers to support optimal patient outcomes. They assist in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of patients and perform specialized work to target the improvement of breathing difficulties. They provide care to patients of all ages in a variety of work environments, which leads to excellent career opportunities.
Respiratory therapists perform a wide range of services, including delivery of therapeutics to neonatal, pediatric, and adult populations; patient transportation; hemodynamic and critical care monitoring of patients; delivery of specialized pulmonary diagnostic testing within acute and outpatient areas; ventilator management; and sleep studies.
Students may be directly admitted into the BS in Respiratory Therapy program as incoming first-year students. Students currently in another major at WVU or attending another accredited college or university are welcome to apply to the program via the indirect pathway. Students pursuing program admission consideration via the indirect pathway should complete the required prerequisite courses which will prepare them for application to the Respiratory Therapy major, typically occurring during the sophomore year.
During the junior year (the first year of the professional curriculum), coursework includes core courses that introduce the student to the field of respiratory therapy and to clinical practice. During the senior year (the second year of the professional curriculum), students continue to receive didactic instruction, as well as intensive clinical experience with one or more affiliates. Students must provide their own transportation and housing during clinical rotations.
Administration
Program Director
- Michael B. Mehall - MEd, BSRT, RRT, RRTR-ACCS, RRT-NPS, CPFT (American Intercontinental University)
Assistant Professor
Medical Director
- Sunil Sharma - MD (Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research)
Division Chief and Professor, Division of Pulmonary/Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
Director of Clinical Education
- Keleigh Pershina - MHA, BSRT, RRT, RRT-ACCS, RRT-NPS, RRT-SDS, CPFT, CTTS (Oklahoma State University)
Assistant Professor
Faculty
Professor
- Sunil Sharma - MD (Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research)
Professor, Division of Pulmonary/Critical Care & Sleep Medicine and Medical Director, Respiratory Therapy Program
Assistant Professors
- Michael B. Mehall - MEd, BSRT, RRT, RRT-ACCS, RRT-NPS, CPFT (American Intercontinental University)
Program Director - Keleigh Pershina - MHA, BSRT, RRT, RRT-ACCS, RRT-NPS, RRT-SDS, CPFT, CTTS (Oklahoma State University)
Director of Clinical Education
Admissions for 2025-2026
Direct Admit
Entering WVU freshman who have a minimum overall high school GPA of 2.75 and meet all other general admission requirements to the University may be provisionally admitted into the respiratory therapy major, space permitting. Applicants who do not meet the provisional admission requirements will be placed in the Healthcare Pathway in the Center for Learning, Advising and Student Success (CLASS), where they may pursue prerequisite coursework.
Students will be provisionally admitted on a rolling basis, with a priority deadline of December 1. Due to current accreditation requirements, sixteen students per cohort, per year can enroll in the respiratory therapy program, thus academic deposits will also be accepted on a rolling basis until the class is filled. The program anticipates a competitive process for the limited number of seats in this new program, therefore interested candidates are strongly encouraged to apply and if admitted, deposit as early as possible.
For the first sixteen provisionally admitted students who submit their academic deposit, their admission status will be updated to reflect that they are fully admitted. Students who were provisionally admitted but are not one of the first sixteen to deposit will be placed within the (CLASS) pathway and future admission is not guaranteed. However, CLASS students may apply for admission consideration (if seats would become available) using the RT indirect pathway process reflected below.
Should the program cohort not receive maximum enrollment of direct admission pathway (high school) applicants by December 1, the program will continue to assess new high school candidates in an ongoing manner and also open the admission process to consider qualified indirect admission pathway students. This process will occur until the program has filled the vacant cohort seats.
Indirect Admit
The indirect admission pathway will be available to change of major applicants currently enrolled in another major at WVU and transfer students.
Students/applicants from the indirect pathways that wish to apply for admission consideration into the respiratory therapy program must meet all the following:
- Possess a minimum overall GPA of 2.50 or higher.
- Fulfill all other general admission requirements for WVU.
- Complete all components of the online application and Health Science Application Supplemental Information (HSASI) (available via the Respiratory Therapy program website). The HSASI contains multiple components which will be utilized to assess candidates to determine which applicants are selected for admission to fill any vacant seats in the program. The program will utilize the HSASI to assess all candidates on a 5-criteria scoring system. The highest overall score achieved by applicants from the 5 criteria components reflected below will be offered admission into the RT Program until the cohort is full. If two or more applicants achieve the highest scores but the same score, then the candidate(s) with the highest overall GPA will be offered the seat.
Entry into Professional Phase
Regardless of entry method (direct or indirect), students admitted into the BSRT program must complete the following criteria prior to transitioning (entering) into the professional phase of the program (typically Fall term, junior year).
- Possess a minimum overall GPA of 2.50 or higher.
- Complete PALM 205 (3 credits) and PALM 206 (lab 1 credit) or PSIO 107 (4 credits) with a minimum final course grade of C of higher.
- Successfully pass all the following prerequisite courses:
- General Biology I and Lab (4 hrs): BIOL 101 and 101L or BIOL 115 and 115L or equivalent
- General Biology II and Lab (4 hrs): BIOL 102 and 102L or BIOL 117 and 117L or equivalent
- Introductory Chemistry and Lab (4 hrs): CHEM 111 and 111L or CHEM 115 and 115L or equivalent
- Composition and Rhetoric I (3 hrs): ENGL 101 or equivalent
- Public Communication (3 hrs): COMM 104 or MDS 270 or equivalent
- Introductory Psychology (3 hrs): PSYC 101 or equivalent
- Review and meet all the Technical Standards requirements of the program.
- Complete all components of the Student Professional Phase Core Requirements Policy (at least 30 days prior to the start of the professional phase) including health insurance verification, health examination/health form, immunization and titer requirements, drug screen, and clearances required within the program.
Major Code: 8321
General Education Foundations
Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.
NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations | ||
| F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
| F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
| F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
| F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
| F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
| F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
| F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
| F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 31-37 | |
Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.
Curriculum Requirements
The first two years of study consist of a pre-professional curriculum where students complete prerequisite, recommended support, and general education courses while the last two years consist of the respiratory therapy professional curriculum. The pre-professional curriculum can be completed at the main campus, one of the WVU regional campuses, or any regionally accredited college or university.
The third and fourth years target detailed respiratory therapy content with the inclusion of hands-on laboratory and clinical education activities. The program includes didactic education which is strongly complemented by a series of robust clinical courses which are coordinated with the program's clinical partners, including WVU Medicine.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| University Requirements | 13 | |
| Respiratory Therapy Pre-Professional Requirements | 48 | |
| Respiratory Therapy Major Requirements | 67 | |
| Total Hours | 128 | |
University Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
| Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 6, and 7 | 12 | |
| RT 191 | First-Year Seminar | 1 |
| Total Hours | 13 | |
Respiratory Therapy Pre-Professional Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 101 & 101L | General Biology 1 and General Biology 1 Laboratory (GEF 2) | 4 |
| or BIOL 115 & 115L | Principles of Biology and Principles of Biology Laboratory | |
| BIOL 102 & 102L | General Biology 2 and General Biology 2 Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
| or BIOL 117 & 117L | Introductory Physiology and Introductory Physiology Laboratory | |
| CHEM 111 & 111L | Survey of General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry 1 and Survey of Chemistry 1 Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
| or CHEM 115 & 115L | Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 Laboratory | |
| COMM 104 | Fundamentals of Public Communication | 3 |
| or MDS 270 | Effective Public Speaking | |
| HIIM 110 | Introduction to U.S. Healthcare Delivery System | 3 |
| HIIM 351 | Healthcare Data Privacy, Confidentiality, and Security | 3 |
| MATH 124 | Algebra with Applications (GEF 3) | 3 |
| PALM 200 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| PALM 205 & PALM 206 | Introduction to Human Anatomy and Human Anatomy Laboratory | 4 |
| or PSIO 107 | Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology | |
| PHIL 331 | Health Care Ethics (GEF 5) | 3 |
| or PHIL 130 | Current Moral Problems | |
| PHYS 105 & 105L | Conceptual Physics and Conceptual Physics Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
| or PHYS 101 & 101L | Introductory Physics 1 and Introductory Physics 1 Laboratory | |
| PSYC 101 | Introduction to Psychology (GEF 4) | 3 |
| RT 301 | An Introduction to Respiratory Therapy | 4 |
| Elective (select one of the following): | 3 | |
| Introduction to Molecular Medicine | ||
| Health Informatics and Information Management Disease Fundamentals and Management | ||
| Fundamentals of Clinical Documentation Improvement | ||
| Pharmacology | ||
| Elementary Physiology | ||
| Total Hours | 48 | |
Respiratory Therapy Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum grade of C is required in all Respiratory Therapy Major Requirements. | ||
| RT 310 | Respiratory Therapy Equipment, Procedures, and Processes | 3 |
| RT 311 | Respiratory Therapy Equipment, Procedures, and Processes Lab | 1 |
| RT 320 | Respiratory Therapy Cardiopulmonary Anatomy and Physiology | 3 |
| RT 340 | Pharmacology Fundamentals in Respiratory Therapy | 3 |
| RT 350 | PFTs, Sleep, and RT Alternative Settings | 3 |
| RT 360 | Patient Assessment and Therapeutic Procedures in Respiratory Therapy | 3 |
| RT 370 | Neonatal and Pediatric Diseases and Therapeutics in Respiratory Therapy | 3 |
| RT 371 | Neonatal and Pediatric Laboratory Exercises and Interventions in Respiratory Therapy | 1 |
| RT 378 | Respiratory Therapy Clinical Practicum 1 (An Introduction to Clinical Practice) | 1 |
| RT 380 | Mechanical Ventilation Foundations | 3 |
| RT 381 | Mechanical Ventilation Laboratory Exercises and Applications in Respiratory Therapy | 1 |
| RT 388 | Respiratory Therapy Clinical Practicum 2 | 4 |
| RT 389 | Cardiopulmonary Disease Pathophysiology | 3 |
| RT 400 | Hemodynamic and Intensive Care Principles and Practices | 3 |
| RT 401 | Senior Respiratory Therapy Capstone | 2 |
| RT 420 | Advanced Application and Theories in Mechanical Ventilation | 3 |
| RT 430 | Interdisciplinary Science, Leadership, Management, and Education in Respiratory Therapy | 3 |
| RT 436 | Comprehensive Board Preparation and Review 1 | 3 |
| RT 460 | Interpretation and Assessment of Labs, Tests, and Diagnostic imagery | 3 |
| RT 466 | Comprehensive Board Preparation and Review 2 | 3 |
| RT 478 | Respiratory Therapy Advanced Clinical Practicum 3 | 6 |
| RT 488 | Respiratory Therapy Advanced Clinical Practicum 4 | 6 |
| RT 497 | Research | 3 |
| Total Hours | 67 | |
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| BIOL 101 & 101L (GEF 2) | 4 | ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 |
| HIIM 110 | 3 | BIOL 102 & 102L (GEF 8) | 4 |
| PALM 205 & PALM 206 | 4 | COMM 104 | 3 |
| MATH 124 (GEF 3) | 3 | PSYC 101 (GEF 4) | 3 |
| RT 191 | 1 | General Education Elective (GEF 6) | 3 |
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | HIIM 351 | 3 |
| PALM 200 | 3 | PHIL 331 (GEF 5) | 3 |
| PHYS 105 & 105L (GEF 8) | 4 | CHEM 111 & 111L (GEF 8) | 4 |
| RT 301 | 4 | General Education Elective (GEF 7) | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | ||
| 17 | 13 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| RT 310 | 3 | RT 360 | 3 |
| RT 311 | 1 | RT 370 | 3 |
| RT 320 | 3 | RT 371 | 1 |
| RT 340 | 3 | RT 380 | 3 |
| RT 350 | 3 | RT 381 | 1 |
| RT 378 | 1 | RT 388 | 4 |
| RT 389 | 3 | ||
| 14 | 18 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| RT 400 | 3 | RT 401 | 2 |
| RT 420 | 3 | RT 430 | 3 |
| RT 436 | 3 | RT 460 | 3 |
| RT 478 | 6 | RT 466 | 3 |
| RT 497 | 3 | RT 488 | 6 |
| 18 | 17 | ||
| Total credit hours: 128 | |||
Major Learning Outcomes
Respiratory Therapy
The proposed program in respiratory therapy will prepare graduates who:
- Deliver high quality respiratory therapy services to individuals and across a continuum of care and in a variety of settings.
- Demonstrate the ability to make evidence based clinical decisions utilizing information literacy, critical thinking skills, and scientific evidence.
- Collaborate as members of inter-professional teams.
- Provide care that is characterized by cultural respect
- Demonstrate competence in the recall, application, and analysis of respiratory therapy in all aspects of care and practice.
- Practice respiratory therapy in accordance with recognized professional and ethical standards.
Accreditation
The Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy Program at West Virginia University, (CoARC program # 200661-BSRT Degree) located at 64 Medical Center Drive, Morgantown, WV 26506 holds Provisional Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.CoARC.com). This status signifies that a program with an Approval of Intent has demonstrated sufficient compliance with the Standards (through submission of an acceptable Provisional Accreditation Self Study Report (PSSR) and any other documentation required by the CoARC, as well as satisfactory completion of an initial on-site visit), to be allowed to admit students. It is recognized as an accredited program by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC), which provides enrolled students who complete the program with eligibility for the Respiratory Care Credentialing Examination(s). The program will remain on Provisional Accreditation until it achieves Continuing Accreditation.