doctor with mother and newborn

What does it cost?

Check out our cost calculator or visit student financial services for information on estimated costs.

How long will it take?

Traditional/Online M.S.: 36 hours; Integrated M.S.: 91 hours

Where will I take classes?

All required classes to earn a degree can be completed online.

Application Deadlines View Admissions Requirements

Traditional/Online M.S. Respiratory Therapy

  • Fall: June 12
  • Spring: September 16
  • Summer: January 16

Respiratory Therapy, M.S.

Respiratory therapists work in cooperation with physicians to care for patients with a wide range of breathing disorders including asthma, emphysema, pneumonia and lung infections, cystic fibrosis and breathing difficulties due to premature birth.

Respiratory therapists may work in a variety of settings from hospitals to home health care agencies and from outpatient centers and physicians' offices to sleep disorder clinics.

The Georgia State University master of science degree with a concentration in respiratory care offers the opportunity for credentialed and experienced practitioners to obtain an advanced level of knowledge in the technical area of respiratory care. The program also is intended to provide the ability, knowledge and skills for continued scholarly inquiry within the discipline of respiratory care.

Program Highlights
  • Well-respected program and faculty, over 50 years of providing respiratory therapy education at Georgia State University (1969-2019)
  • International and nationally recognized faculty
  • Research opportunities
  • Advanced practice course work
  • Study abroad experiences
  • Clinical education
  • Interprofessional education
Program Details

Please note: There are no additional prerequisites that students need to take for the Traditional/Online MS RT Program since students must already have a bachelor’s degree in either Respiratory Therapy or Pulmonary Care.

What is required for admission to Georgia State’s Traditional/Online MS RT program?
You must submit an application, GRE score(s), 2 letters of recommendation, resume, and transcripts from all institutions attended.

Can the GRE be waived?
Yes. To request a waiver of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) requirement, applicants to the Traditional/Online Master’s in Health Science with a concentration in Respiratory Therapy (MSRT) Program must submit a written request as to why they want the GRE waived and that request provides details of their RT education and RT work experience; applicants must attach their current resume and official academic transcripts to the waiver request. Please submit your waiver request by May 15th for fall admission, January 15th for summer admission and Sept 15th for spring admission to the Office of Academic Admission. Applicants who submit a GRE waiver request after this date risk not having adequate time to take the GRE if their request is denied. The following are requirements for a waiver of the GRE:

  • Minimal GPA of 3.0
  • Minimum of 2 years of clinical respiratory therapy work experience.
  • Two letters of recommendation that can document your work in the respiratory therapy profession.
  • RRT credential

How often does the Traditional MS RT program accept students?
The Traditional MS RT program accepts for Fall, Spring & Summer each year.

What are the application deadlines?
May 15 – FALL, September 15 – SPRING, January 15 – SUMMER

What is the average program GPA for admitted students?
3.0

What is a competitive GPA for MS RT applicants?
3.0 – 4.0

What is the minimum to apply?
3.0

What is a competitive score for the GRE exam?
150 – VERBAL, 150 – QUANTITATIVE, 3. 5 – AWA

Who makes admissions decisions?
Respiratory Therapy chair and faculty members

Are letters of recommendation required?
Yes, at minimum 2 no more than 4

What factors are considered for admission?
Your overall GPA, Resume, Letters of Recommendation, & GRE score

How long does it take to complete the MS RT program?
The program is 5 semesters.

If I am an international student with international credentials/courses how can I apply?
You must have your credentials evaluated by an international credentialing agency (WES or Josef Silny). You must request a document by document evaluation. The TOEFL or IELTS is required for applicants whose first language is not English or who completed a degree outside the U.S

What is a competitive score for the TOEFL or IELTS?
TOEFL – IBT exam score of 80 or higher; IELTS – overall score of 7 or higher

Can I defer my acceptance?
Yes, you can ask to defer your acceptance once to the upcoming semester. All deferral cases are reviewed independently and not guaranteed approval. Your deferral request must come no later than 10 days after the beginning of the semester. Any requests beyond that date will be automatically denied.

How do I apply for my I-20 Visa
The I-20 Visa is done through International Student Services. Start your I-20.

How long will it take?
Traditional/Online M.S.: 36 hours

Master of Science in Health Science with a concentration in Respiratory Therapy (traditional)
A minimum of 36 hours are required for the traditional master’s degree. Semester hours are shown in parenthesis after each entry.

The program of study for a traditional master’s in respiratory therapy is a minimum of 36 semester hours:

I. Health science core (12 hours) required for both traditional and integrated master’s

CNHP 6000 Research Methods for the Health and Human Science Professions
CNHP 6010 Graduate Medical Terminology
CNHP 7800 Interprofessional Collaborative for Advanced Practice OR
CNHP 6900 EKG Interpretation
CNHP 8000 Trends Affecting Health Policies, Practices and Laws
CNHP 8010 Ethics and Leadership in Health Care

II. Specialization curriculum (respiratory therapy) (18 hours)

Integrated master’s requires an additional 61 hours including clinical experience

III. Thesis/project ( 6 hours)

Area A: Essential Skills
ENGL 1101 (Composition I)
ENGL 1102 (Composition II)
MATH 1111 (College Algebra) or higher

Area B: Institutional Options
Choose two:
SPCH 1000 (Human Communication)
PHIL 1010 (Critical Thinking)
PERS 2001 (Perspectives on Comparative Cultures)
PERS 2002 (Scientific Perspectives on Global Problems)

Area C: Humanities and Fine Arts
Select one course from two of these three categories:
– Humanities ENGL 2110, ENGL 2130, PHIL 2010, RELS 2001 or SPCH 2050
– Foreign Language: Any foreign language course 1002 or higher
– Fine Arts AH 1700, 1750, 1850, FILM 2700, MUA 1500, 1900, 1930 or THEA 2040

Area D: Science, Mathematics and Technology
CHEM 1151K (Survey of Chemistry I)
CHEM 1152K (Survey of Chemistry II)
MATH 1070 (Elementary Statistics)
Chemistry 1151K and 1152K are strongly recommended as the lab science sequence.

Area E: Social Sciences
HIST 2110 (Survey of United States History)
POLS 1101 (Intro to American Government)
Select one Global Issues Course: HIST 1111, 1112, POLS 2401, or ECON 2100
Select one Social Science Elective:  AAS 2010, AAS/HIST 1140, ANTH 1102, CRJU 2200, ECON 2105, 21006, GEOG 1101, PSYC 1101, SOCI 1101, SOCI 1160 or WST 2010

Area F: Courses Related to the Program of Study (18)
• BIOL 2110K & BIOL 2120K Human Anatomy and Physiology I & II (8)
• BIOL 2300 Microbiology and Public Health (3)
• BIOL 2310 Microbiology and Public Health Lab (1)
• RT 2011 Application of Physical Principles in Healthcare (3) (General Physics accepted in place of RT 2011)
• Elective Adviser-approved elective (3)

Area G: Major (66)
Includes courses in medical terminology, cardiopulmonary physiology, pulmonary diseases and diagnostics, pharmacology, respiratory care — ventilatory Support, advanced Critical Care Monitoring, patient care management – pediatrics, neonatal, end of life as well as 15 hours of clinical practice.

Total Program Hours Required: a minimum of 126 semester hours

For complete degree requirements, visit the catalog.

Local and national scholarships specific to respiratory therapy are available.

One hundred percent of students find employment after graduation; many graduates have offers before graduation.
Graduates hold a 100 percent national board exam pass rate.

Description

Careers

  • Critical care respiratory therapist
  • Pediatrics and neonatal medicine
  • Management
  • Academia

Contacts

Admissions and Curriculum Inquiries

Administration and Admission
Department of Respiratory Therapy

Josh Roach
[email protected]
404-413-1258

Department of Respiratory Therapy
Dr. Douglas S. Gardenhire
Department Chair
404-413-1270
[email protected]

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Atlanta, GA 30303

The information shared here provides an overview of Georgia State’s offerings. For official details on admissions requirements, tuition, courses and more, refer to the university catalogs.