CAPE GIRARDEAU (WSIL) --ÌýSoutheast Missouri State University and the Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center (CTC) signed an agreementÌýto collaborate in offering a bachelor’s degree in respiratory therapy beginning fall 2023.
The CTC offers a respiratory therapy certificate program that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care. However, upcoming changes to accreditation and education levels will require respiratory therapists to have a bachelor’s degree.
The CTC will continue to teach 69 credit hours of the technical aspects of the program with Southeast offering 51 hours of state general education requirements as well as additional biology and chemistry courses.
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The job outlook for respiratory therapists is growing. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need was exacerbated during the pandemic and jobs are expected to grow 23% through 2030. According to faculty at the CTC, they’ve seen starting salaries almost double post-COVID.
