Respiratory Care Pathway (full-time)
Associate in Science Degree
Meta-Major: Health Sciences
Specialization: Respiratory Care
Catalog: 2026 - 2027
Planning Your Degree Pathway
This document outlines the courses needed to complete your Associate in Science (A.S.) degree and prepare you for employment in a specialized career upon degree completion. These courses include general education requirements as well as courses specific to your field. Please connect with your Student Success Coach if you need introductory coursework, have earned college credit, industry certifications, have completed an articulated program at a technical college, or would like to modify when you take certain courses and/or how many courses you take in a term. A Success Coach can also provide guidance on how to transition or transfer to a bachelor's degree program at Valencia or another Florida state college in case you decide to earn a bachelor's degree in the future.
Additional Degree Requirements
- Introductory Coursework: Required courses based on placement tests including developmental education
- Civic Literacy Exam: must satisfy Florida Civic Literacy Exam or appropriate scores in AP or CLEP exams
- Grade Point Average (GPA): Need to maintain 2.0 or higher for both Overall GPA and Valencia GPA
- Valencia Residency: Must complete at Valencia at least 25% of the college-level credits required for a degree
* Class has a prerequisite
+ Class requires “C” grade or higher
^ Course may require a specific grade for transfer institution
GESC General Education Student Choice
- Classes fill quickly, make plans with the Class Schedule Search for early registration
- For registration instructions, review our How-To Videos
- Meet with your Student Success Coach to create an education plan.
Limited-Access Program Information
- Admission to Valencia does not imply acceptance into this limited-access program; students must apply and be accepted.
- Valencia’s Respiratory Tech program is a competitive selection limited access program that requires the completion of specific prerequisite courses to be considered for admission.
- After completion of prerequisite courses, a separate program application must be submitted during the application window.
- Admission into the program is competitive and points based. Please see the Respiratory Care Admission Guide for full details.
- Students can complete the following courses required for graduation to earn additional points prior to applying to the program: BSC 2086C, MCB 2010C, ENC 1101, Core Humanities, and/or POS 2041, AMH 2010, or AMH 2020.
- Starting your math sequence at MAC1105 will save time, money, and elective space; prepare and test for math level placement to start with MAC1105, if desired. Note: passing of MAC1105 is required to take PHY1007C.
- Student can take the following courses before applying to the limited access program to build foundational knowledge and earn additional points towards their application:
- HSC 1004 Introduction to Health Professions
- HSC 1531 Medical Terminology
- Passing of Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE) prior to the application deadline may result in additional points toward admission.
- Based on educational and personal obligations, prerequisite courses for the limited access courses can be completed either as a full-time or part-time student. Please note that once accepted into a limited access program, these programs have a full-time commitment.
- All courses require for the limited access programs must be passed with a C grade.
- Attend an Allied Health Information Session.
- For further assistance, please work with your Student Success Coach.
Required Prerequisite Coursework
- BSC 2085C*+
- PHY 1007C*+
- Core Math
Sample Admission Prerequisite Term-by-Term Plan
Introductory Coursework
| Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
Term 1
| Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| ENC 1101 Freshman Composition I*+ | 3 |
| MAT 1033C Intermediate Algebra*+ | 3 |
Term 2
| Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| MAC 1105 College Algebra*+ | 3 |
| POS 2041 U.S Government+ or AMH 2020 U.S. History 1877 to Present+ or AMH 2010 U.S. History to 1877+ | 3 |
Term 3
| Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| PHY 1007C Physics w/Medical Applications*+ | 4 |
| BSC 2085C Human Anatomy & Physiology I*+ | 4 |
Ready to Apply? Let’s check!
- View more information regarding the application for Respiratory Care here Respiratory Care Application Information.
- Must have a minimum 2.5 Overall GPA, be in good academic standing, and all final grades posted.
- Review application with your Student Success Coach.
- Submit a complete Respiratory Care Program Application.
- And monitor your Valencia College email for all communication.
Respiratory Care In-Program Term-by-Term Plan
Term 6 (Spring)
| Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| RET 1025 Principles of Respiratory Care*+ | 3 |
| RET 1485 Cardiopulmonary Physiology*+ | 3 |
| RET 2350 Respiratory Pharmacology*+ | 3 |
Term 7 (Summer)
| Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| RET 1295 Respiratory Disease Management*+ | 3 |
| RET 1450 Basic Physiology Monitoring*+ | 3 |
| RET 1274L Respiratory Care Lab I*+ | 2 |
| RET 1874L Clinical Practice I*+ | 3 |
Term 8 (Fall)
| Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| RET 1875L Clinical Practice II*+ | 3 |
| RET 1264 Principles of Mech. Ventilation*+ | 3 |
| RET 2447 Hemodynamic Monitoring*+ | 3 |
| RET 2283L Respiratory Care Lab II*+ | 2 |
General Education Course Requirements
Courses listed below are 3 credit hours each unless otherwise stated.
See key for the meaning of symbols
See pathway-specific information
Communications Requirements
These courses need to be completed with a C or higher.
- ENC 1101 – Freshman Composition I*+
Humanities Core (3 Credits)
Select one of the following Humanities courses.
- ARH 1000 – Art Appreciation
- HUM 1020 – Introduction to Humanities
- LIT 1000 – Introduction to Literature
- MUL 1010 – Music Appreciation
- PHI 2010 – Philosophy
- THE 1000 – Introduction to Theater
Math Core (3 Credits)
These courses need to be completed with a C or higher.
Select one course from core
- MAC 1105 – College Algebra*+
- MGF 1130 – Mathematical Thinking*+
- MAC 2311 – Calculus with Analytic Geometry I*+ (4 Credits)
- STA 2023 – Statistical Methods*+
Science Core (3 Credits)
Select one of the following Science courses.
- AST 1002 – Astronomy
- BSC 1005 – Biological Science
- BSC 1005L – Lab in Applied Biology (1 credit)
- BSC 1005C – Biological Science Combined w/ Lab (4 credits)
- BSC 1010C – General Biology I (4 credits)
- BSC 2085C – Anatomy and Physiology I (4 credits)
- CHM 1020 – Chemistry in Everyday Life
- CHM 1045C – General Chemistry with Qualitative Analysis I* (4 credits)
- ESC 1000 – Earth Science
- EVR 1001 – Introduction to Environmental Science
- GLY 2010C – Physical Geology (4 credits)
- OCE 1001 – Introduction to Oceanography
- PHY 1020 – Conceptual Physics*
- PHY 2048C – General Physics with Calculus I* (4 credits)
- PHY 2053C – College Physics I with Algebra and Trigonometry* (4 credits)
Social Sciences (3 Credits)
Select one of the following Social Science Courses. These courses need to be completed with a C or higher.
- AMH 2010 – U.S. History to 1877+
- AMH 2020 – U.S. History 1877 to Present+
- POS 2041 – U.S. Government+
Financial Aid Notice
Federal Financial Aid will only pay for courses for the required Associate in Science Degree. Work closely with your assigned Student Success Coach to verify the degree on your record and to develop a customized plan that includes the required classes each term.
Career ready? Let's check!
- Resume and Cover Letter
- Employment Readiness
- Practice Interview and Job Shadowing
- Internships