Here is some more information on Midwestern State’s RRT to BSRC program.
Just to give a brief history, Midwestern State University was established in 1922 and our campus is located in Wichita Falls, Texas. We have 2 different RT programs here at MSU. One is our traditional undergraduate Bachelors of Science in Respiratory Care. The second is our 100% online RRT to BSRC Completion Program. We created this completion program about 12 years ago for the RRT that wants to continue their education and obtain their BSRC degree through an online format.
The RRT to BSRC program consists of a total of 120 hours, many of which the incoming RRT will already have. Most of our students are able to transfer their academic core classes from their associates program straight into MSU. We also grant the incoming students 41 semester hours for holding their RRT, which takes into account that the student has already performed clinicals and coursework in their previous schooling. With their full academic core and the 41 hours we grant the students, the only requirement is the completion of 10 upper level respiratory courses taken online from MSU. This is a total of 30 semester hours. In addition, all students that graduate from MSU are required to take the Writing Proficiency Exam, which tests the student’s ability to write at a collegiate level.
With that being said, our program is one of the longest running and most successful RRT to BSRC programs. We are fully accredited through the Southern Association of Colleges and Universities. We also pride ourselves on being one of the most affordable completion programs. The completion of the 10 online courses will cost approximately $10,000-$11,000, which is close to half of the cost of many other online programs. And there is no out-of-state tuition for our distance students. We have also set up our program to be flexible for the students. We understand that the majority of our students work full time and need some flexibility with their educational courses. We allow students to choose the number of courses they want to take within each semester. If they want to take it slow, they can take 1 course at a time. If they want to go full force and take 4 courses at a time, that is great too. It is totally up to each student. We also offer 15 different courses and each student chooses which 10 courses they want to take. If a certain course does not fit their wants or interests, they do not have to take that course. We offer courses in critical care, neonatal, pediatrics, pathophysiology, pulmonary function, management, leadership, ethics, research, education, etc. You can start at the beginning of any of the semesters (Fall, Spring or Summer).
Our Registrar's Office evaluates each transfer student's transcripts in an attempt to prevent retaking unnecessary courses. They will evaluate the courses that are needed for a BS degree in the state of Texas and transfer those courses in. If a specific class does not automatically correlate with one of our requirements, but could potentially substitute in, we will make a request for a substitution if the course is close enough to the requirements. Our Fall and Spring Semesters are typical university lengths, 16 week semesters. The RT summer courses run for 10 weeks. Again, the 10 RT courses, including fees, will be approximately $10,000-$11,000. Our online students pay a minimal distance fee per credit, which is factored into the previously mentioned estimate. This prevents charging out of state tuition for our distance students.
In regards to our online courses, we do not incorporate simultaneous interaction with all students because of the typical work schedules for RTs. Some of our students work days, some work nights, and we have found this would be too difficult for many of the students. Many of our courses incorporate discussion boards, Q/A feeds, and feedback boards to allow back and forth interaction with the students and professors. I can tell you that we, as a faculty, are here for our students. Lines of communication are always open. We have students call us or email us regularly with any questions or concerns they may have. The other good thing is that we are your professors and your advisors. We do not use a middle person to advise you.
Registered Therapists who wish to begin taking the respiratory care courses should first apply for MSU Texas followed by applying to the Respiratory Care Program . Please have official transcripts sent to MSU from all colleges or universities you have attended. Please include an official transcript documenting completion of a Registry-Level Respiratory Program.