Respiratory Therapy
Apply For AdmissionBecome a Respiratory Therapist
Respiratory therapists manage the ventilation of critically ill patients as well as provide acute and chronic care to patients with pulmonary disease. Most work is performed in the hospital environment. Our two-year Respiratory Therapy program prepares you for an entry-level position as a registry-eligible graduate therapist in the high-tech health care field of respiratory care.
We are in the business of preparing some of the best Respiratory Care Practitioners in the nation.
The field needs motivated people who
- want to help others as a health care provider
- are mechanically inclined
- have solid communication skills
- think clearly under stress
AS program graduates are allowed to take all national board exams.
The Foothill College Respiratory Therapy Program has an excellent pass record for national board and state licensure examinations.
- Please visit the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com) to view our Foothill program outcomes data.
- You can search for Foothill on the CoARC Interactive Map of Outcomes Data.
- For a complete list of CoARC accredited programs, see Find an Accredited Program.
Fall 2026 Associate in Science Program — Apply Now
Application period for Fall 2026 opens from Oct. 1—April 30.
What you can do with a degree in Respiratory Therapy
A major in Respiratory Therapy can prepare you for:
- Hospital staff respiratory therapist
- Respiratory therapy management
- Respiratory therapy education
- Pediatric or neonatal respiratory care
- Pulmonary function testing
- Cardiac stress testing
- Bronchoscopy assisting
- Emergency respiratory care
- Respiratory therapy home care
- Pulmonary rehabilitation
Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care (BSRC)
Application opens February 2026 for Fall 2026 program, intended for students who have completed an associate degree in the field of respiratory care.
The Respiratory Care baccalaureate degree program is intended for students who have completed an associate degree in the field of respiratory care, approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) as a pathway to complete a four-year degree. Coursework offered fully online. Complete in one year.
More about BSRC and How to Apply
Degrees & Certificates
View list below for programs offered at Foothill. Then select program map for a possible schedule that fulfills program and college requirements.
For program requirements and full course listings, view degrees and certificates information.
Got Questions?
For more FAQs, visit our FAQ page.
The online application is available from October to April. A Foothill Student ID is required to login to My Portal to apply. Students are admitted once a year only, beginning in fall quarter. Annual selections are made by July 15 each year, and applicants are notified by email of acceptance or non-acceptance at that time.
Prior to the deadline, complete an online application, and submit official college e-transcripts for each college attended to:
Foothill College Admissions and Records
12345 El Monte Road
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022-4599
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