Can I work while I’m in the program?
Students are strongly discouraged from working full time. Students must be able to maintain flexible hours. Clinical experiences consist of two or three eight to twelve-hour days per week.

Is there an evening program track?
Currently there is only a day program.

Is the respiratory care program available at the Akron location?
Stark State College’s respiratory care core program is only available on main campus, 6200 Frank Ave. N.W. North Canton, Ohio 44720. However, the non-technical classes in the curriculum may be taken at any location.

What days of the week are classes?
Schedules vary with each semester, often requiring attendance five days per week. Clinical experiences can be held on day or evening shifts.

Is there a waiting list for entrance into the program?
Twenty four students are admitted the fall semester of each year. Therefore, there is a wait period before students can register for the respiratory care classes. While waiting, students may take the non-technical classes listed in the curriculum.

Are there additional costs outside of tuition, books and other college fees?
There may be additional costs to students for health requirements, uniforms, etc. Please see the estimated program costs document.

Do you provide advanced placement or respiratory care course transfer and/or credit for prior learning experience?

• We don’t provide advanced placement standing or accept prior learning experience.
• Respiratory care course transfers are not accepted since curriculum design, learning objectives, and course content vary so much from learning institution to institution.
• Non-technical courses are generally transferrable. Transcripts from other colleges/universities should be made available to Admissions for review.

Do you need a bachelor’s degree for entry level into respiratory care?
At this point in time, it is not required that you have a bachelor’s degree for entry level into the profession. However, we do encourage students to consider furthering their education in the future. If a student wishes to obtain a bachelor’s degree in respiratory care it can easily be done. Stark State has aligned the curriculum for the associate of applied science degree in respiratory care with several local universities. We have articulation agreements with Kent State University, Siena Heights University, The University of Akron and Youngstown State University. This eases the transferability between the institutions.