Respiratory Care Now Fully Online
For students looking to earn a four-year degree at Highline College, online options are providing more flexibility and easier access.
To begin, students can now apply online to any of the four programs:
The application should take no more than 15 minutes to complete, according to Tanya Powers, Director of Baccalaureate Education at Highline.
For those in Respiratory Care, earning a four-year applied bachelor’s degree—called the Bachelor of Applied Science, or BAS for short—can be done entirely online.
Cory E. Martin
“Highline’s BAS in Respiratory Care program is offered fully online to give the advanced practice therapist a more personalized study schedule to help accommodate busy work and family responsibilities,” said Cory E. Martin, a full-time faculty member and coordinator of the program.
For students with two-year technical degrees, a BAS degree builds on their education to be more valuable to a current or prospective employer. And it gives them the chance for more advanced educational opportunities.
“Our graduates have completed rigorous specialty exam credentialing in adult critical care and have used their bachelor’s degree to continue advancing professionally by entering graduate school at the University of Washington and Western Governors University,” said Martin.
More and more community colleges like Highline are offering four-year degrees. Why? Several years ago, the state of Washington recognized it needed to create more opportunities for students to earn bachelor’s degrees in our state. This new degree—the applied bachelor’s degree—provides a pathway to a four-year degree for a student who has earned an associate degree in a professional-technical field.
The applied bachelor’s degree has proved a popular choice for many in the area. As of mid August, 107 students have enrolled for fall quarter 2016 in Highline’s four programs, a solid number given the relative youth of the degree option at the college. Two of the programs—Cybersecurity and Forensics and Global Trade and Logistics—began in the fall of 2014. The Respiratory Care BAS program began during winter quarter 2015, with Youth Development following in the spring of 2015.
Before the applied bachelor’s degree was created, students would often have to transfer to a regional or state college or university and take additional lower-level coursework to complete a bachelor’s degree. Now, students can stay in the area, continue with their current job and save time on their way to earning a four-year degree.
Financial aid is available for eligible students.
Questions?
Respiratory Care Program Curriculum: Cory E. Martin at (206) 592-3637 or cmartin@highline.edu.
Baccalaureate Education Director: Tanya Powers at (206) 592-3662 or tpowers@highline.edu.