Master of Science in Respiratory Therapy (Degree Advancement Track)

School of Health Professions

Advance your career in respiratory therapy

A healthcare professional sits at a desk with a laptop in a bright office setting.

The Degree Advancement MSRT program is designed for registered respiratory therapists who hold a bachelor’s degree in any field. Offered fully online, the program helps students expand their knowledge, strengthen their professional skills and prepare for leadership roles in management, education, research, advanced clinical practice and industry.

The program supports continued career growth for practicing RRTs by building on their clinical experience and preparing them to contribute to the future of respiratory care.

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Application Dates
FallAugust 31, 2026 – December 11, 2026
SpringJanuary 4, 2027 – April 23, 2027
SummerMay 3, 2027 – August 16, 2027
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Program Highlights

Distinctive Entry-level Graduate Pathway

UTMB offers a distinctive entry-level graduate pathway in respiratory care.

Supportive Faculty Engagement

A low student-to-faculty ratio supports individualized attention from highly qualified, specialty-credentialed faculty.

Advanced Simulation Facilities

Students train with current respiratory care technology in UTMB’s Health Education Center, which includes a 77-bed simulation hospital and a 10-bed intensive care unit.

Strong Credentialing Outcomes

Since 2010, the program has consistently received CoARC recognition for Distinguished RRT Credentialing Success.

National Recognition

UTMB was the first MSRT program in Texas to receive the American Association for Respiratory Care Apex Recognition Award.

Research Opportunities

Students can engage with respiratory care research through the CardioRespiratory Assisted Ventilation and Evaluation Research Lab.

Community and Global Engagement

Learning opportunities may include the St. Vincent’s Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program, the St. Vincent’s ICOPE Clinic and global health experiences in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean.

Clinical Training in Leading Healthcare Settings

Students gain experience at clinical sites within the Texas Medical Center and other healthcare settings that serve diverse patient populations.

Courses & Prerequisites

The fully online MSRT Degree Advancement program features a flexible, customizable curriculum totaling at least 31 credit hours and can be completed in two to four years.

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  • Core Courses

    Students must complete 20 credit hours of required core courses.

    • MSHP 5301: Medical Ethics — 3 credits
    • RESC 5402: Neonatal-Pediatric Respiratory Care — 4 credits
    • RESC 5406: Advanced Mechanical Ventilation — 4 credits
    • RESC 6204: Current Trends in Respiratory Care — 2 credits
    • RESC 6301: Evidence-Based Practice — 3 credits
    • RESC 6402: Advanced Disease Management — 4 credits

    Total core credits: 20

  • Leadership Tracks

    Students must select at least 11 credit hours from three leadership domains: operational, educational, and research.

    Students complete a culminating project based on their chosen domain. Those in the operational and educational leadership domains complete a capstone project, while students in the research domain complete a thesis. With faculty mentorship, each student develops a project focused on a meaningful professional outcome, such as improving patient care, informing policy, or advancing respiratory therapy practice.

    Operational Leadership Track

    • MSHP 5303: Health Care Policy — 3 credits
    • MSHP 5310: Human Resource and Leadership — 3 credits
    • MSHP 5313: Quality Assurance and Risk Management — 3 credits
    • MSHP 5314: Management in Healthcare — 3 credits
    • RESC 6203: Capstone Experience — 2 credits

    Total operational track credits: 14

    Educational Leadership Track

    • MSHP 5320: Developing Educational Materials — 3 credits
    • MSHP 5321: Classroom Technology — 3 credits
    • MSHP 5322: Education Laboratory and Clinical — 3 credits
    • MSHP 5323: Technology Clinical Simulation — 3 credits
    • RESC 6201: Education Methods — 2 credits
    • RESC 6203: Capstone Experience — 2 credits

    Total education track credits: 16

    Research Leadership Track

    • BBSC 6222: Introduction to Biostatistical Methods — 2 credits
    • MSHP 5302: Introduction to Scientific Writing — 3 credits
    • RESC 5202: Advanced Research Methods in Respiratory Therapy — 2 credits
    • RESC 6205: Thesis I — 2 credits
    • RESC 6206: Thesis II — 2 credits
    • RESC 6207: Thesis III — 2 credits

    Total research track credits: 13

  • Prerequisites

    No specific prerequisite courses are required. However, to be considered for the Degree Advancement Master of Science in Respiratory Therapy program, applicants must provide official documentation of the following:

    • Degree: Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree
    • Credential: Current, unexpired Registered Respiratory Therapist credential
    • GPA: Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale
A healthcare professional in blue scrubs works on a laptop at a clinical workstation.

Student Experience

After You Are Accepted

Accepted students receive a formal offer of admission with instructions for confirming their place in the program. The offer also includes links to checklists that guide students through the enrollment process. This information can also be found on the New Students section of the School of Health Professions website.

Admission is contingent upon successful completion of a background check and drug screening.

A Community of Support

The online MSRT Degree Advancement program connects working respiratory therapists with faculty guidance, academic resources and a community of experienced healthcare professionals.

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  • Faculty Guidance and Mentoring
    • You will be matched with a faculty mentor during orientation.
    • The program director and faculty offer weekly office hours.
    • Faculty are typically available by email or phone during business hours and respond to student emails within one business day.

  • Academic, Financial and Personal Support
    • The School of Health Professions Office of Student Affairs provides academic coaching, assistance with educational accommodations and support for personal concerns.
    • UTMB Student Health and Counseling Services offers counseling and wellbeing resources for enrolled students.
    • Financial aid counseling and scholarship guidance are also available.

  • Professional Wellbeing
    • Faculty address stress, wellbeing, and professional resilience as part of the learning experience.
    • The program connects students with respiratory therapy professionals who understand the demands of balancing graduate education, work, and personal responsibilities.

  • Professional Connections
    • Students learn alongside experienced respiratory therapists with a range of clinical and professional perspectives.
    • Online discussions and collaborative learning activities help students build meaningful professional connections throughout the program.

The Learning Environment

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  • Experiential Components

    This program is designed for working respiratory therapists. Students do not step away from their careers to learn; they bring their professional experience into the classroom.

    • Real-world integration: Assignments, discussions and projects encourage students to connect their daily clinical experiences with course concepts. A respiratory therapist managing ventilators in the ICU, leading a shift, or educating patients, can apply those experiences to leadership, evidence-based practice and advanced clinical decision-making.
    • Professional relevance: Coursework helps students evaluate their current practice, identify opportunities for improvement, and apply new knowledge to support safer, more effective patient care.
    • Career-aligned learning: Whether students are preparing for roles in leadership, education, or research, or strengthening their current clinical practice, the program emphasizes practical learning that can be applied in the workplace.

    This approach recognizes the experience practicing respiratory therapists bring to the program and builds on it through structured academic development.

  • Technology

    Our program uses a range of digital tools to help students access coursework, communicate with faculty and classmates, manage academic tasks and complete collaborative projects.

    • Blackboard: Serves as the central location for course materials, assignments, grades, announcements, discussions and faculty communication.
    • Panopto: Provides recorded lectures, demonstrations and instructional walkthroughs that students can view on their own schedule. Students may also use Panopto to record presentations, reflections, and project work.
    • mySTAR: Allows students to manage registration, class schedules, tuition and fees, and academic records through UTMB’s secure student portal.
    • Microsoft 365 and Citrix Workspace: Support writing, data analysis, presentations, group projects and communication through tools such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams.

    Together, these platforms support a flexible and organized online learning experience for working respiratory therapists.

  • Faculty and Peer Collaboration

    Although the program is fully online, students have opportunities to engage with faculty and learn alongside other practicing respiratory therapists.

    • Faculty engagement: Experienced clinicians, researchers and leaders provide personalized feedback, offer virtual office hours, and guide students through advanced concepts. Their mentorship helps students connect academic learning with professional practice.
    • Peer learning: Students collaborate through discussions, group projects, shared documents, and video presentations. Because classmates bring experience from a variety of respiratory care settings, these activities create opportunities to exchange ideas, professional perspectives and effective practices.
    • Professional community: Students can build relationships that extend beyond the classroom and support continued learning, leadership development, and career growth.

A Day in the Life of a Working Respiratory Therapy Student

Your workday may include patient care, transport, team leadership or department operations. Along the way, you may recognize real situations that connect directly to your coursework, from patient safety and clinical decision-making to leadership and quality improvement.

When your schedule allows, you can log in to review weekly modules, watch recorded lectures, join a discussion or complete an assignment. You may also meet virtually with classmates to exchange ideas, work on a group project or prepare a presentation.

Over time, what you learn can strengthen how you communicate, evaluate care and approach new professional opportunities. It is a flexible learning experience designed to fit into the life of a working respiratory therapist.

Frequently Asked Questions

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  • Can I work while enrolled in the MSRT (Degree Advancement) program?

    Yes!

  • What specialized training will I receive in the MSRT (Degree Advancement) core courses?

    Every MSRT Degree Advancement student receives a strong foundation in advanced respiratory care, healthcare analytics, and frontline leadership. This core training prepares graduates to influence practice, guide teams, and contribute to high reliability healthcare systems.

    Specialized training includes:

    • Strategic planning, budgeting, and resource management
    • Workforce development, staffing models, and retention strategies
    • Regulatory compliance, policy development, and accreditation readiness
    • Leading quality improvement and patient safety initiatives
    • Healthcare operations analytics and performance dashboards

  • What is the Educational Leadership Track?

    The Educational Leadership Track prepares students to teach, mentor, and develop the next generation of respiratory therapists in academic, clinical, and professional settings.

    Specialized training includes:

    • Curriculum design and instructional methodology
    • Competency assessment and learner evaluation
    • Simulation based education using advanced technologies
    • Faculty level communication, mentorship, and academic leadership
    • Program evaluation and educational research foundations

  • What is the Research Leadership Track?

    The Research Leadership Track equips students with the skills to design, conduct, and translate research that advances respiratory care practice and outcomes.

    Specialized training includes:

    • Research design, methodology, and statistical analysis
    • Critical appraisal of literature and evidence synthesis
    • IRB processes, ethical research conduct, and scholarly writing
    • Translating research into clinical protocols and practice guidelines
    • Leading research initiatives within clinical or academic environments

  • Is the MSRT (Degree Advancement) program accredited?

    Yes. UTMB is accredited by SOCS to provide the DA programs.

  • Does the MSRT (Degree Advancement) program offer research opportunities?

    Yes. Students may engage with respiratory care research through UTMB’s CardioRespiratory Assisted Ventilation and Evaluation Research Lab, where they are exposed to emerging technologies and research that support advancement in the profession.

Last updated: August 19, 2026