Degree Map
A.S. in Health Sciences - Concentration in Respiratory Care
Catalog Year 2026-27
For students placing into ENGL-101 and MA-119
Respiratory Care is one of five concentrations available for students pursuing the A.S. in Health Sciences. The program prepares students for transfer to colleges offering B.S. programs in respiratory care. Respiratory care professionals are health care practitioners that care for patients with breathing difficulties due to respiratory and cardiovascular problems. Respiratory therapists may treat newborns to the elderly and they have diverse career opportunities, from education, management and therapy. Further information, including job availability in the New York area and salaries, is available through this page in Career Coach. Queensborough Community College (QCC) has partnered with Molloy University to provide students with a pathway that starts with an A.S. in Health Sciences at QCC and leads to a B.S. in Respiratory Care. Additional regional schools that offer a B.S. in Respiratory Care include LIU Brooklyn and SUNY Stony Brook. Students are strongly recommended to choose their A.S. major elective courses according to the requirements of the program to which they plan to apply. A table detailing the recommended electives for the B.S.-level transfer program is included below. The number of credits you take each year will determine when you graduate. To graduate on time, you are strongly encouraged to enroll in at least 30 credits toward your degree during each academic year, including fall and spring semesters and winter and summer sessions. This Degree Pathway is designed for students who place into developmental English and math.
Additional degree map for students who place into ENGL-101 and MA-119.
Courses in Bold Text are prerequisites for later courses and should be taken where indicated in the sequence.
Semester 1
Total credits for the term: 15
Semester 2
Note: *If taken in semester #1, select Major Elective from below
Note: Students should consult with an advisor or health science faculty member to choose major elective courses.
See the list of major elective courses for the General Health Sciences concentration below.
Total credits for the term: 15
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Semester 3
Note: Students should consult with an advisor or health science faculty member to choose major elective courses.
See the list of major elective courses for the General Health Sciences concentration below.
Total credits for the term: 15
Semester 4
Note: Students should consult with an advisor or health science faculty member to choose major elective courses.
See the list of major elective courses for the General Health Sciences concentration below.
Free elective to total 60 credits
Total credits for the term: 15
Total required credits for the degree: 60
Certain required courses also fulfill core requirements (1B, 1C, 2D, 2E, and one additional Flexible Core course). If students do not take those courses to satisfy the specified areas of the common core, they will still have to complete those courses (as additional credits) to fulfill degree requirements.
Students must complete one course from each of the flexible core categories (2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, and 2E) and one additional course from any one of the categories. PHIL-140 will fulfill 2D. PSYC-101 will fulfill 2E. BI-302 will fulfill one additional Flexible Core course.
All students must complete two (2) WI designated classes to fulfill degree requirements.
Major Electives
Respiratory Care Concentration
Complete 20 credits from the following list as indicated below
BI 201 - General Biology I
Note: Complete developmental requirements in English
BI 202 - General Biology II
Note: Prerequisites or Corequisites: BI-201
BI 311 - Microbiology
Note: Prerequisites or Corequisites: BI-202 or BI-301
BI 550 - Field Internship in Health Sciences
Note: Prerequisites or Corequisites: Departmental Permission
BI 551 - Field Internship in Health Sciences
Note: Departmental Permission
CH 151 - General Chemistry I
Note: MA-119 and MA-121 or placement in MA-440 or higher
CH 128 - Introductory Organic Chemistry
Note: Prerequisite or Corequisites: CH-120 or CH-127 or CH-151
CH 152 - CH-152 General Chemistry II
Note: Prerequisite or Corequisites: CH-120 or CH-127 or CH-151
MA 121 - Elementary Trigonometry
Note: Corequisite: MA-119
PH 301 - College Physics I
Note: Prerequisite or Corequisite: MA-114 or MA-119 and MA-121
PH 302 - College Physics II
Note: Prerequisite or Corequisites: PH-301 with grade of C or better
PSYC 220 - Human Growth & Development
Note: Prerequisites or Corequisites: PSY-101