ADMISSIONS CRITERIA
| REGISTERED RESPIRATORY THERAPIST to BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Application: Allied Health Centralized Application Service (AHCAS)
AHCAS: The LSU Health Shreveport BS Cardiopulmonary Science Degree Advancement (DA) Program accepts applications for admission via the Allied Health Centralized Application Service (AHCAS). Applicants should submit all application materials directly to AHCAS. Applicants should NOT submit any application documents directly to the Program or LSU Health Shreveport.
Start Dates: The CPS DA program accepts applications throughout the year for admission on two start dates: October (Fall 2 Session) and March (Spring 2 Session).
Fall 2 Session - 2026
Application Deadline*: September 25, 2026
Classes Start: October 19, 2026
Spring 2 Session - 2027
Application Deadline*: February 13, 2027
Classes Start: March 1, 2027
*Your application Program Status must be "Complete" by the specified deadline for the intended start date. An application is complete when:
- All official college transcripts have been received and posted to your application.
- Credentials in respiratory care uploaded to your application (minimum RRT required).
- Your application fee payment was submitted and marked as received.
- You submitted your application and received an email confirming it was successfully submitted.
MINIMUM ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS
-
Current RRT credential from the National Board for Respiratory Care
-
Academic qualifications from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university:
- Completion of an associate degree from a CoARC-accredited program
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for all undergraduate coursework attempted
- Minimum of 50 earned undergraduate credit hours, including successful completion of course credits in the following subject areas:
- 6 credit hours of English
- 6 credit hours of Mathematics
- 9 credit hours of Natural Science*
- 9 credit hours of Humanities (e.g., Literature, Foreign Languages, History, Classical Studies, Communications, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Interdisciplinary)
- 3 credit hours of Fine Arts (e.g., Music, Visual Arts, Applied Arts, Theatre, Dance, Interdisciplinary)
- 6 credit hours of Social or Behavioral Sciences (e.g., Anthropology, Criminal Justice, Economics, Geography, International Studies, Interdisciplinary, Political Science; Psychology, Sociology)
- 11 additional credit hours in courses from any subject area
*Applicants must complete 9 credit hours of Natural Science: 6 hours in a single life science (e.g., Biology, Biochemistry, Botany, Zoology) or physical science (e.g., Chemistry, Geology, Physics, Astronomy/Meteorology), and 3 hours in a natural science area other than that previously selected. Both life and physical science must be taken.
3. Selected applicants will be contacted to finalize and confirm their position in the cohort.
Please note: Accepted students are assigned provisional admission status until meeting conditions outlined in the acceptance letter and completing pre-matriculation requirements set forth by the Office of the Registrar. As part of the pre-matriculation requirements, accepted students are required to maintain ongoing accessibility to the technology and Learning Management System required by the Program.
Have Questions?
For more information about the Cardiopulmonary Science Degree Advancement Program, please contact LSU Online at lsuonline@lsu.edu.
