Accreditation

Higher Learning Commission

Southeast Technical College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

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CoARC

The Southeast Technical College Respiratory Therapy program, CoARC program number 200684, Associate of Science degree, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, holds Provisional Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).

This status signifies that a program with an Approval of Intent has demonstrated sufficient compliance with the Standards (through submission of an acceptable Provisional Accreditation Self Study Report (PSSR) and any other documentation required by the CoARC, as well as satisfactory completion of an initial on-site visit), to be allowed to admit students. It is recognized as an accredited program by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC), which provides enrolled students who complete the program with eligibility for the Respiratory Care Credentialing Examination(s). The program will remain on Provisional Accreditation until it achieves Continuing Accreditation.

CoARC accredits respiratory therapy education programs in the United States. To achieve this end, it utilizes an "outcomes based" process. Programmatic outcomes are performance indicators that reflect the extent to which the educational goals of the program are achieved and by which program effectiveness is documented. https://coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data/

Respiratory Therapy

Associate Degree Program

An associate degree in Respiratory Therapy from Southeast Technical College will prepare you to work with medical doctors and the treatment team to care for patients with respiratory diseases and cardiovascular conditions.

In two years, you learn techniques and therapies used in clinical settings, including airway management, administrating medications, utilizing airway assistance devices, applying and monitoring breathing gases, equipment operation and maintenance, patient data collection and monitoring and safety and sanitation procedures.

Scholarships

Build Dakota Eligible

Industry Scholarships and Sponsorships

	Avera Health offers sponsorships, loan repayment and sign-on bonuses to STC’s Respiratory Therapy students up to $40,000. Avera Health is also an Industry Sponsor for Build Dakota. Facilities and communities across Avera’s footprint are available to choose from to fulfill the 3-year full-time work commitment. Apply by Dec. 31, 2025. Contact Avera to learn more.
	Monument Health sponsors a scholarship program for students pursuing a healthcare career as a registered respiratory therapist (RT). Through this program, tuition of current semester and future semesters (up to $40,000) will be paid directly to the lender or learning institution.
	Sanford Health offers scholarships, sponsorships, and partners with Build Dakota to provide industry Sponsorships. Our current sponsorship for our Sioux Falls facility is $40,000 for a three-year time commitment and is open to all students that are pursuing a Respiratory Therapy degree. Please contact Carlye.Kiesow@sanfordhealth.org for more information!

Hands-On Learning and Real-World Experience

At Southeast Technical College, students learn from qualified, professional instructors with vast experience in their industry. While completing coursework in the Respiratory Therapist program, students spend a significant amount of time in our true-to-life learning labs located in STC's Terrence Sullivan Health Science Center and completing clinical rotations at a medical facility.

Graduates of STC’s Respiratory Therapist program will be able to demonstrate competence in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains of respiratory care practice as performed by registered respiratory therapists (RRTs). Students also gain:

Technical Skills: Graduates will be able to demonstrate the management of invasive and non-invasive ventilation equipment and explain the pathophysiology of cardiopulmonary diseases.

Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Skills: Students learn to assess data to find changes in patient conditions and interpret the diagnostic values from respiratory assistance devices.

Communication Skills: Students learn how to effectively communicate key points of treatment regimens to patients and collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals.

Professionalism: Graduates will maintain ethical standards and facilitate diversity, equity and inclusion in their careers.

Work at a Top Provider or Continue Your Education

Locally, Sioux Falls is home to two of the state’s largest healthcare systems: Avera Health and Sanford Health. These leaders and other healthcare facilities have a true need for respiratory therapists and consistently seek out STC graduates.

Students also have the option to continue their education and obtain a bachelor’s degree at a four-year institution.

Job Outlook

Explore Classes

In addition to labs and clinical rotations, students in the Respiratory Therapy program at Southeast Technical College will take courses in chemistry, cardiopulmonary diagnostics and respiratory pharmacology.

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