Program Overview

The Cardiopulmonary Science Program, fully-accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care, provides professional preparation in the allied health specialties of Respiratory Care and Cardiovascular Technology.

The program prepares students to: 

1. Provide respiratory care to neonatal, pediatric and adult patients with cardiopulmonary disease,
2. Administer diagnostic testing,
3. Employ therapeutic techniques in a variety of both the acute care and outpatient environments,
4. Operate and maintain instrumentation involved in these procedures.

With an educational foundation in anatomy, physiology, chemistry, pharmacology and clinical medicine, the CPS graduate is prepared to exercise judgment and work autonomously in clinical care under the supervision of a physician, accepting responsibility to perform both diagnostic and therapeutic cardiopulmonary procedures.

Graduates of the CPS program become eligible for professional credentialing exams and would be eligible to pursue licensure to practice respiratory therapy. In addition, the Baccalaureate-degreed CPS graduate is a potential candidate for supervisory, educational and administrative positions within the profession. Program graduates are also potential candidates to pursue graduate education in both Masters and Doctoral Programs.

The standard educational track consists of 56 hours of pre-requisite courses that can be taken at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university with an additional 64 hours (two years) of professional courses that are completed at LSU Health Shreveport. 

Summer Semester (8 total credit hours)

• CPSC 3100 - Respiratory Care Fundamentals I - 2 credits
• CPSC 3220 - Cardiopulmonary Anatomy & Physiology - 6 credits

Fall Semester (12 total credit hours)

• CPSC 3200 - Respiratory Care Fundamentals II - 5 credits
• CPSC 3250 - Clinical Applications & Procedures I - 3 credits
• CPSC 3262 - Clinical Seminar I - 1 credit
• CPSC 3263 - Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiology and Pharmacologic Therapy I - 3 credits

Spring Semester (13 total credit hours)

• CPSC 3300 - Neonatal and Pediatric Respiratory Care - 2 credits
• CPSC 3350 - Clinical Application and Procedures II - 2 credits
• CPSC 3330 - Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics I - 1 credits
• CPSC 3310 Critical Care Concepts - 4 credits
• CPSC 3362 - Clinical Seminar II - 1 credit
• CPSC 3363 - Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiology and Pharmacologic Therapy II - 3 credits

Summer Semester (6 total credit hours)

• CPSC 3332 - Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics II - 2 credits
• CPSC 3400 - Clinical Application and Procedures III - 2 credits
• CPSC 4160 - Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Home Care - 2 credits

Fall Semester (13 total credit hours)

• CPSC 4050 - Cardiovascular Pathophysiology - 3 credits
• CPSC 4062 - Cardiovascular Diagnostics - 6 credits
• CPSC 4072 - Clinical Seminar III - 1 credit
• CPSC 4080 - Clinical Applications & Procedures IV - 3 credits

Spring Semester (12 total credit hours)

• CPSC 4152 - Cardiopulmonary Specialty Topics - 4 credits
• CPSC 4170 - Clinical Applications & Procedures V - 2 credits
• CPSC 4180 - Professional Development in the Health Sciences - 3 credits
• CPSC 4190 - Introduction to Research and Statistical Methods - 3 credits

Total hours for degree: 120 (including 56 hours prerequisites)

NOTE: In that the above-listed LSU Health Shreveport courses form the professional component of the major, no grade below a C is acceptable. The coursework in any courses in which the student receives less than a C must be repeated, and a grade of C or higher earned, before the sequence can be continued.