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 57 hours of pre-requisite courses that can be taken at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university with an additional 63 hours (two years) of professional courses that are completed at LSU Health Shreveport. 

Summer Semester (8 total credit hours)
CPSC 3122 Human Anatomy – 4 credit hours
CPSC 3123 Human Physiology – 3 credit hours
CPSC 3100Respiratory Care Fundamentals I – 1 credit hour

Fall Semester (12 total credit hours)
CPSC 3200 Respiratory Therapy Fundamentals – 3 credit hours
CPSC 3263 Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiology and Pharmacologic Therapy I – 3 credit hours
CPSC 3220 Cardiopulmonary Physiology – 3 credit hours
CPSC 3250 Clinical Applications & Procedures I – 2 credit hours
CPSC 3262 Clinical Seminar I – 1 credit hour

Spring Semester (13 total credit hours)
CPSC 3300 Neonatology and Pediatrics – 3 credit hours
CPSC 3310 Clinical Application & Procedures II – 2 credit hours
CPSC 3363 Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiology and Pharmacologic Therapy II – 3 credit hours
CPSC 3330 Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics I – 2 credit hours
CPSC 3342 Critical Care Concepts I – 2 credit hours
CPSC 3362 Clinical Seminar II – 1 credit hour

Summer Semester (6 total credit hours)
CPSC 3400  Clinical Application & Procedures III  – 2 credit hours
CPSC 3332 Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics II – 2 credit hours
CPSC 4160 Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation & Home Care– 2 credit hours

Fall Semester (13 total credit hours)
CPSC 4050 Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiology II – 3 credit hours
CPSC 4062 Cardiovascular Diagnostics – 6 credit hours
CPSC 4080 Clinical Applications & Procedures IV – 3 credit hours
CPSC 4072 Clinical Seminar III – 1 credit hour

Spring Semester (12 total credit hours)
CPSC 4152 Cardiopulmonary Specialty Topics – 3 credit hours
CPSC 4170 Clinical Applications & Procedures V  – 2 credit hours
CPSC 4180 Professional Development in the Health Sciences – 4 credit hours
CPSC 4190 Introduction to Research – 3 credit hours

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.