Physics for Bachelor’s Respiratory Therapy Programs: What You Need and Where to Take It- some bachelor’s-level respiratory care programs require a physics prerequisite that associate programs don’t. Here’s who actually needs it, what form it takes, and — honestly — where to complete it, since this is one prerequisite we don’t offer.

Target keyword: physics respiratory therapy prerequisite   •   Last verified May 2026 against current BSRC program pages

If you’re aiming for a bachelor’s-level respiratory care program, you may have noticed a prerequisite that didn’t appear on the associate-degree lists: physics. It’s a real requirement at a subset of programs, and it understandably raises questions — is it always required, how much physics, does it need a lab, and where should you take it? This guide answers those directly, and it does something most prerequisite pages won’t: it tells you plainly that physics is the one common RT prerequisite we don’t offer, so you can plan to complete it elsewhere without wasting time. For the complete requirement list, the respiratory therapy prerequisites guide is the hub; for the associate-vs-bachelor’s decision overall, see associate vs. bachelor’s (BSRC) prerequisite differences.

In this guide

Who actually needs physics — and who doesn’t

The first and most useful thing to establish is that physics is not a universal RT prerequisite. Whether you need it depends on the type of program you’re entering, and the distinction saves a lot of unnecessary worry — and unnecessary coursework.

• Associate (AAS) programs: usually no physics. Most associate-degree respiratory therapy programs require A&P, microbiology, chemistry, math, and English, but not a standalone physics course. If you’re pursuing an AAS, physics is likely not on your list — confirm against your specific program, but it’s the exception, not the rule.
• Entry-level bachelor’s (BSRC) programs: often yes. Bachelor’s programs designed for students who are not yet credentialed respiratory therapists — entry-level BSRC degrees — more often include physics among their prerequisites. Loma Linda’s entry-level BS in respiratory care, for instance, requires physics (with a high-school-physics alternative), and several four-year programs list it among the upper-division prerequisite set.
• RRT degree-advancement (BSRC) programs: usually no separate physics prerequisite. Bachelor’s-completion programs for already-credentialed RRTs (degree-advancement tracks) typically don’t require a separate physics prerequisite — and some teach the relevant physics principles inside the respiratory care curriculum itself rather than as a prerequisite. If you’re an RRT advancing your degree, physics is usually not a gate.

So before you enroll in any physics course, identify which of these three buckets your target program falls into. The single most common mistake here is an applicant assuming physics is required (or not required) based on a different program’s rules. Physics is the most program-variable of the RT sciences, so the answer truly is “check your specific program’s page” — and if it’s a BSRC, check whether it’s entry-level or degree-advancement, because that usually settles it.

What the physics requirement actually looks like

When a program does require physics, the requirement is usually lighter than applicants fear. A few patterns hold across programs that list it:

• Usually one semester. Most RT programs requiring physics ask for one quarter or semester of introductory or general college physics — not the two-semester calculus-based sequence a physics or engineering major would take. It’s a single foundational course in the great majority of cases.
• A high-school-physics alternative is common. Several programs accept high-school-level physics in lieu of a college course. Loma Linda’s entry-level BSRC, for example, requires the college course only “if applicant does not have high-school-level physics.” If you took physics in high school, you may already satisfy the requirement — check whether your program counts it.
• Often no separate lab requirement. Unlike A&P, microbiology, and chemistry — which RT programs require with a lab — physics is frequently listed without a mandatory lab component. Some programs do want a lab; many don’t. This makes physics, when required, often more straightforward to complete than the lab sciences.
• Introductory level is fine. The point of the requirement is the conceptual physics underlying respiratory mechanics, gas behavior, and pressure — not advanced physics. An introductory or algebra-based general physics course typically satisfies it; you usually don’t need calculus-based physics.

Why physics at all? The relevant principles map directly onto respiratory care: gas laws, pressure and flow, and the mechanics of ventilation are physics in action. Programs that require it want you to arrive with that conceptual foundation so the cardiopulmonary and equipment coursework builds on something. Seen that way, the requirement is purposeful rather than arbitrary — but it remains one foundational course, not a major undertaking.

The recency window applies to physics too

Like the other RT sciences, physics is subject to a recency window at programs that impose one — commonly in the range of five to ten years, depending on the program. A physics course taken well outside that window may need to be refreshed even if you passed it. If you took physics years ago (in high school or college), confirm two things with your target program: whether it accepts that course at all, and whether it’s still within the recency window. If it’s aged out, you’ll be retaking it — the same dynamic that affects A&P and microbiology for RT applicants.

If your physics is at risk of expiring, factor it into your timeline alongside the other sciences. For how recency rules work across all the RT sciences, see RT prerequisite recency rules (the 5-year window).

Where to take physics — the honest part

Here’s the straightforward disclosure that this page exists to make: PrereqCourses does not currently offer a physics course. Our catalog serves the other RT science and general-education prerequisites — anatomy and physiology, microbiology, chemistry, math, statistics, and medical terminology — through Upper Iowa University, but physics is not among them. So if your bachelor’s program requires physics, you’ll complete it somewhere else, and we’d rather tell you that clearly than have you search our catalog in vain.

The good news is that physics is widely available and usually easy to complete affordably. Your best options:

• Community college. Almost every community college offers introductory or general physics, often at the lowest per-credit cost and frequently with online or hybrid sections. For a single required course, this is usually the most economical route. Confirm the course is from a regionally accredited institution so it transfers into your RT program.
• Four-year college or university. If you’re completing other upper-division prerequisites at a four-year institution, taking physics there too can simplify your transcript. Regionally accredited online general-physics courses exist at many universities.
• Your high-school transcript. Don’t overlook this: if your program accepts high-school physics and you took it, you may not need a college course at all. Check before enrolling in anything.

Whatever route you choose, apply the same transfer rules that govern every RT prerequisite: the provider must be regionally accredited, the credit must post to an official transcript, and your program must accept the specific course. For the full framework on what makes a prerequisite transfer, see can you take RT prerequisites online? — the accreditation logic there applies to physics exactly as it does to the sciences we offer.

The RT prerequisites we do serve

While physics isn’t in our catalog, the rest of the bachelor’s RT prerequisite science and gen-ed load is — and for a BSRC applicant, that’s the larger share of the list. PrereqCourses delivers these self-paced through Upper Iowa University, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), with credit posting to an official transcript for transfer into your program:

Course mappings and program requirements vary; confirm against your target program’s current admissions page and PrereqCourses’ current catalog before enrolling.

So the practical plan for a bachelor’s RT applicant who needs physics: complete the science and gen-ed prerequisites we offer self-paced and online, complete physics separately at a regionally accredited community college or four-year school, and transfer everything into your program together. For the course-by-course detail on what we do serve, see the guides to A&P for RT online, microbiology for RT, and the chemistry requirement.

Frequently asked questions

Do all respiratory therapy programs require physics?

No. Most associate (AAS) programs don’t require a standalone physics course, and RRT degree-advancement bachelor’s programs usually don’t either. Physics is most common at entry-level bachelor’s (BSRC) programs. Always check your specific program, since physics varies more than any other RT science.

How much physics do I need for a bachelor’s RT program?

When required, usually just one quarter or semester of introductory or general college physics — not a calculus-based sequence. Many programs also accept high-school-level physics in place of a college course.

Does the physics prerequisite require a lab?

Often not. Unlike A&P, microbiology, and chemistry — which RT programs require with a lab — physics is frequently listed without a mandatory lab. Some programs do want one, so confirm with yours.

Does PrereqCourses offer a physics course?

No. We offer the other RT prerequisites — A&P, microbiology, chemistry, math/statistics, and medical terminology — through HLC-accredited Upper Iowa University, but not physics. If your program requires physics, complete it at a regionally accredited community college or four-year school.

Where should I take physics if I need it?

A regionally accredited community college is usually the most affordable option for a single course, often with online sections. A four-year university also works. And if your program accepts high-school physics and you took it, you may not need a college course at all — check first.

Will my old physics course still count?

Maybe — physics falls under the same science-recency window as the other RT sciences, commonly five to ten years depending on the program. Confirm both that your program accepts the course and that it’s still within the recency window before relying on it.

The bottom line

Physics is a prerequisite at some bachelor’s RT programs — usually one introductory course — but not most associate programs, and it’s the one common RT prerequisite we don’t offer. 

Check whether your specific program requires it: entry-level BSRC programs often do; associate and RRT degree-advancement programs usually don’t. When required, it’s typically one semester of introductory or general physics, frequently without a lab, and sometimes satisfiable with high-school physics. Because PrereqCourses doesn’t offer physics, complete it at a regionally accredited community college or four-year school, then transfer it in alongside the A&P, microbiology, chemistry, math, and medical terminology prerequisites we do serve.

Start with the RT prerequisites we offer. Explore the self-paced RT prerequisite courses — A&P, microbiology, chemistry, math, and medical terminology — through HLC-accredited Upper Iowa University, and handle physics separately if your program requires it.

Related respiratory therapy guides

Plan the rest of your RT application:

• Respiratory Therapy Prerequisites: The Complete Guide — the full requirement list and the hub for every prerequisite topic.
• Associate vs. Bachelor’s (BSRC): Prerequisite Differences — why the bachelor’s path carries a heavier load, including physics.
• Can You Take RT Prerequisites Online? (Accreditation) — the transfer rules that apply to physics and every other prerequisite.
• RT Prerequisite Recency Rules (the 5-Year Window) — whether an old physics course still counts.

Prerequisite requirements, physics specifics, lab rules, and recency windows vary by program and change. Always verify whether your specific program requires physics, in what form, and within what recency window against its current admissions page before enrolling. This guide is general information only and is not a guarantee of credit transfer or admission.