Principles of Statistics
Self-paced online Principles of Statistics course (Statistics 101). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
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California's plan for a bachelor's degree in respiratory care: timeline and what is decided
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
The Respiratory Care Board of California voted on 6 June 2025 to seek a bachelor's minimum for new licensees. Its plan would enforce it from January 2033, but only if the law changes. The board's April 2026 summary of its sunset bill listed no degree change, and current licensees are not affected under the plan.
The vote
At its 6 June 2025 meeting, the board voted unanimously that the education requirement for entry into practice be raised to a bachelor's degree minimum. It gave health, safety and evolving practice as the reasons. Focus groups in 2023 had asked for a plan that would not disrupt the workforce pipeline.
Today's rule is unchanged: Business and Professions Code section 3740(a) requires a CoARC-accredited programme and at least an associate degree.
The planned timeline
The board's Professional Qualifications Committee published its plan of action on 24 October 2025. These are the steps it set out.
- January to March 2026: report to the Legislature and sunset review hearings.
- January to September 2026: a sunset bill that could carry the change, through committees and floor votes.
- 12 October 2026: Governor's deadline to act; an approved bill would take effect 1 January 2027.
- January 2027 to December 2028: curriculum changes and faculty requirements; accreditation work with CoARC in the first half of 2027.
- January 2029: first bachelor's-entry cohort begins.
- October 2031: final associate-degree entry cohort graduates.
- January 2033: all applicants must meet the new requirement.
What has actually happened
The plan depended on legislation in 2026. In its April 2026 legislation summary, the board described SB 1304, its sunset bill, as extending the board to 1 January 2031, aligning the licence exam with the NBRC's RRT credential, adding mandatory suspension for some felony convictions, clarifying LVN exemptions and raising the renewal fee ceiling. No change to the degree requirement is listed.
We could not read the final chaptered bill. Until the board says otherwise, the bachelor's minimum remains a stated goal, and the timeline above is a plan rather than a set of deadlines.
What it means for you
The answer depends on where you are.
- Licensed now: the plan says you are not affected; a bachelor's is optional.
- In an associate programme now: finish it; the plan keeps associate cohorts running until 2031.
- Planning to start: general education you finish now counts toward either route.
- Thinking of leadership or teaching roles: a bachelor's helps whatever the law does.
Starting general education at your own pace
General education is the part of a bachelor's you can begin before choosing a programme. UPI Study PRO is $99 a month for every course, including Principles of Statistics, English Composition 2 and Introduction to Sociology. UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited; its ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit reaches a university via a college transcript from a partner such as TESU or UoPeople, and only if the university says in writing that it would consider it. A California community college at $46 a unit, often waived for residents, is another good option.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask the university that would grant your bachelor's, in writing, whether it would consider each course before you enrol.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Questions people ask
Is the bachelor's requirement law in California?
Not as of the board's April 2026 legislation summary. The board voted for it in June 2025 and planned to carry it through its 2026 sunset bill, but the summary of SB 1304 listed no degree change. Business and Professions Code section 3740(a) still sets an associate degree minimum.
Why does the board want a bachelor's?
The board said a higher education requirement supports the health, safety and welfare of Californians who need respiratory care, and aligns with current and evolving healthcare practice. Its plan aims to make the change without disrupting the workforce, which is why it would phase in over several years.
Where can I follow the decision?
The Respiratory Care Board of California posts meeting agendas, legislation summaries and news on rcb.ca.gov. Its Professional Qualifications Committee papers carry the plan of action. Check there before making study decisions that depend on the timing.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
English Composition 2
Self-paced online English Composition 2 course (ENG 102). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Introduction to Sociology
Self-paced online Introduction to Sociology course (Sociology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
Ask your university first; then study only the courses it said it would consider.
Sources
- Respiratory Care Board: Apply for a license (official)Minimum education: graduation from a CoARC-approved respiratory care program and a minimum of an associate degree, shown on official transcripts; $300 application fee. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Respiratory Care Board: Licensure Plan of Action (PQC agenda item 8a, 24 Oct 2025) (official)The board voted unanimously on 6 June 2025 to raise entry to a bachelor's degree minimum; the plan sets a timeline (Governor's action 12 Oct 2026, first BSRC entry cohort Jan 2029, final associate cohort graduates Oct 2031, enforced Jan 2033) and says current licensees will not be affected. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Respiratory Care Board: Accepted Respiratory Care Programs (official)Quotes Business and Professions Code section 3740(a): a programme accredited by CoARC and a minimum of an associate degree from a regionally accredited institution; programs approved by any other entity do not qualify. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.