Mortuary Science Program

The Mortuary Science Program is accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education, Inc. The Mortuary Science Program curriculum offers a course of study leading to the Associate of Applied Science Degree.  It is designed to encompass the managerial and technical aspects of funeral service and its allied areas.  It also provides the basis for further study in thanatology, pathology, grief counseling and postmortem examination.

During matriculation, students develop skills in embalming, cosmetizing, dressing, and casketing.  In addition, students gain experience in directing funeral services.  Students are required to maintain notebooks for each course in the curriculum.  Scholarships from national and local funeral service associations and manufacturers are available for those who qualify.  Students are required to take the National Board Examination prior to graduation.  The annual passage rate of first-time takers on the National Board Examination for the most recent three year period for this institution and all ABFSE accredited funeral service education programs is posted on the ABFSE web site www.abfse.org.

Upon completion of the Mortuary Science curriculum and licensing requirements of the states in which students intend to practice, students are prepared to own and operate a funeral establishment or to serve as a pathologist’s assistant, autopsy assistant, anatomical embalmer, anatomical technician, or thanatologists assistant.

Employment opportunities exist with funeral homes, hospitals, medical schools, health, and the offices of medical examiners or coroners

The Aims and Purposes of the Mortuary Science Program are:

• To increase students’ knowledge of funeral service and its professional ethics.
  
  
• To educate students in all phases of funeral service and to assist them in the development of skills necessary to meet and exceed the standards of care in dealing with health, safety, and welfare associated to the preparation and care of the deceased.
  
  
• To present students with a challenging curricula and facilities which will instill high standards of ethical, moral, community and personnel performance and integrity.
  
  
•  To share educational facilities as a community resource.
  
  
• To encourage exploration, research, self directed discovery and participation in the improvement of the program.
  
  
• To relate educational outcomes to the national as well as local needs of the funeral profession.
• To educate its students to the high standards of ethical conduct necessary to uphold and perpetuate the dignity of funeral service.
  
  
• To increase the student’s capacity to share responsibility in the social, ethical and political processes of society.

Additional Comments or Requirements:

To progress in the Mortuary Science Program, prerequisites must be completed for each Mortuary Science course.  A student must pass each Mortuary Science course in the sequence in which it is identified in the program of study.  Failure to pass any Mortuary Science core course with a grade of a “C” or better will prevent the student from taking the next course in the sequence until this requirement is met.  Also incomplete grade(s) must be removed before progressing to another Mortuary Science course.

A student is allowed only two attempts at all Mortuary Science core courses, and may repeat no more than two Mortuary Science courses to remain enrolled in the program.

All degree requirements for the A.A.S. in Mortuary Science must be completed within four (4) years of taking the first Mortuary Science course.  Mortuary Science and core courses can be no older than five years.

A student must maintain a Cumulative Grade Point Average (G.P.A.) of 2.5 to remain a Mortuary Science major.

Classroom attendance is required and Clinical and Practicum attendance in Mortuary Science is mandatory.

Transfer students from other colleges must be in good academic standing, not on academic probation, not academically or administratively dismissed, and not barred from continuing enrollment in the Mortuary Science Program at previous college(s).  Transfer students from other colleges must meet the criteria for admission, and have earned a 2.5 or higher C.G.P.A. to be considered for progression into the Mortuary Program. Credit by examination may be used to validate prior learning.

Credit by examination is at the discretion of the Mortuary Science Program Director.

No student will be subject involuntarily to regulations and academic requirements introduced while continuously enrolled and in good standing in the Mortuary Science Program, if the new regulations involve undue hardship or loss of academic credits earned to satisfy the requirements previously in effect.

The following regulations are, however, in effect for all students:
A student, who ceased to attend the University for a period of one semester, whether voluntarily or not, is subject to all the regulations and requirements in force at the time studies are resumed unless the Director of the Mortuary Science Program has approved other arrangements and recorded the same in writing prior to the beginning of the absence.

Policies of the Mortuary Science Program are subject to revision during the course of development, implementations, evaluation, and the revision of the curriculum.  These changes may become effective prior to publication of the next catalog.

All prerequisite courses must be completed before a student can advance into the Mortuary Science Program. There is a five-year statute of limitation on all core courses.

Associate of Applied Science Degree in Mortuary Science Requirements