Major: Funeral Service and Mortuary Science
Professionals in the funeral service and mortuary science field provide an important human and community service. Students of this field prepare for work that offers not only intellectual and emotional challenge, but also the satisfaction of helping individuals and families through the death of a loved one.
Programs cover the science of preparing the dead for burial, grief counseling, and the business of running a funeral service.
Students of funeral service and mortuary science programs prepare for careers as funeral directors and morticians.
Did You Know?
- Once you have completed an accredited funeral service and mortuary science program, you must take a national exam.
Are You Ready To...?
- Practice embalming (the process of disinfecting and preserving the deceased body) in labs
- Learn to apply makeup to the deceased
- Become familiar with the types, quality, and pricing of caskets and burial vaults
- Study federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding funeral services
- Learn about different funeral customs
- Learn to counsel people in mourning
It Helps to Be...
A compassionate and sensitive person who is able to counsel the grieving. It also helps to be attentive to detail, a skill you’ll need in both the business and science aspects of the work.
College Checklist
- Is the program accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education?
- How does the program help prepare you for professional licensure? Licensure in the state you attended school may not transfer to the state in which you plan to work.
- What are the backgrounds of the professors? Are they practicing funeral directors?
- Check out the department’s facilities, including labs and preparation rooms.
Did You Know?
- Funeral service and mortuary science programs often require internships with a local funeral home.
Course Spotlight
Students of funeral service and mortuary science programs take several courses in embalming. Through lecture and labs, you'll learn both the theory and practice of embalming.
You'll study the history and ethics of embalming and the physical and chemical changes in the body after death. And you'll learn how to prepare human remains for burial. Other topics covered include the equipment and chemicals used in embalming and methods of cleaning and disinfecting the body, injecting embalming fluids, and draining blood and bodily fluids.
