Death in America is studied as it affects both the individual and society. Sociological phenomena related to American attitudes toward death, children and death, terminal illness and hospice care, and suicide are discussed. Special emphasis is placed on their relevance to funeral service practice.

The basic principles of Business Law and ethics are examined in relation to the funeral service profession and how agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission regulate practices, professional contracts, negotiable instruments, sales, and warranties.

Accounting and financial practices for small business owners and operations including the accounting cycle, development and understanding of financial statements, bookkeeping and banking, payroll, and asset depreciation for funeral service and industry professionals.

Microbial and pathological conditions are examined and how they relate to death, with a concentration in physical and chemical changes, disease transmission and control, sterilization and disinfection, and the effects of disease states relative to the embalming process.

An introduction to the clinical laboratory setting and policies, ET I focuses on topographical and cardiovascular anatomy, as well as basic medical terminology. Pre, during, and post embalming considerations are explored along with an introduction to case analysis. Embalming Theory I is a prerequisite for ET II and CMP II, III.

CMP brings the student into the lab where clinical practices rely heavily upon ET I theories and procedures as the basis for embalming fundamentals and safe clinical practices. Clinical Mortuary Practice is a prerequisite for CMP II, III.

Business and interpersonal relationships in the funeral service profession are explored. Skills are developed which facilitate relating well with employers and colleagues, bereaved families, and the community at large. Students have the opportunity to develop a resume, to make an oral presentation applicable to funeral service, and to practice empathic care giving and funeral arranging skills.

Emphasis is placed on the natural form and appearance of the cranium and face. Studies include bones and muscles of the head, shapes, proportions, profiles and features. RA lab is a component allowing the students to gain practical experience in modeling and reconstructing features. Wax mediums, cosmetics and color theory are also explored. Restorative Art I is a prerequisite to Restorative Art II.

Lab application of SCI328 curriculum focusing on modeling and restoration of the human form using armatures and wax.

Examines current mortuary law theory, state and federal regulations pertaining to funeral homes as a business and directors as licensed professionals. Explores legal rights, duties, liabilities and the various parties involved when arranging for disposition and the order of the death registration process in the United States. Designed to introduce funeral prearrangements and methods of securing market share through permissible, lawful marketing tactics and funding options.

The Funeral Directing Curriculum focuses on the basic duties, responsibilities, and expectations of those practicing funeral service, with a historical to contemporary perspective. Explores the influences of religion and burial practices in ancient cultures and the evolution of those customs and beliefs into modern day practice. Examining birth cohorts and various religious rites assists funeral service professionals in conducting the arrangement conference, facilitating various types of funerals, from Celebrant services to supplemental services, including fraternal and military honors.

A study of the role cemeteries and crematories play within the death care industry. Historical perspectives, both past and present, are discussed as well as their impact on our practices today. The science and statistics behind interment and cremation are presented to provide a greater understanding as to how the funeral industry may better adapt to a rapidly changing landscape.

ET II focuses on the application of embalming techniques and fluids. The course explores treating the difficult case including delayed embalming, embalming the infant or child, autopsies, organ and tissue donors, trauma due to accident or illness, decomposition, and burns. Vascular difficulties and moisture considerations are also reviewed. Embalming Theory II is a prerequisite for Embalming Theory III.

CMP II brings the student into the lab where clinical practices rely heavily upon ET I theories and procedures as the basis for embalming fundamentals and safe clinical practices. Clinical Mortuary Practice I is a prerequisite for CMP II.

The grief process and the funeral director’s role in facilitating grief are examined. Theories and characteristics of grief are discussed, including unique features of grief related to special losses. Counseling theories and principles are presented and applied to funeral arrangements. Skills are explored in a counseling lab, which includes role-playing. This course must be taken concurrently with Funeral Service Management III and Mortuary Science Capstone.

The role and function of the funeral director as manager is defined. Management skills, personnel selection, motivation and training, and operations management are discussed. In addition, the merchandising component of the course is designed to develop product knowledge of caskets, vaults, and other merchandise, which may include presentations by manufacturers either on campus or during field trips. Planning funeral home selection areas and displaying merchandise are also explored. This course must be taken concurrently with Psychology of Grief and Mortuary Science Capstone.

Emphasis is placed on the treatment of various minor restorative techniques including suturing, tissue building, and hair replacement. Treatments of major restorations including abrasions, burns, fractures, decomposition, illness, trauma, and feature rebuilding are also explored.

Lab application of SCI338 curriculum with a focus on the modeling and reconstruction of features & facial form, hair replacement, and cosmetic application.

An in-depth survey into embalming chemicals, their compositions, functions, and how they influence organic tissues. This course is designed to aid the embalmer to better understand the reactions of the chemicals used in this field so they may be utilized to greater effect. Successful completion of both Embalming Theories I and II are requisite for beginning this course.

CMP brings the student into the lab where clinical practices rely heavily upon ET I theories and procedures as the basis for embalming fundamentals and safe clinical practices.

This capstone course provides students with hands-on experience in serving a mock bereaved family from the first call through final disposition. Included are embalming and cosmetics, dressing and casketing, arranging, funeral directing, and preparing the required forms and paperwork. In addition, there is extensive review of prior course material in preparation for the National Board Examination. This course must be taken concurrently with Funeral Service Management III and Psychology of Grief.

This specialty seminar style course provides consideration of current topics within the death care profession and consists of three components: Ethics, President’s Seminar and Celebrant Training. The course strives to develop within the funeral service professional a sense of ethical and legal thought, reflection and conduct which will then guide their decision making and actions in the proper care of the deceased and compassionate service to the bereaved. Ethical business, employment, and collegial practices are also explored in this course. President’s Seminar discussions will focus on current topics relevant to our profession to help you expand your knowledge of death care so that you enter the profession as a well-rounded and well-versed professional. Celebrant training will focus on meeting the needs of survivors while meaningfully and appropriately honoring a life lived.

This course explores the principles and practices of event and catering management within the context of funeral service. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the unique requirements and sensitivities involved in providing quality hospitality services to grieving families and friends during funerals and memorial events. Topics cover the tools for offering catering packages, whether internally or contracted, and will include pricing for profit, setting up kitchens, staffing, marketing, event planning, food preparation and service and food safety. Students will also receive Alcohol Servsafe and Person in Charge Food Safety Certifications.

This course recognizes that the bond between humans and their pets is unique and special. For many people pets are their primary source of emotional and social support and can be considered their children, best friends, confidants, partners, or companions. They become members of the family and can provide a sense of constant support through various life changes, events, and experiences. Pets provide constant and unconditional love and devotion. This special human-animal relationship is what make the death of a pet one of the most significant losses a person may experience. The impact of the loss is often determined by prior personal experiences with loss, how close we are to our pet, and the strength of our attachment to our pet.

Two of the most common disposition options are burial and cremation. However, there are many funeral dispositions available that warrant exploration. This required course will delve into the various options, including alkaline hydrolysis. It may also include natural burial, green burial, recompositing, cryogenics, mushroom suits, living coffins, and more.

LAW 449 explores the complex legal landscape governing the responsibilities and liabilities of funeral professionals. Through an in-depth study of real-life cases, students will examine the legal, ethical, and practical challenges faced by those working in funeral service, including issues of negligence, contract disputes, consumer protection, professional misconduct, and the evolving standards of care.

To bridge theory with practice, the course incorporates the films The Burial, Bernie, and The Mortician as case-based learning tools. These cinematic portrayals of funeral service scenarios provide an engaging framework for analyzing legal principles, identifying risk factors, and understanding how courtroom outcomes can shape professional behavior. By connecting funeral law concepts to real-world events, students gain a clearer, more relatable understanding of how legal issues emerge in practice and how they can be prevented.

This course examines the role of a funeral home in providing support to families during the bereavement period. Included is an in-depth discussion of the various components of funeral home aftercare (also called continuous care) programs such as bereavement literature, personal contacts, community outreach and grief support groups. Interaction with families during the bereavement period is enhanced by increased knowledge of the grief process. More recent and emerging theories of grief beyond those covered in earlier courses will be presented. These will include contemporary concepts such as continuing bonds, meaning making, instrumental vs. intuitive grief styles, and resilience.

This course combines the basic elements of literature with reading and writing about literary selections that have death as a central subject. The readings consist of works of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and drama. Film selections are also included.

This course explores various methods and platforms of technology and how it is useful in the funeral service profession and in caring for bereaved families. This course is designed for students to understand, communicate, and adapt to a digital world as it impacts funeral service. This will include exploration of funeral home management software (Passare and SRS Procession); methods of live streaming (Facebook Live, YouTube, and OneRoom,) and Video Chatting (Zoom, FaceTime, Facebook Messenger, Google Duo, Skype); effective and responsible uses of social media; basics of funeral home website development; and exposure to foundational knowledge in hardware, other software and IT support. Students will not only understand the concepts, but they will be able to apply their knowledge to situations with hands-on activities and project-focused tasks. Emphasis is placed on ethical and responsible use, professional communication skills and practices, liability to the funeral provider, problem-solving skills and most importantly, the additive value to the family's memorialization experience.

This course takes a regional approach to gross anatomy with emphasis on those areas of the human body of interest to the embalmer, especially the circulatory system.

The Funeral Service Co-op provides six weeks of practical experience in an off-campus funeral home setting. Students participate in: removals, preparations, dressing and casketing, arrangements, visitations, funerals, and office procedures. The student, the funeral home, and the college enter into a tri-party relationship in which each must accept responsibility for the co-op experience. The goal of this relationship is to provide the student an opportunity, under academic supervision, to participate in the actual practice of funeral service.