Funeral Home Workers

High School

If you are interested in entering the field of mortuary science, consider taking classes in algebra, chemistry, anatomy and physiology, biology, physics, and any other laboratory courses available. In addition, a psychology class might be helpful since funeral home workers must deal with distraught families and friends of deceased persons. English and speech classes will help you hone your writing and speaking skills.

Postsecondary Training

Almost all states require funeral service practitioners to have completed postsecondary training in mortuary science varying from nine months to four years. Funeral directors need a minimum of an associate's degree in mortuary science. Several colleges and universities now offer two- and four-year programs in funeral service. The American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE) accredits approximately 58 mortuary science programs. Visit https://www.abfse.org/html/dir-listing.html for a list of programs.

The funeral service curriculum, approved by the ABFSE, includes courses in:

• Public Health and Technical (microbiology, anatomy, chemistry, pathology, restorative art and embalming, including laboratory work)
• Business Management (business management, funeral arranging, funeral merchandising, funeral home management, computer applications, Federal Trade Commission Funeral Rule, and accounting)
• Social Sciences (sociology of funeral service, psychology of grief, funeral directing, history of funeral service, communication skills and counseling)
• Legal, Regulatory, and Ethical Areas (business law, funeral service law and regulation, and professional ethics)

After completion of at least a two-year program, the graduate can apply to work as a mortuary science technician. Graduates who want to obtain a license in either embalming or funeral directing must work as an apprentice or intern in an established funeral home for one to three years, depending on the state's requirements. Some schools of mortuary science have arrangements with local area funeral homes to provide students with either a work-study program or a period of school-supervised funeral service work (residency or apprenticeship).

Certification

The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) offers the NFDA Arranger, NFDA Cremation Certification, NFDA Certified Celebrant, and NFDA Certified Preplanning Consultant (CPC) programs. Contact the association for more information.

Other Education or Training

The NFDA offers home study classes, teleconferences and webinars, online learning courses, and podcasts to help its members stay up to date with industry developments. Recent offerings included Funeral Homes and the Collection of Biometric Data: Fingerprinting and Beyond, Responding to Community Loss while Supporting Our Own Grief, and Cracking the Code to What Consumers Crave. The NFDA also offers a Leadership Conference and a Professional Women's Conference. The Cremation Association of North America and the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association also provide continuing education opportunities. Contact these organizations for more information.