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Mortuary Science Degree Requirements

2010-2011 Catalog
Mortuary Science

Mortuary Science is a field of human and community service which offers a variety of work, intellectual challenge and satisfaction of helping the bereaved through life’s most trying period. The program prepares individuals to become a mortuary science practitioner, funeral director and embalmer.

The program is accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE). The Board can be reached at 3432 Ashland Ave., Suite G, St. Joseph, Missouri 64506, 816.233.3747. Upon successful completion of the program students must sit for the National Board Exam before receiving their degree as required by the ABFSE.

Admissions Requirements:

  • Complete a Mortuary Science application
  • Interview with the Mortuary Science Department Chairperson if requested.
  • Students should review course descriptions for prerequisites and corequisites before enrolling.
  • Aims and Purposes:
  • The ACC Mortuary Science Program recognizes mortuary science personnel as:
  • Members of a human services profession.
  • Members of the community in which they serve.
  • Participants in the relationship between bereaved families and those engaged in the funeral service profession.
  • Professionals knowledgeable of and compliant with federal, state and local regulatory guidelines.
  • Professionals sensitive to the responsibility for public health, safety and welfare in caring.
  • In addition, the program objectives are:
  • To enlarge the background and knowledge of students about the funeral service profession.
  • To educate students in every phase of funeral service and to help enable them to develop the
  • proficiency and skills necessary of the profession.
  • To educate students concerning the responsibilities of the funeral service profession to the community at large.
  • To emphasize high standards of ethical conduct.
  • To provide a curriculum at the postsecondary level of instruction.
  • To encourage research in the field of funeral service.
  • All major, general education and other courses required for this degree must be completed with a “C” or better to meet graduation requirements (major courses may only be repeated once).
  • All MOR prefixes must be completed within 4 years of starting the Major Core Courses.
General Education Courses(27 credit hours)
ACC 121Accounting Principles I4 credits
BIO 201Human Anatomy and Physiology I*4 credits
BIO 202Human Anatomy and Physiology II*4 credits
BUS 216Business Law and the Legal Environment3 credits
MAN 128Human Relations in Organizations3 credits
COM 125Interpersonal Communication3 credits
ENG 121English Composition I3 credits
PSY 101General Psychology I3 credits
Major Courses(39 credit hours)
HPR 240Role of Death and Bereavement in Society3 credits
MOR 100Introduction to Funeral Service3 credits
MOR 210Embalming Theory I and Lab4 credits
MOR 215Funeral Merchandising3 credits
MOR 220Mortuary Law and Compliance3 credits
MOR 224Thanatomicrobiology/Pathology4 credits
MOR 225Embalming Theory II and Lab4 credits
MOR 230Restorative Art and Lab4 credits
MOR 235Funeral Directing and Counseling3 credits
MOR 243Thanatochemistry*3 credits
MOR 260National Board Review1 credit
MOR 280Funeral Service Internship4 credits
Total66 credit hours
*All science courses cannot have been completed more than seven years prior to enrolling in MOR 210. Similar courses taken at accredited institutions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.