Program Overview

Associate of Applied Science Degree

Designed as a shared program with the Milwaukee Area Technical College, the Funeral Service program prepares individuals for a career as a licensed funeral director and embalmer. Students who complete the program will earn an associate degree and be eligible to receive their license (pending successful completion of the National Board Exam and State Board Exam).

Funeral service education is comprised of two categories: arts and sciences. The arts category covers the following topics: psychology, marketing and merchandising, funeral management, funeral arrangements, funeral service practices and law, grief, ethics, business management, and more. The science category covers the following topics: embalming, restorative art, funeral chemistry, pathology, microbiology, and more.

Program Outcomes

• Prepare the deceased human body for identification, viewing, including case analysis, embalming, cosmetizing, and restorations
• Comply with OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standards
• Document and coordinate people and funeral-related activities
• Anticipate and meet the needs of mourners in a tactful, discreet, and compassionate manner
• Apply counseling skills to the arrangement of funerals
• Recognize the burial rituals of various religious faiths, military branches, public service, and fraternal organizations

Academic Plan

The academic plan for the Funeral Service program can be found on the program page on the MATC website.