Funeral Service Education
"Show me the manner in which a nation or community cares for
its dead and I will measure with mathematical exactness the
tender sympathies of its people, their respect for law of the
land and their loyalty to high ideals." William
Gladstone
About Our Program
This program is designed for students who are full-time employees of a
funeral home. The Funeral Service Education Program is based upon the
concept of cooperative education. It is designed for those who have a
state board sanctioned apprenticeship and who are actively seeking to
satisfy their particular state licensing requirements. Students must
complete an apprenticeship specified by the state in which they expect
to practice before they will be eligible for licensure. The Associate of
Applied Science Degree in the Funeral Service Education Program at
Jefferson State Community College is accredited by the American Board of
Funeral Service Education, 3414 Ashland Avenue, Suite G, St. Joseph,
Missouri 64506, (816) 233-3747 Web:
www.abfse.org.
The annual passage rate of first-time takers on the National Board
Examination (NBE) for the most recent three-year period for this
institution and all ABFSE accredited funeral service education programs
is posted on the ABFSE web site.
The students are given a broad understanding of funeral home operation,
funeral directing, public health and embalming along with a foundation
in communication skills, social science and applied science. The
accreditation of the Funeral Service Education Program by the American
Board of Funeral Service Education, Inc. qualifies graduates to take the
International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards exams as
well as any of the state board examinations.
Funeral Service Education students must complete all requirements for
the Associate in Applied Science Degree within four semesters of initial
enrollment in the FSE Program. The director of the program may grant an
extension of three semesters. Students requesting an extension must have
a cumulative 2.0 GPA. If a student receives a "D" or "F" at any time
during the three semester extension, the student will not be allowed to
continue in the program. Students must apply for the extension during
registration of their fifth consecutive semester. Students who do not
complete the Distance Learning Option within four semesters may not
enroll in distance learning courses. Students enrolled in distance
learning courses may transfer to on campus courses at any time. Once a
student elects to take on campus courses that student may not take
distance learning courses except in the case of extreme hardship.
Hardships must be submitted to the Program Coordinator in writing and
must meet the approval of all faculty who teach FSE courses. Work
schedules will not be considered as hardships. Students who do not
complete requirements in the specified time must repeat all FSE and BIO
requirements. Persons convicted of a felony offense should contact their
state board of funeral service regarding eligibility for licensure.
The Funeral Service Certificate is designed for those interested only in
Funeral Directing. The curriculum is based upon the curriculum used for
funeral directing licensing exams in several states. The academic
program is designed to meet specific state or professional needs. It is
not accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education.
Students graduating from this program are not eligible to take the
National Board Examination or any state board examination for which
graduation from an ABFSE accredited program is required.
Aims & Purposes
The aims and purposes of the Funeral Service Education Program focus on
funeral service as a profession. They are as follows:
- To provide a knowledge base upon which the students can build a
successful funeral service practice.
- To provide accessible, economical education to all apprentices who
seek it.
- To instill a keen sense of ethics that will remain with the student
in all endeavors.
- To aid in the process of providing all funeral service practitioners
with continuing education.
- To provide an awareness of the students' responsibility to their
profession and to their clients.
- To improve the public image of the funeral service profession.
- To assist practicing funeral directors in the operations of their
firms.
- To provide a location for forums and research on topics of interest
to funeral service professionals.