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Overview

Contrary to the rather severe-sounding name, Mortuary Science is primarily a human service occupation. While funeral directors do work with bodies, they spend much of their time helping families in need of emotional support. Funeral directors guide families through a difficult process, advising them on their options and dealing with the clinical details of death. Funeral directors bring order to an otherwise emotionally jarring experience, making the job extremely rewarding. It is also a very stable profession, as the demand for funeral directors remains constant regardless of the economic climate.

Mortuary Science students must fulfill the requirements of their academic institution and the licensure requirements of the state in which they intend to practice. This program is very much dependent upon state law. If you are considering Mortuary Science and you plan on attending a school in a different state, you should contact the licensing board or a funeral director in the state in which you want to work. Alternately, a school should be able to provide information on how their program works with your state’s requirements.

After graduation, a Mortuary Science major is usually required to complete an internship of about 12 months, although the length of the requirement varies from state to state. After the internship, he is required to take either the state examination or a national board examination (some states require both tests). When all requirements are met, he is awarded a license to practice.