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Online Funeral Service Education and Training Programs
Online Funeral Service Education and Training Programs
Learn about online training and education options designed to prepare you to work in the funeral service industry. Find out the median salary for funeral directors, as well as certification and licensure requirements.
Is Online Training In Funeral Service Education Available?
Although you'll be able to complete some of your education online, you may need to attend some courses on campus to complete an associate's degree program. You may have to visit the campus for orientation or final exams, and many schools require that you complete your embalming work at on-campus labs. Introductory and didactic courses, such as those on the psychology of dying, can be completed entirely online. In online courses, assignments can be accessed from online learning websites that also allow you to interact with other students and instructors.
<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Online Availability</b></td><td>Some courses can be completed online</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Common Course Topics</b></td><td>Human anatomy, reconstructing facial features, postmortem body changes, embalming, signs of death</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Certification</b></td><td>To obtain licensure, one must hold an associate's degree, apprentice for a year, and take an exam</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Salary</b></td><td>$59,000 (average salary for morticians, undertakers, and funeral directors in 2020)</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Job Outlook</b></td><td> 2% decline (for morticians, undertakers, and funeral directors 2019-2029)</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---WhatWillILearn">What Will I Learn?</h3><p>In a funeral services training program, you'll learn how to properly handle human remains, and you'll develop an understanding of the ethical principles involved in handling funeral arrangements and working with the bereaved. Courses cover medical terminology, human anatomy and microbiology. In restorative art courses, you'll also study techniques for reconstructing facial features through the use of various methods, including wax and non-wax treatments. You can also learn about postmortem body changes, signs of death, and the preservatives and chemicals used in the embalming process.
</p><h3 id="section---WillOnlineTrainingPrepareMeForCertification">Will Online Training Prepare Me for Certification?</h3><p>According to the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE), the associate's degree is the typical degree level for funeral services education (<i>www.abfse.org</i>). To obtain licensure in this field, you must complete an associate's degree, work at least a year as an apprentice and take an exam. You may also wish to look specifically for a program accredited by ABFSE, since their certification exam and many state board exams require that your degree be earned from an ABSFE-accredited program.
</p><h3 id="section---WhereCanIUseThisTraining">Where Can I Use This Training?</h3><p>After obtaining licensure, you can work as a funeral director in a funeral home or mortuary. As a funeral director, you can expect to arrange funerals, embalm bodies and prepare obituaries. You may choose to own your own funeral home or work in larger mortuaries. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean salary for morticians, undertakers, and funeral directors was $59,000 in May 2020 (<i>www.bls.gov</i>).</p>
