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Carl Sandburg College
Select a Catalog 2022-2023 College Catalog Carl Sandburg Student Success Guide 2021-2022 College Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG] 2020-2021 College Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Mortuary Science, AAS
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Carl Sandburg College offers both a traditional and an accelerated associate degree program for students interested in a career in mortuary science.
Mortuary Science Program Aims and Objectives
Prepares students to serve within the funeral service profession and adheres to the institutional commitment to student success in both human development and achievement of educational goals. This challenge is met by educating students in all phases of funeral service, with special attention being given to the high ethical standards within the funeral service profession. These goals are accomplished through a wide variety of educational experiences aimed at developing the many skills needed in order to successfully serve within the funeral service profession. This curriculum is based upon the American Board of Funeral Service Education curriculum outlines. Several of the mortuary science classes require some outside work as well as research about various aspects of the funeral service profession; especially the responsibilities of the funeral service profession to both the families and the communities that each will serve. Upon completion of the mortuary science program, each graduate will have attained those skills necessary to uphold and foster the dignity of the funeral service profession.
Nature of the Work
Funeral directors arrange the details and handle the logistics of funerals. They interview the family to learn what they desire with regard to the nature of the funeral, the clergy members, or other persons who will officiate and the final disposition of the remains. Sometimes the deceased leave detailed instructions for their own funerals. Together with family members, funeral directors establish the location, dates and times of wakes, memorial services, and burials. Funeral directors also prepare obituary notices and have them placed in newspapers, arrange for pallbearers and clergy, schedule the opening and closing of a grave with the cemetery, decorate and prepare the sites of all services, and provide transportation for the remains, mourners, and flowers between sites. Most funeral directors are also trained and licensed embalmers. Embalming is the cosmetic and preservative process through which the body is prepared for interment.
Opportunities are excellent with many openings in the funeral service profession. These include, but are not limited to; funeral directors, embalmers, grief facilitators, and pre-need sales. Most funeral homes are family-run businesses, and the funeral directors either are owner operators or employees of the operation.
The Mortuary Science program has specific admission requirements and a separate application process. Students who have successfully completed all of the prerequisite courses contained within the mortuary science program course of study are eligible for the accelerated option. Students must apply and be accepted into the program in order to enroll. Completed applications may be submitted beginning Oct. 1 every year for classes that start the next academic year. Admission to the program is on a rolling basis, but new students are only admitted for the fall semester each year. Mortuary science admission requirements are:
Meet admission requirements of Sandburg
Complete all general education courses
Complete an application for the mortuary science program
Submit all transcripts (H.S., College or GED) to Sandburg
Submit proof of interview with a licensed funeral director
The Hepatitis B Vaccination is required prior to admission
Enrollment in the program is limited to a specific number of students due to accreditation requirements. The accelerated program is designed to meet the needs of those applicants who have already attained the necessary educational requirements in order to complete the required Mortuary Science major courses in a two-semester sequence. Students who enroll in the program must earn a minimum grade of "C" (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) in all courses required in the mortuary science program. Failure to attain these grade requirements will result in dismissal from the program with an option to reapply to the program only available on a onetime basis.
Students are expected to purchase required clothing or protective equipment used in the program. Additional living and incidental expenses should be expected by the student.
Department of Health Professions
2400 Tom L. Wilson Blvd.
Galesburg, IL 61401
For Additional Information Contact:
The Welcome Center
welcomecenter@sandburg.edu
For Graduation Requirements:
See the graduation policies and procedures page for details .
Note: Students must apply for admission to this program. Please click here to view to the program's page for admission requirements.
ENG 101 - Freshman Composition 1 Credit(s): 3
Fall Semester
MTS 150 - Psychology of Grief & Death Credit(s): 3
BIO 111 - Anatomy & Physiology Fundamentals Credit(s): 4
CHM 100 - Concepts of Chemistry Credit(s): 3
MTS 110 - History of Mortuary Science Credit(s): 3
MTS 120 - Mortuary Law Credit(s): 3
MTS 130 - Introduction to Microbiology - Mort Sci Credit(s): 2
MTS 131 - Introduction to Pathology-Mortuary Science Credit(s): 2
MTS 210 - Funeral Service Counseling Credit(s): 4
BUS 205 - Management Fundamentals Credit(s): 3
BLA 202 - Business Law Credit(s): 3
ACC 100 - Procedural Accounting Credit(s): 3
MTS 140 - Embalming 1 Credit(s): 4
MTS 160 - Funeral Service Administration Credit(s): 5
MTS 170 - Restorative Art Credit(s): 4
MTS 215 - Introduction to Mass Fatalities Incidents Credit(s): 2
MTS 225 - Thanatochemistry Credit(s): 3
MTS 220 - Funeral Directing Credit(s): 4 (First 8-Week Session)
MTS 230 - Embalming 2 Credit(s): 4 (First 8-Week Session)
MTS 240 - Funeral Service Seminar Credit(s): 1 (First 8-Week Session)
MTS 250 - Funeral Service Practicum Credit(s): 3 (Second 8-Week Session)
MTS 260 - Restorative Arts/Embalming Practicum Credit(s): 3 (Second 8-Week Session)
MTS 270 - Exam Review Seminar Credit(s): 1 (Second 8-Week Session)
Total Semester Hours: 70
NOTE: Students enrolled in the Mortuary Science program must complete all MTS courses with a grade of "C" or better in order to be eligible to register for subsequent courses. In order to graduate, students must complete all required courses with a grade of "C" or better.
Matthew Kendall
Associate Professor, Mortuary Science
Timothy Krause
Professor, Mortuary Science
Coordinator, Mortuary Science
All of our Mortuary Science courses are taught in newly constructed, state-of-the-art facilities located on the Main Campus in Galesburg. This facility includes two main classrooms, restorative art laboratory, chapel area, arrangement and merchandising areas, fully operational preparation room for embalming and dissection, student lounge areas and offices for the teaching and support staff.
The Mortuary Science program at Carl Sandburg College is accredited by the:
American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE)
922 Mantua Pike,
Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097
www.abfse.org
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