大象传媒

Skip to main content

Mortuary Science AAS - Academic Plan

2025-2026

Total Credits = 65

Mortuary Science is a field of human and community service which offers a variety of work, intellectual challenge and satisfaction of helping the bereaved through life's most trying period. The program prepares individuals to become a mortuary science practitioner, funeral director and embalmer.


Accreditation Status: The Mortuary Science Program at Arapahoe Community College is accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE). The Board can be reached at 992 Mantua Pike, Suite 108, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097, 816.233.3747, www.abfse.org.

Program Outcomes

  • Explain the importance of funeral service professionals in developing relationships with the families and communities they serve.
  • Identify standards of ethical conduct in funeral service practice.
  • Interpret how federal, state, and local laws apply to funeral service in order to ensure compliance.
  • Apply principles of public health and safety in the handling and preparation of human remains.
  • Demonstrate technical skills in embalming and restorative art that are necessary for the preparation and handling of human remains.
  • Demonstrate skills required for conducting arrangement conferences, visitations, services, and ceremonies.
  • Describe the requirements and procedures for burial, cremation, and other accepted forms of final disposition of human remains.
  • Describe methods to address the grief-related needs of the bereaved.
  • Explain management skills associated with operating a funeral establishment.
  • Demonstrate verbal and written communication skills and research skills needed for funeral service practice.

Prerequisites, Corequisites, and Recommendations

Where requirements are listed as course categories (e.g. Electives, Arts/Humanities) rather than as specific courses, please note that depending upon course choice, prerequisites may be required.

*Grade C or better required

Required Course Prerequisite, Corequisite, or Recommendation
BIO 2101 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab: GT-SC1 Prerequisites: BIO 1111 - General College Biology with Lab: GT-SC1 and College Readiness in English and Quantitative Literacy Math
BIO 2102 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab: GT-SC1 Prerequisite: BIO 2101 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab: GT-SC1
ENG 1021 - English Composition I: GT-CO1 Prerequisite: College Readiness in English
PSY 1001 - General Psychology I: GT-SS3 Prerequisite: College Readiness in English
MOR 2010 - Embalming Theory I and Lab Required: Program Admission, and all General Education courses completed

Note: HPR 1058 and MOR 1000 are open enrollment with completed prerequisites; enrollment in all other Major Courses requires official acceptance into the Mortuary Science program.