Mortuary Science

Important Information

Semester Sequence

This is a suggested schedule for a student who has completed any developmental course work and has no transfer credits. Refer to the College catalog for specific requirements in selecting General Education Courses . Students are required to complete the English and Mathematics General Education requirements in the first 24 credits.

Courses Needed for This Program*

Total Credits Required for Degree: 70*

Note

*Credit students who are new to college (no successfully completed transferable college credits from other institutions) are required to take ACDV 101 - Academic Development: Transitioning to College . This 1-credit course is designed to be taken in the first semester at CCBC. Students must provide an official transcript(s) from an accredited institution to document successful completion of college coursework for the ACDV 101 requirement to be waived.

Program Description

The Associate of Applied Science Degree in Mortuary Science Program at the Community College of Baltimore County – Catonsville is accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE), 992 Mantua Pike, Suite 108, Woodbury Heights, New Jersey 08097; 816-233-3747; Web site: www.ABFSE.org, and is designed to train students for positions as morticians and prepare them to meet the State’s licensing requirements. The Maryland State Board of Morticians requires 1,000 hours of apprenticeship with 20 funeral assists and 20 embalming assists. In order to be eligible for an apprenticeship, two-thirds of the educational requirements (46 credits) must be met with a 2.0 grade point average, to be verified with an official copy of the college transcript before the individual petitions the Board for an approval of an apprenticeship program.

Students who elect this curriculum should recognize that certain specialized courses may not transfer to some four-year colleges. As a graduation requirement, students must take the National Board Examination. They must also make application with the Maryland State Board of Morticians to take the Maryland Mortuary Science Law and Practical Examination. It is the responsibility of out-of-state students to familiarize themselves with their own state’s licensing laws as they relate to apprenticeship and educational requirements.

The Mortuary Science Program at CCBC-Catonsville aims to recognize the importance of funeral service personnel as:

• Members of human services profession;
• Members of the community in which they serve;
• Participants in the relationship between bereaved families and those engaged in the funeral service profession;
• Professionals knowledgeable of and compliant with federal, state, provincial/territorial, and local regulatory guidelines in the geographical area where they practice; and
• Professionals sensitive to the responsibility for the public health, safety, and welfare in caring for human remains.

The Mortuary Science Program at CCBC-Catonsville’s objectives are as follows:

1. To enlarge the background and knowledge of students about the funeral service profession;
2. To educate students in every phase of funeral service, and to help enable them to develop the proficiency and skills necessary for the profession;
3. To educate students concerning the responsibilities of the funeral service profession to the community at large;
4. To provide a curriculum at the post-secondary level of instruction; and
5. To encourage students and faculty research in the field of funeral service.

School of Health Professions Policies

Students in the School of Health Professions are expected to conduct themselves according to an honor code; exhibit professional behavior; communicate effectively in English; provide proof of health insurance, immunizations, and a tuberculosis (TB) test; and submit to a criminal background check and drug testing. Students are expected to pay the costs associated with these requirements.

Admission

Applications for all School of Health Professions programs, except Dental Hygiene and Physician Assistant, are processed in a Central Application Service called CCBC CAS. The link to the CAS and the application instructions are located in the program admissions packet at the School of Health Professions website. You will need a CCBC student ID number and a CCBC student account password to complete the application. If you have questions about the CCBC CAS process, contact the School of Health Professions Admissions Office at (443) 840-1989 or read the FAQ selections at the bottom of each page inside the CAS application.

To apply to CCBC’s Mortuary Science program,

1. Students must first complete CCBC General Education requirements, General Education electives, and prerequisites prior to applying to the Mortuary Science Program.
2. Once students enter the Mortuary Science Program, they have four years to complete the A.A.S. degree in Mortuary Science. All courses that fall outside of the four-year timeframe will not count towards graduation requirements.
3. Students are required to take the National Board Examination (NBE) in MORS 200 - Funeral Service Seminar.  Taking the National Board Examination is a mandatory graduation requirement. The current cost for the NBE is $570.
4. Students are required to earn a grade of “C” or higher in all courses required for the Mortuary Science Program. This includes General Education requirements, General Education electives, prerequisites, and program requirements.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of this degree, students will be able to:

1. demonstrate competency skills of an entry level licensed Mortician to work in funeral service;
2. successfully complete the National Board Examination (NBE);
3. demonstrate skills that will enable the student to be culturally knowledgeable as a funeral service practitioner;
4. create relationships with professionals involved directly or indirectly with funeral service, i.e., cemeteries, crematoriums, funeral sundry suppliers, counselors, hospice centers, and other similar associations; and
5. explain the various professional associations at a local, state, and national level.

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