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Mt. Hood Community College Mt. Hood Community College Mt. Hood Community College

  • Funeral Service Education Curriculum

  • *Restricted Entry,
    Associate of Applied Science Degree Program

    Catalog Year 2018-2019

    *Information regarding the requirements for this Restricted Entry program is available by accessing the Funeral Services Education page.

    Accreditation

    The Funeral Service Education degree program at Mt. Hood Community College is accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE), 992 Mantua Pike, Suite 108, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097 816-233-3747. Web: American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE) at abfse.org.

    Program Aims, Objectives and Outcomes

    Aims of the Funeral Service Program at MHCC

    The Funeral Service Program at MHCC has as its central aim the recognition of the importance of funeral service personnel as

    • Members of a 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 geographic area where they practice;
    • Professionals sensitive to the responsibility for public health, safety and welfare in caring for human remains;
    • Professionals who are empowered to provide compassionate and professional care of the deceased and of the bereaved.

    Objectives of the Funeral Service Program at MHCC

    • To enlarge the background and knowledge of students about the funeral service profession;
    • To educate students in every phase of funeral service, and to help enable them to develop the proficiency and skills necessary for the profession;
    • To educate students concerning the responsibilities of the funeral service profession to the community at large;
    • To emphasize high standards of ethical conduct;
    • To provide a curriculum at a post-secondary level of instruction;
    • To encourage student and faculty research in the field of funeral service.

    Program Outcomes

    At the completion of this program, students should be able to:

    • Perform embalming at a basic level of proficiency
    • Perform funeral directing at a basic level of proficiency
    • Discuss the history and current trends in the funeral service profession
    • Demonstrate the proficiency and skills needed to function as an entry-level funeral services professional
    • Demonstrate responsibilities of the funeral service profession
    • Demonstrate high standards of moral conduct in all funeral service settings
    • Apply cognitive knowledge and demonstrate professional behavior and psychomotor skills required to function effectively in the funeral service industry
    • Perform research in the funeral service industry
    • Become life-long learners

    The Associate of Applied Science degree in Funeral Service offered by Mt. Hood Community College can be earned by following a prescribed course of instruction which requires six quarters in residence. Transferring all non-FSE classes from accredited institutions may allow a student to complete his/her professional coursework in a three-quarter sequence, beginning each fall quarter.

    Upon graduation from the Funeral Service Program, graduates are qualified to take the National Board Examination (NBE). Most states require that applicants pass the NBE as one condition of receiving a license to practice funeral directing and embalming.

    National Board Examination scores, graduation rates and employment rates for this and other ABFSE-accredited programs are available at www.abfse.org . To request a printed copy of this program’s scores and rates, go to Room AC1554, or by email at Doug.Ferrin@mhcc.edu or by telephone, 503-491-6940.

    Prospective students must satisfactorily meet admission program criteria and the application deadline to be considered for admission. Application packets are available on our website at mhcc.edu/FSE. Once you have read the application packet, if you have questions, please e-mail: lradmissions@mhcc.edu.

    Note: All Funeral Science Education degree requirements must be completed with a grade of “C” or better.

    MHCC National Board Passage Rate Exhibit

    Year # Taking Science Half # Passing Science Half % Passing Science Half # Taking Arts Half # Passing Arts Half % Passing Arts Half
    2004 22 20 91 22 21 95
    2005 23 17 74 23 20 87
    2006 27 24 89 27 23 85
    2007 27 23 85 27 25 93
    2008 26 25 96 26 26 100
    2009 14 11 79 14 12 86
    2010 20 18 90 20 17 85
    2011 29 24 83 29 22 76
    2012 24 24 100 24 23 96
    2013 19 19 100 19 18 95
    2014 24 24 100 24 23 96
    2015 27 23 85 27 19 70
    2016 13 10 77 13 11 85
    2017 15 13 87 15 12 80
    First Quarter (Fall)
    Course Number Course Title Credits
    AH110 Medical Language for Healthcare Settings or
    MO114 Medical Terminology I    		 2-3
    BA131
    		Introduction to Business Computing or CIS120 Computer Concepts I and CIS120L Computer Concepts I Lab 4
    FSE121 Funeral Service Orientation 3
      Health and Physical Education requirement 3
    WR121 English Composition 4
    16-17
    Second Quarter (Winter)
    Course Number Course Title Credits
    BI100 Survey of Body Systems or
    BI121     Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology I or
    BI231     Human Anatomy and Physiology I    		 4
    FSE122 Funeral Service Sociology 3
    MTH065 Beginning Algebra II (or higher)1 or
    MTH058 Quantitative Reasoning I    		 4-6
    PSY201 General Psychology or
    PSY202 General Psychology    		 4
    15-17
    Third Quarter (Spring)
    Course Number Course Title Credits
    AC110 General Accounting I 4
    CH104

    General, Organic and Biological
    Chemistry I or
    CH112 Chemistry for Health Professions or
    CH151 Basic Chemistry or
    CH221 General Chemistry I

    		 4-5
    FSE124 Funeral Service Law 4
    COMM100 Basic Speech Communication or
    COMM111 Fundamentals of Public Speaking or
    COMM115 Introduction to Intercultural Communication or
    COMM218 Interpersonal Communication or
    COMM219 Small Group Communications or
    PSY101 Psychology of Human Relations    		 3-4
    15-17
    Fourth Quarter (Fall)
    Course Number Course Title Credits
    FSE211 Embalming I 4
    FSE215 Cremation 2
    FSE219 Funeral Services Chemistry 3
    FSE221 Funeral Home Management I 3
    FSE225 Funeral Directing 3
    15
    Fifth Quarter (Winter)
    Course Number Course Title Credits
    FSE212 Embalming II 4
    FSE214 Restorative Art 3
    FSE216 Funeral Services Microbiology or
    BI234     Microbiology    		 3-4
    FSE222 Funeral Home Management II 3
    FSE227 Funeral Service Counseling 3
    16-17
    Sixth Quarter (Spring)
    Course Number Course Title Credits
    FSE213 Embalming III 3
    FSE217 Funeral Service Pathology 3
    FSE240 Funeral Service Internship2 6
    FSE245 Funeral Service Issues 3
    15
    Total Credits 92-98

    1 All first-year non-FSE coursework must be completed prior to entering the fourth quarter of the program.
    2Students may elect to take the internship for three credits (FSE240A) in any two terms, summer, fall, winter or spring.

    See Associate of Applied Science degree requirements printed catalog.

    More information is available, including the FSE student handbook at Funeral Service Education.