To work in mortuary science, individuals must be licensed. License requirements vary state-to-state (links to each state's licensing board are provided by the National Funeral Directors Association), but most states require funeral directors and embalmers to have a degree from an accredited program, an apprenticeship, and passing score on the Funeral Service National Board Examination.
Degrees in mortuary science are typically available at the associate and bachelor level. Worsham College in Wheeling, Illinois, offers an associate of applied science in mortuary science, while Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, offers a bachelor of science in mortuary science. Degrees in funeral service are also available. Briarwood College in Southington, Connecticut, offers a bachelor of science in funeral service management.
Funeral education programs are accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education, which is the only agency approved by the US Department of Education for funeral education accreditation.
