Mar 28, 2024  
2019-2020 SLCC General Catalog 
    
2019-2020 SLCC General Catalog [**** ATTENTION: YOU ARE VIEWING AN ARCHIVED CATALOG ****]

Mortuary Science: AAS (CTE)


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Associate of Applied Science | 67 credits

Health Professions Division
Jordan Campus
JHS 059
Program Information 801-957-6200
Program Website
Academic and Career Advising

Program Faculty
Assistant Professor - David Hess, M.S.Ed.
Assistant Professor - Jeff Zealley, M.B.A.

Program Description
The Mortuary Science program is designed to educate students in all phases of funeral service with special attention being given to the high ethical conduct within the funeral service profession. The knowledge and skills learned will allow students to acquire positions working in funeral homes as funeral directors, embalmers, grief facilitators and pre-need specialists. The aim of the program is to develop funeral service professionals who are active in the community in which they serve, who are knowledgeable and compliant with federal, state, and local area guidelines where they practice, who participate in building relationships with bereaved families and those engaged in the funeral service profession, and are sensitive to the responsibility for public health, safety, and welfare in caring for human remains. 

During the course of the program, students will actively participate in embalming, and restorative art procedures of deceased humans through lab sessions at the school and by being placed in a funeral home for training purposes. Students will be responsible for providing their own transportation to clinical sites. Research projects into the field of funeral service will be required. Courses will run in four consecutive semesters. To graduate from the program the student must obtain a C grade or better for all program courses.   After completion, students will be prepared for licensure in the state of Utah.

The Mortuary Science program is designed to give students the fundamental knowledge and skills needed to acquire entry-level positions in the funeral service profession and to encourage research in the field of funeral service.

Career Opportunities
The Mortuary Science program is designed to give students the fundamental knowledge and skills needed to acquire entry-level positions in funeral homes/mortuaries, cemetery management, and allied funeral service professions.

Transfer/Articulation Information
For information regarding transfer options, please see the Mortuary Science program advisor.

Total Program/Course Fees
Tuition per semester: http://www.slcc.edu/student/financial/tuition-fees.aspx
Estimated Additional Cost for the program:
  Mortuary Science Student Course Fees: $936.00
  Books: $2378.00
  NBE Practice Exam: $120.00
  Total additional cost: $3434.00

Estimated Time to Completion
Time to completion is four semesters based on a full-time minimum of 15 credits per semester. Less than 15 credits per semester will increase time to completion.


GENERAL ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

  • Be admitted to SLCC as a matriculated student. See http://www.slcc.edu/apply/index.aspx
  • High School Graduate or equivalent.
  • For transfer credit, submit OFFICIAL, SEALED transcripts for ALL colleges and universities where prerequisite course work has been completed. Send to: SLCC Office of the Registrar and Academic Records, 4600 South Redwood Road, P.O Box 30808, Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0808
  • Also, a request to have an OFFICIAL evaluation of student’s transcript(s) must be submitted to the SLCC Transfer Evaluation Office. The form is located at: http://www.slcc.edu/transcriptevaluation/. This process may take 4-6 weeks and must be completed before a student’s application will be considered.
  • Complete SLCC placement exam, or submit current SAT/ACT test scores, if MATH and ENGL course work have not been transferred to SLCC (required before you are able to register for classes that have MATH and ENGL courses as prerequisites). See: www.slcc.edu/testing

MORTUARY SCIENCE PROGRAM SELECTIVE ADMISSIONS APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Program course prerequisites must be completed before the start of the program with a C grade or better:

NOTE It is the student’s responsibility to examine each course description for details of other prerequisite classes. Those prerequisites must be satisfied before the designated program prerequisite course may be taken. AP Credit: AP scores of 3 or higher for a prerequisite course will be considered for admission into the program; however, this does not guarantee acceptance into the program. Application submission does not guarantee admission to the program. Please see the Mortuary Science program academic advisor with questions.

See the Mortuary Science webpage for essential information regarding completion of program application and additional application requirements http://www.slcc.edu/mortuaryscience/index.aspx.

MORTUARY SCIENCE PROGRAM ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Students admitted into the program will be required to purchase a COMPLIO (American DataBank) Compliance Package and submit the following in COMPLIO:

  • Proof of all required program immunizations or proof of immunity.
  • Purchase and complete background check through SLCC’s authorized vendor (American DataBank). Failure to pass background check may result in program dismissal.
  • Upon notification, purchase and complete drug screening through SLCC’s authorized vendor. Failure to pass drug screen may result in program dismissal. Students are not to purchase drug screening until notified.
  • Students are fiscally responsible for complying with requirements specific to working in clinical settings. The following costs are estimates only for planning. Actual cost and frequency are determined by vendors and specific clinical facilities. Estimated costs include:
    • Background check - $30
    • Drug Screen Package - $35
    • Compliance Package - $15/yr.
    • Immunizations (Cost varies considerably based on insurance coverage, past vaccinations, and personal immunity)

Specialized Accreditation
The Mortuary Science degree program at Salt Lake 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: www.abfse.org.

Licensure Information
Graduation from the Mortuary Science program does not guarantee the ability to obtain a Utah state license to practice in the funeral arts.  Licensure is the exclusive right and responsibility of each state.  In order to practice this profession, students must satisfy individual state requirements, independent of SLCC graduation requirements.  It is highly recommended that students consult in advance with the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL), or similar agencies in other states, to find out more about eligibility for licensure.  DOPL can be reached at 801-530-6628 or at their website.

For students who plan to work in funeral services in another state, here is one suggested website for researching state licensure requirements: License Finder sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.  If you have difficulty finding the licensure requirements for your state, please contact your academic advisor or SLCC’s state authorization coordinator for help.

Program Student Learning Outcomes Related College-Wide Student Learning Outcomes
  1 - Acquire substantive knowledge
2 - Communicate effectively
3 - Develop quantitative literacies
4 - Think critically & creatively
5 - Become a community engaged learner
6 - Work in professional & constructive manner
7 - Develop computer & information literacy

Graduate from a program of study in Mortuary Science and obtain employment to help meet the funeral service industry employment needs of the State of Utah and surrounding states.

1, 5, 6

Discuss and demonstrate their knowledge about the funeral service profession.

1, 2

Be knowledgeable in every phase of funeral service and demonstrate proficiency and skills necessary for the profession.

1, 2, 3, 4, 7

Explain the responsibilities of the funeral service profession to the community at large.

2, 5, 6

Demonstrate high standards of ethical conduct in the industry.

2, 5, 6

Apply knowledge and demonstrate skills learned at a post- secondary level of instruction.

1, 2, 3, 4, 7

General Education Requirements


Core Skills


Composition (EN) 1 course


Quantitative Studies (QS) 1 course


Communication (CM) 1 course


Distribution Areas (LS)


Advising Notes


The Mortuary Science Program accepts 20 students every Spring Semester. Once accepted, students will complete the program in 4 semesters (Spring, Summer, Fall, Spring). This program requires full time day attendance.

The following courses may be completed prior to acceptance into the Mortuary Science Program: HS 2050 Cultural, Legal, and Ethical Issues in Health Care (HR)  or MKTG 1960 Professionalism in Bus. (HR) , ACCT 1110 Financial Accounting I  and MGT 2050 Legal Environment of Business .

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