Mortuary Science - Associate in Applied Science

Providing career education of a technical or semi-professional nature that offers an associate degree that, upon completion, qualifies students to seek employment in the occupational field for which preparation is offered.

The Program of Mortuary Science at KCKCC states as its central aims 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.

The Mortuary Sciences purposes are:

• 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 of the profession, as defined in the preamble above.
• 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 the postsecondary level of instruction.
• To encourage research in the field of funeral service.

National Board Examination pass rates, 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 rates go to the Mortuary Science office, RM 3630 Flint Building, email mortuaryscience@kckcc.edu or call (913) 288-7607.

 Program Information – Kansas City

Year	Total enrolled	# of New Students	# of Grads	Timely Grad*	Graduation rate	Did not finish**	Overall % Employed	Employed In FS
2017	26	24	25	25/25	88%	3	88%	88%
2016	34	34	28	28/28	89%	3	86%	86%
2015	34	33	33	30/33	85%	4	97%	97%

 National Board Statistics– Kansas City

3 year Average	% Pass Arts	% Pass Sciences
2016 – 2018	82%	77%
2015 – 2017	81%	73%
2014 – 2016	76%	70%

 

Most recent	# Takers	# Passed
2018 Arts	26	21
2018 Sciences	24	20

Requirements for admission to the program:                                    

• High School diploma or equivalent (GED).
• Minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.50 for all undergraduate coursework.
• Complete all College and General Education requirements with a grade of “C” or better prior to acceptance into the program.
• Submit either a letter of recommendation from a licensed Funeral Director or an Investigation Questionnaire.

Course		Credit Hours
BLUE 0101	Freshman Seminar	1

Course		Credit Hours
ENGL 0101	Composition I*	3
SPCH 0151 OR SPCH 0201	Public Speaking OR Interpersonal Communication	3
BUSN 0101	Accounting I***	3
BUSN 0104	Small Business Management	3
BUSN 0110	Business Math** or higher	3
	Humanities elective	3
PSYC 0101	Psychology*	3
PSYC 0115	The Grieving Process	3
BIOL 0141	Human Anatomy and Laboratory***	4
Total Hours for General Education Requirements		28
* See course syllabus for prerequisite. ** Math sequence is contingent upon previous high school mathematics background and transfer institution. Students should confer with an advisor to determine correct placement. ***Anatomy and Accounting courses completed more than four (4) years prior to admission must be repeated.

Course		Credit Hours
MTSC 0101	Orientation to Funeral Service	2
MTSC 0105	Mortuary Law	3
MTSC 0108	Mortuary Chemistry	3
MTSC 0110	Restorative Art for Mortuary Science	4
MTSC 0160	Mortuary Microbiology	3
MTSC 0201	Pathology	3
MTSC 0205	Embalming Theory	4
MTSC 0210	Mortuary Management	3
MTSC 0212	Funeral Service Merchandising	3
MTSC 0225	Funeral Service Counseling	3
MTSC 0239	Mortuary Science Practicum I	4
MTSC 0241	Mortuary Science Practicum II	3
	Total Hours for Mortuary Science Requirements	38
* See course syllabi for Mortuary Science course prerequisites.

Total Hours for an Associate in Applied Science in Mortuary Science Degree

67

Course		Credit Hours
First Semester
BLUE 0101	Freshman Seminar	1
ENGL 0101	Composition I	3
SPCH 0151 OR SPCH 0201	Public Speaking OR Interpersonal Communication	3
PSYC 0101	Psychology	3
	Humanities elective	3
BUSN 0104	Small Business Management	3

Second Semester
BIOL 0141	Human Anatomy and Laboratory	4
BUSN 0101	Accounting I	3
PSYC 0115	The Grieving Process	3
BUSN 0110	Business Math or higher	3

Third Semester
MTSC 0101	Orientation to Funeral Service	2
MTSC 0105	Mortuary Law	3
MTSC 0108	Mortuary Chemistry	3
MTSC 0201	Pathology	3
MTSC 0212	Funeral Service Merchandising	3
MTSC 0240	Mortuary Science Practicum I	3

Fourth Semester
MTSC 0110	Restorative Art for Mortuary Science	4
MTSC 0160	Mortuary Microbiology	3
MTSC 0205	Embalming Theory	4
MTSC 0210	Mortuary Management	3
MTSC 0225	Funeral Service Counseling	3
MTSC 0241	Mortuary Science Practicum II	3

The Mortuary Science classes (MTSC) must be completed within 3 consecutive semesters or 1 calendar year from admission into the program.

To reduce semester course load, many classes listed above are available during summer session.