(Pre-) Mortuary

Greg Heiberger, Coordinator and Advisor
Department of Biology and Microbiology
Alfred Dairy Science Hall 225C, Box 2104A
605-688-4294
e-mail: greg.heiberger@sdstate.edu

Area of Study

To meet the requirements as a mortician, funeral directors need specialized training. All states require those who embalm to be licensed. This field may require from one to four years of study with students earning a diploma, Associate of Applied Science (AAS) or Bachelor of Science (BS) degree at one of 50 accredited schools which offer programs in mortuary science. One or possibly two years of study may be taken at SDSU. Certification includes passing required board exams and an apprenticeship in an approved funeral home. Leaders of the funeral service field are rapidly recognizing the need for education of the total person. Because the funeral director’s work is diverse, he/she must draw upon knowledge of the social and economic fields as well as the scientific and artistic areas which the technical needs of the profession require.