Admissions | Health Professions | SIU

Due to various circumstances, including rules of accreditation, limitations of facilities and internship sites and the low faculty-student ratio we maintain, we are only able to admit a specific number of students to our program. In order to be considered for admission to the program, you must meet the SIU general admission requirements.

Things to Be Aware Of Before You Apply For Our Program:

1. Laws governing the funeral service profession are enacted at the state level; therefore, licensure in one state does not guarantee licensure in another state. Prospective applicants should contact the state in which they plan to seek a funeral director/embalmer's license to obtain that state’s specific requirements. Graduation from this program does not assure the individual of licensure in all states.
2. Felony convictions may limit an individual’s ability to achieve licensure or employment.
3. Any applicant who has a physical disability should contact the state in which they plan to seek licensure to determine if the disability will affect licensure.
4. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), prospective students need not demonstrate that they can meet state licensing requirements in order to be admitted to the program.

There Are No Course Prerequisites For This Program. In Order To Be Considered For Acceptance Into The Mortuary Science And Funeral Service Program, Prospective Students Must:

1. Be admitted to SIU in good standing.
2. Submit the Hepatitis B vaccine verification form showing you have received at least the first shot in the series, and listing the dates of the remaining shots.
3. Submit official college transcript(s) of all college course work as well as a class schedule of any courses in which the applicant is currently enrolled.

Notification of Status

If you have met the minimum requirements, you will be notified of your acceptance to the program. If you do not meet the minimum requirements, you will be notified immediately of non-acceptance. When maximum enrollment has been reached, additional qualified students will be designated as alternates should any of those originally accepted decline the notification of acceptance. All other students, and any inquiries thereafter, will be notified that the enrollment is closed.

Are you a licensed funeral director and embalmer with an A.A.S. degree in Mortuary Science and Funeral Service?

Are you interested in completing your Bachelor of Science degree in Mortuary Science and Funeral Service – all ONLINE?

The School of Health Sciences’ online Mortuary Science and Funeral Service degree completion program was designed with working funeral directors and embalmers in mind, and we are happy to work with you to create a custom plan that will work for you. All required coursework can be complete in as little as two academic years, depending on transfer credits and the pace of the student.

Admission Requirements

This online Bachelor of Science in Mortuary Science and Funeral Service degree requires an A.A.S. degree in Mortuary Science and Funeral Service.

Applying

To apply for the online B.S. in Mortuary Science and Funeral Service degree completion program, apply to SIU. Once application is submitted, work with our academic advisor to discuss your degree completion path.

Program Format

The online B.S. in Mortuary Science and Funeral Service degree completion program is delivered in a modular format, structured to be completed by set deadlines. A team of instructors, teaching assistants, and program staff work to prepare and deliver course materials and provide support for you.

The University’s Morris Library provides information and support for distance education learning.

Program Requirements

The Bachelors of Science degree completion program requires 120 credit hours. Credits awarded from previous education will reduce the number of credit hours a student will be required to take.

Capstone

Capstone is a program that gives the student with an Associates of Applied Sciences Degree credit, and eliminates 4 UCC courses: English 102, 1-Humanity, Human Health, and Interdisciplinary. This does not eliminate the total number of credit hours required for the BS degree, but it allows the student the option for course electives and areas of interest. Each student will be evaluated individually.

Curriculum and Courses

The online Mortuary Science and Funeral Service degree completion program offers continuous enrollment, so students may begin the program’s course sequence at any time.

Depending on a students educational background, they may be in need of some University Core Curriculum required courses. Each student will be evaluated individually.

Students will be required to meet the Senior Institution Credit Hour requirement. A student must have 42 credit hours of 300/400 course work as part of their education. A student will receive 26 credit hours from the MSFS degree completion courses. For the remaining 16 credit hours, the student can take 300/400 UCC courses for the areas they are missing. Those credits will apply to both the UCC area and apply the credits towards the Senior Institution Credit Hour requirement. Each semester SIU offers many online UCC courses and each semester many of those UCC areas have 300/400 level courses offered in them. The advisor can assist the student in finding courses to assist in completing these requirements.

Depending on where a student received their Mortuary Science education, the credit from that school may be directly accepted by SIU, or if the student received their education from an institution that SIU cannot directly accept the credit, the MSFS program can award credits for that education. This will be completed by 259 Educational Credit. The Academic Advisor will be able to tell you if it will be directly accepted or if they will have to do the 259 form. Either way, in most instances credit can be awarded.

List of what courses you should take