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Funeral Service Education A.S. Degree

Full Time

This program roadmap represents one possible pathway to complete the program. Please see a counselor to create an education plan that is customized to meet your needs. This roadmap is not a guarantee of course availability or financial aid applicability.

Catalog:: 2024-25
GE Pattern:: local AA/AS
Total Units:: 77.5
Start Term:: Spring

Prior to Enrolling in the Program

Prerequisite Courses

6 Units

CAT.	COURSE	TITLE	UNIT	GE AREA
Req	BIOL 102 ¹	Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology	4	IV
Req	FSE 300	Introduction to Funeral Service	2

¹or BIOL 103

This program has eligibility requirements and a selection process. Detailed information about the program and pre-enrollment applications may be found in the college catalog and on the college website.

First Year

Semester 1 (Spring)

18 Units

CAT.	COURSE	TITLE	UNIT	GE AREA
Req	CHEM 130	Chemistry for Funeral Service	4
Req	FSE 310	Funeral Directing I	3
Req	FSE 320	Funeral Service Law and Ethics	3
Req	FSE 335	Funeral Service Management	3
Req	MATH 120 ²	Intermediate Algebra	5	MC

² or MATH 110

Semester 2 (Summer)

2 Units

CAT.	COURSE	TITLE	UNIT	GE AREA
Req	FSE 340	Pathology for Funeral Service	2

Semester 3 (Fall)

16 Units

CAT.	COURSE	TITLE	UNIT	GE AREA
Req	ANTH 310 ³	Cultural Anthropology	3	Vb
Req	BIOL 130	Microbiology for Funeral Service	3
Req	ENGWR 300 / 480 ^H	College Composition	3	IIa WC
Req	Req	FITNS 310 ⁴	Aquatic Fitness I	IIa WC	1	IIIa
Req	FSE 312	Funeral Directing II	3
Req	FSE 330	Merchandising in the Funeral Service Industry	3

³ or any 3-unit course from ARC GE Area Vb (Social Science/Social & Behavioral Sciences)

⁴ or any 1-unit course from ARC GE Area IIIa (Physical Activity Course)

Second Year

Semester 4 (Spring)

16.5 Units

CAT.	COURSE	TITLE	UNIT	GE AREA
Req	ACCT 101	Fundamentals of College Accounting	3
Req	BUS 340	Business Law	3
Req	FSE 350	Restorative Art	3.5
Req	FSE 360	Embalming I	4
Req	RLST 301 ⁵	Introduction to World Religions	3	I, VI

⁵ or any 3-unit course from ARC GE Area I (Humanities) and Area VI (Ethnic/Multicultural Studies)

Semester 5 (Summer)

3 Units

CAT.	COURSE	TITLE	UNIT	GE AREA
Req	HIST 311 ⁶	History of the United States (1865 - Present)	3	Va

⁶ or any 3-unit course from ARC GE Area Va (American Institutions)

Semester 6 (Fall)

16 Units

CAT.	COURSE	TITLE	UNIT	GE AREA
Req	FSE 297	Internship in Funeral Service Education	5
Req	FSE 365	Embalming II	2
Req	FSE 370	Funeral Service Counseling	3
Req	PSYC 390	Psychology of Death and Dying	3	IIIb
Req	COMM 301 ⁷	Introduction to Public Speaking	3	IIb

⁷ or SPEECH 331

^H honors courses

Explanation of Categories
Req	Required Core	A course that is required for this program

Graduation Requirement

A course that fulfills a specific graduation requirement which can be replaced by another course that meets the same graduation requirement.

MC = Math Competency

WC = Writing Competency

2 Years

Career path

Career Options:

This degree prepares students to take the National and State Board examination to become a licensed funeral director in California. It also prepares students to take the National and State embalmer’s examination.

Other Notes:

Students must have a high school diploma, GED, CHSPE or higher to enter the program. Information about the program and pre-enrollment applications may be obtained at https://arc.losrios.edu/academics/programs-and-majors/funeral-service-education.
The Funeral Service Education program currently accepts students once per year for the spring semester, which begins in January. The deadline to submit an application is the second Friday in November.
Only students who meet the pre-enrollment requirements and follow the pre-enrollment process will be considered for the program.
The Funeral Service Education associate degree program at American River 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.

Published April 13, 2024

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