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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:
2025-26
GE Pattern:
local AA/AS
Total Units:
75.5
Start Term:
Spring

Prior to Enrolling in the Program

Prerequisite Courses

6 Units
CAT. COURSE UNIT Prerequisites GE AREA
Req
BIOL 304
Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology
4
L5
Req
FSE 300
Introduction to Funeral Service
2

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)

16 Units
CAT. COURSE UNIT Prerequisites GE AREA
Req
CHEM 130
Chemistry for Funeral Service
4
Req
FSE 310
Funeral Directing I
3
FSE 300
Req
FSE 320
Funeral Service Law and Ethics
3
Req
FSE 335
Funeral Service Management
3
RE
BUS 105 1
Business Mathematics
3
L2

1 or MATH 300, or any 3-unit course meeting ARC GE Area L2 (Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning)

Semester 2 (Summer)

3 Units
CAT. COURSE UNIT Prerequisites GE AREA
Req
FSE 340
Pathology for Funeral Service
2
CHEM 130
Elec
any Area L7A (Physical Education) course 2
1
L7A

2 Students in majors (like this one) with 45 units or more of required coursework are exempt from the Area L7 general education requirement. See a counselor if you wish to waive this requirement.

Semester 3 (Fall)

18 Units
CAT. COURSE UNIT Prerequisites GE AREA
Req
ANTH 310 3
Cultural Anthropology
3
L4
Req
BIOL 130
Microbiology for Funeral Service
3
CHEM 130
Req
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing or
3
L1A
ENGL C1000H H, 4
Academic Reading and Writing - Honors
3
Req
FSE 312
Funeral Directing II
3
FSE 310 and 320
Req
FSE 330
Merchandising in the Funeral Service Industry
3
FSE 310 and 320
Req
ACCT 101
Fundamentals of College Accounting
3

3 or any 3-unit course meeting ARC GE Area L4 (Social and Behavioral Sciences)

4 or any 3-unit course from ARC GE Area L1A (English Composition)

Second Year

Semester 4 (Spring)

16.5 Units
CAT. COURSE UNIT Prerequisites GE AREA
Req
BUS 340
Business Law
3
Req
FSE 350
Restorative Art
3.5
Req
FSE 360
Embalming I
4
CHEM 130
Req
RLST 301 5
Introduction to World Religions
3
L3
Req
ETHNS 300 6
Introduction to Ethnic Studies
3
L6

5 or any 3-unit course meeting ARC GE Area L3 (Arts and Humanities)

6 or any 3-unit course meeting ARC GE Area L6 (Ethnic Studies)

Semester 5 (Summer)

3 Units
CAT. COURSE UNIT Prerequisites GE AREA
RE
COMM C1000 7
Introduction to Public Speaking
3
L1B

7 or COMM 331

Semester 6 (Fall)

13 Units
CAT. COURSE UNIT Prerequisites GE AREA
Req
FSE 297
Practicum in Funeral Service Education
5
(see below)
Req
FSE 365
Embalming II
2
FSE 350 and 360
Req
FSE 370
Funeral Service Counseling
3
FSE 350 and 360
Req
PSYC 390
Psychology of Death and Dying
3
L7B

FSE 297 prerequisite: BUS 340, FSE 350 and FSE 360

H honors courses

Explanation of Categories
Req Required Core A course that is required for this program
RE Restricted Elective A course selected from a list of elective courses specified for this program in the course list in the catalog, which can be replaced with another course from the same list
Elec Degree Elective A degree-applicable course that is part of a degree roadmap to ensure that there is a total of at least 60 units, which is a requirement for an associate degree
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 or the equivalent to enter the program. Information about the program and pre-enrollment applications may be obtained at the Funeral Service Education website.
  • 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 24, 2025

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