Degree Paths

Degree Paths at Commonwealth Institute

Choose Your Education Path

Associate of Applied Science

The Associate of Applied Science Degree in Funeral Service (AAS) is designed to teach students the skills and abilities essential for employment as an embalmer and funeral director. As a graduate of this program, you will be able to disinfect, preserve and/ or restore a dead human body through embalming and restorative art for the purposes of burial or other means of final disposition.

You will also learn how to conduct funeral service ceremonies of various religious, fraternal, military, traditional, humanistic and nontraditional customs. And you will be able to conduct funeral arrangement conferences with families, conduct necessary paperwork in funeral home management and be aware of proper workplace safety guidelines for funeral service personnel.

As a graduate of this program, you may find entry-level employment as an apprentice/intern/provisional licensee with funeral homes, embalming services, cemeteries, pre-need sales and affiliate funeral service merchandise and embalming chemical companies.

Individuals seeking these credentials must also meet the requirements of the appropriate licensing agencies.  Students must take the National Board Exam as a condition for graduation from the AAS program.

Online Associate of Applied Science

A student may select to complete the Associate of Applied Science degree via web-based instruction (on-line or eLearning). Courses taken through this option follow the same academic term and length, and have the same rigorous academic and admission requirements as those taken on-campus. The online program is lesson-based. Students complete eight to ten lessons per module. A student must complete a lesson before proceeding to the next lesson within a module. Modules are taken concurrently throughout the quarter.

An Associate of Applied Science degree is issued to students who complete a career education curriculum of college level and character.  This Degree is designed to lead students to employment as a funeral director and embalmer. The Associate of Applied Science Degree at Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service is accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE), 992 Mantua Pike, Suite 18, Woodbury Heights, New Jersey 08097 (816) 233-3747.  Web: www.abfse.org.

Certificate in Funeral Directing

CERTIFICATE IN FUNERAL DIRECTING is designed to teach students the skills and abilities essential for employment as a funeral director in the state of Texas only.  This academic program is designed to meet specific state or professional needs.  It is not accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education.

Graduates of this program will be able to prepare, other than by embalming, a dead human body for burial, or other means of final disposition.  They will learn how to conduct funeral service ceremonies of various religious, fraternal, military, traditional, humanistic, and nontraditional customs.  Additionally, they will be able to conduct funeral arrangement conferences with families, conduct necessary paperwork in home management, and be aware of proper workplace safety guidelines for funeral service personnel.  Graduates of this program may find entry-level employment as an apprentice/intern/provisional licensee with funeral homes, cemeteries, pre-need sales, and affiliated funeral service merchandise companies.

In addition to meeting the requirements for admission found elsewhere in this catalog, the Certificate in Funeral Directing also requires the completion of 13 semester /20 quarter hours of general education courses.  These general education courses may be completed at any regionally accredited college or university and transferred to Commonwealth Institute; or these courses may be taken in residency at Commonwealth.  Refer to Policy Granting Credit.

Students with the general education courses may complete this program in six months (two, eleven- week quarters).  Please refer to the college calendar for dates of enrollment.

Students in this program are not eligible to participate in federal student aid programs or in Commonwealth Institute’s scholarship program.

Online Certificate in Funeral Directing

A student may select to complete the certificate in funeral directing via web-based instruction (on-line or eLearning). This academic program is designed to meet specific state or professional needs.  It is not accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education.

Courses taken through this option follow the same academic term and length, and have the same rigorous academic and admission requirements as those taken on-campus. The online program is lesson-based. Students complete eight to ten lessons per module. A student must complete a lesson before proceeding to the next lesson within a module. Modules (as sequenced below) are taken concurrently throughout the quarter. For example, a student enrolled in first quarter general education modules will complete modules 1 – 4 during the quarter.