Associate of Applied Science Degree in Funeral Service – Campus

All A.A.S. degree students, campus and online, must complete the curricular labs and externships as a requirement for graduation.  These translate the theoretical knowledge learned in the classroom into practical, hands-on experience.  Included are the three following areas: funeral directing, embalming, and restorative art. 

• The Funeral Directing Externship consists of two parts, activities and arrangements.  The activities portion requires students to attend and observe 5 different types of live funeral services/ceremonies outside of the classroom.  The arrangements portion involves students completing 5 arrangement conferences from first-call to contract – these may be completed in a mock setting on campus.
• The Embalming Externship may be completed wholly on campus.  All students will actively participate in the embalming of at least 10 human remains.  Competency in numerous embalming tasks will be assessed.
• The Restorative Art Lab consists of clinical instruction regarding wax restoration, feature modeling, and mortuary cosmetology.  Students will use photographs to recreate an entire face; with a focus on facial proportions and the specific facial features.  This lab must be completed on campus.

Campus AAS: In general, campus degree students will complete all lab and externship requirements on the CIFS campus.  The only exception is the Funeral Directing Externship activities which cannot be completed in a mock setting and is an assignment during the 1^st quarter of specialized courses.  Embalming is done during the 3^rd quarter of specialized courses; one afternoon per week according to a preset schedule.  During the 4^th quarter of specialized courses, campus students will complete both the Restorative Art Lab and the Funeral Directing Externship arrangements.  These 4^th quarter requirements typically take place during normal school hours.

For additional information on labs and externships, see Section 5 in the Student Handbook.

Tuition will be determined according to the modality of enrollment (Online or On-campus).   Tuition payments are due by the first day of the quarter for on-campus students. Tuition for online students is due two weeks prior to the start of the quarter to ensure timely delivery of books. Tuition and Fees are subject to change without prior notification.

On Campus Classes

The on-campus tuition rate is $179 per quarter credit hour.

ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE DEGREE IN FUNERAL SERVICE

If the general education courses are taken on campus at CIFS, then the total tuition and fees will be $17,463; payable as follows: $50 application fee due with application, $50 graduation fee due 30 days prior to graduation, and $17,363 tuition (97 quarter credit hours multiplied by $179).

If all general education courses are transferred to CIFS, then the total tuition and fees will be $13,167; payable as follows: $50 application fee due with application, $50 graduation fee due 30 days prior to graduation, and $13,067 tuition (73 quarter credit hours multiplied by $179).

• Completion of all general education and specialized courses either by transfer or through enrollment for a total of 97 quarter credit hours.  A minimum of 30 quarter credit hours are required to be completed at CIFS (Residency Requirement);
• Pass each specialized course with a minimum final letter grade of “C”;
• Achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 in all coursework completed at CIFS;
• Pass each section (Arts and Sciences) of the CIFS Certification Exam;
• Discharge of all financial obligations to Commonwealth Institute 30 days prior to commencement;
• For those receiving federal student loans, complete financial aid exit counseling; and
• Complete all three clinical requirements: embalming, restorative art, and funeral directing.