Funeral Arranging and Directing

Overview

In this certificate program, you learn how to:

• Design services that are meaningful for the bereaved and reflective of the life of the deceased
• Meet the needs of client families by arranging and directing funeral and related services
• Secure documents required to legally transport, bury and cremate the deceased
• Provide pre-need, at-need and aftercare services
• Abide by federal and provincial legislation requirements for transportation and final disposition
• Meet the provincial apprenticeship requirements for licensing as a Funeral Director

This online learning and apprenticeship program is for funeral director apprentices in Atlantic Canada who are registered with their provincial licensing Board of Registration of Embalmers and Funeral Directors. This certificate is only available to students apprenticing in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador, where funeral directors and embalmers are licensed separately.

Study options

• This program is only offered with a part-time study option with courses delivered online over a two-year period.
• Once admitted, you're referred to an advisor for course selection.

Choose NSCC

• Benefit from our program experience, faculty knowledge of the industry and flexible learning options.
• Gain skills that are relevant to industry. We maintain close connections with Atlantic Canada's funeral service providers, developing programs that respond to the changes in the provision of funeral services and the demands of the profession.

Other info

• Alternate intake – This program is not offered each year. Check program locations for upcoming start dates.
• The apprenticeship requirements for students enrolled in the Funeral Arranging and Directing program vary from province-to-province. Generally, a licensing examination(s) is required. Licensing examinations may include both a written examination and a practical examination. For more information on provincial licensing requirements, contact your respective Board of Registration of Embalmers and Funeral Directors.

September 2023

Campus	Full time/part time	Delivery	Availability
eCampus	Part time	Asynchronous online Delivered fully online with no scheduled classes.	Seats available

Admission requirements

• High School Graduation Diploma or equivalent.
  • This program is open to applicants from Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador provinces.
• A valid Nova Scotia Class 5 driver's licence or equivalent.
• Applicants who have not obtained an apprenticeship with a funeral home prior to beginning the program will be required to take part in a work/volunteer observation experience. Participation in a funeral home observation period under a licensed Funeral Director is required. Before applicants approach a funeral home to set up the work/volunteer observation experience, NSCC Admissions will provide the required documentation.
• Applicants who have obtained an apprenticeship with a funeral home prior to beginning the program are required to submit a letter of recommendation from the funeral home in support of the application to NSCC Admissions. This letter should outline the applicant's work experience and participation at the funeral home and confirm that the applicant will serve his or her apprenticeship with that funeral home. Apprentices must be registered with their provincial licensing board.

Program requirements

• A current, official criminal record check and vulnerable sector check are required to complete work placements in many programs. A conviction may impact your ability to complete program requirements.
• All programs in Health and Human Services require First Aid/CPR as a graduation requirement. For specific program requirements, view additional Health and Human Services program requirements
• Many Health and Human Services programs have additional requirements, including immunizations. You must submit proof that you've completed these requirements by the date provided to you at the beginning of your program. View additional Health and Human Services program requirements
  • Receiving immunizations may take up to 10 months to complete.
  • Failure to complete immunizations can result in a delayed work placement, which will impact your ability to complete program and graduation requirements.
• Portfolio development – As part of your studies at NSCC, you develop a portfolio of your work; the portfolio captures your achievements and profiles your skills to employers.

Tuition

Tuition amounts are for the 2022-23 academic year. Program costs and fees (textbooks, supplies, etc.) are additional. 2023-24 tuition will be announced in the late Spring.

Tuition, fees and program costs

Tuition for part-time study option is calculated on a per-course basis and is paid at the beginning of each term.

In addition to annual tuition, there are program costs (books, tools, etc.) and student fees for college services, health and dental plans, your student association and parking.

View detailed program fees page(s). Please note that amounts on these pages are meant for planning purposes only. They don't represent final amounts owing.

• Funeral Arranging and Directing - Year 1 - Part-time
• Funeral Arranging and Directing - Year 2 - Part-time

This program is not eligible for a Nova Scotia Student Loan.

Career options

• Most graduates choose to work as funeral directors, but employment options are numerous. Graduates may be employed as pre-arrangement counsellors, crematoria operators or as representatives for a variety of funeral trade suppliers, including funeral stationery suppliers, monument and casket manufacturers and memorial options.
• You may also work in the following services: pre-arrangement and at-need services, cremation services, funeral procedures, burial and memorial services, aftercare and bereavement.

Courses may include

These are some of the courses offered in this program. It is not a complete list and courses are subject to change in advance of the academic year.

Recognizing prior learning / transfer credits
If you have previous learning (course, employment, etc...) that's relevant to your program, you may be able to apply to earn credit. Not all programs are eligible. Learn about our recognizing prior learning (RPL) process.

COMM 1205 - Communications - Workplace Foundations
Effective communication is fundamental to career success. This course will apply the communication cycle to improve the impact of written messages, presentations, and interpersonal interactions.

FUSV 1001 - Funeral Service Law and Ethics
The funeral professional’s legal and ethical responsibilities will be introduced from “first call” to the final disposition of the deceased. Provincial legislation that applies to licensing and modes of disposition will be reviewed.

FUSV 1002 - Psychosocial Aspects of Death and Dying
This course is specifically intended to acquaint the student with the social psychology of grief, dying, death and bereavement. Students are expected to absorb the study material in a thoughtful and sensitive manner and to develop useful interpersonal and reflective skills. This course requires a pass mark of 60%, however, students enrolled in the Funeral and Allied Health Services Program require a pass mark of 75%.

FUSV 1150 - Funeral Arranging and Directing Theoretical Applications I
Funeral Arranging and Directing program learners at the NSCC increase their theoretical knowledge base and develop essential skills while apprenticing as funeral directors. This course is designed to capture the theoretical applications in the funeral home setting. Documented participation in funeral procedures including transfers, preparation of documentation required for all forms of disposition, funeral arrangement conferences, pre-arrangements, set-up for funerals, tribute services, visitations and committals, directing funerals, memorial services, and committal services and all tasks as requested by the licensed mentor necessary in the provision of funeral services to client families. Learning Objectives reflect courses Introduction to Funeral Services; Psychosocial Aspects of Death and Dying; Communications; Computers; Funeral Rites and Rituals; Funeral Service Law and Ethics. Learners must successful meet 75% of overall course learning objectives.

FUSV 1160 - Funeral Arranging and Directing Theoretical Applications II
This course is designed to allow the learner to continue applying theoretical applications in the funeral home setting. Documented participation in funeral procedures including transfers, preparation of documentation required for all forms of disposition, funeral arrangement conferences, pre-arrangements, set-up for funerals, tribute services, visitations and committals, directing funerals, memorial services, and committal services and all tasks as requested by the licensed mentor necessary in the provision of funeral services to client families. Learning Objectives reflect courses World Religions: Western Traditions and Funeral Service Business Practices. Learners must successful meet 75% of overall course learning objectives.

FUSV 1170 - Funeral Arranging and Directing Theoretical Applications III
This course is designed to allow the student to continue applying theoretical applications in the funeral home setting. Documented participation in funeral procedures including transfers, preparation of documentation required for all forms of disposition, funeral arrangement conferences, pre-arrangements, set-up for funerals, tribute services, visitations and committals, directing funerals, memorial services, and committal services and all tasks as requested by the licensed mentor necessary in the provision of funeral services to client families. Learning Objectives reflect courses Issues in Grief and Bereavement for Funeral Service; Legal Aspects of Death: Advanced Planning and Aftercare. Students must successfully meet 75% of overall course learning objectives.

FUSV 2000 - World Religions: Western Traditions
Looking beyond Judeo-Christian religious practices, a selection of the major world religions and spiritual philosophies will be explored during this course. The evolution of funeral practices across these cultures is studied to broaden understanding of the significance of specific religious rites and rituals within the contemporary Western world.

FUSV 2001 - Legal Aspects of Death: Advanced Planning and Aftercare
The course topics include pre-arranged services and a review of pre-need legislation in Atlantic Canada, death benefits, advance planning considerations and client aftercare.

FUSV 2002 - Issues in Grief and Bereavement for Funeral Service
The realities of dying, death and bereavement are fundamental and pervasive aspects of human experience and motivation for human behaviour. This course is designed to help students develop and identify therapeutic strategies that may be used in assisting people in grief.

FUSV 2100 - Funeral Service Business Practices
This course is designed to provide learners with a synopsis of the key business concepts relevant to Funeral and Allied Health Services. Course topics may include but are not limited to the following: types of business organizations, human resources values and the roles and responsibilities of the funeral home manager. Additionally, methods of pricing, funeral service products, services and market knowledge will be introduced. Marketing and communication methods and techniques appropriate to the funeral business will be discussed.

FUSV 2203 - Emerging Trends in Funeral Service
The course facilitator will engage students in a discussion about the societal and cultural shifts influencing trends in funeral service. Major topics will include technological developments in funeral service, and consumer habits: awareness, purchasing decisions, and demand for personalization and environmentally friendly options. The impact on the profession, the changing face of the workforce and the legal implications will be considered.

SAFE 1000 - Introduction to WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information Systems)
This course offers learners basic overview of WHMIS principles and establishes a solid foundation to support workplace-specific training on the safe storage and handling of controlled/hazardous products. Upon successful completion of the course, students receive basic WHMIS certification.

SAFE 1001 - Introduction to NS OH&S Act
This course offers students an introduction to the Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) Act of Nova Scotia, which is required by any person employed in a Nova Scotia workplace. This is a generic, introductory course that provides basic knowledge of the Act for students and is considered to be the basis from which more specific training can be given.