Why Study Funeral Service Education at NCC?
Looking for a purpose-filled career? Northampton Community College's (NCC) Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree in Funeral Service Education offers a comprehensive education in funeral home operations, directing, public health, and embalming. Study full-time at NCC’s Bethlehem campus and earn your degree in as little as two to three years.
Working in funeral services is not just a career — it's a calling that requires compassion and sensitivity when supporting bereaved families. NCC’s program increases your cultural competence, teaching you how to respect and accommodate diverse faith practices and expressions of grief. With a blend of a science-based education and relevant business and sociological principles, you’ll build the diverse skill set needed to excel in the funeral services industry.
What You’ll Learn
Students not only develop a comprehensive understanding of the preparation of a body and ceremony according to the wishes of the survivors, but also learn to prepare financial accounts, file death certificates and legal documents, and direct individuals into post-death counseling or support group activities. Our funeral service program strives to educate students on every aspect of mortuary science. NCC students in the Funeral Service Education program take a variety of classes in subjects such as accounting, philosophy, chemistry, and more. These classes include Chemistry of Life, Accounting I, and On Death and Dying. In the last couple of semesters, students take Funeral Directing, Embalming Theory, and U.S. and PA Funeral Law to prepare them for a 12-month internship.
Acceptance into the program is competitive, and applicants must have completed minimum admission requirements of high school biology and chemistry labs with a C or with an overall high school GPA of 2.5 or better.
Advance Your Career With an Internship
During your funeral service training, you’ll gain hands-on experience in NCC’s on-site embalming lab. All of your program courses prepare you for the next step of your professional journey.
Upon graduation, you will receive an Associate in Applied Science degree and be eligible to begin the required 12-month resident internship. Work alongside seasoned professionals and develop a new understanding of how to implement ethical management practices, apply principles of public health and safety, and support grieving families. Completing a year-long internship is required to obtain your state-mandated funeral director licensure.
Because this internship helps hone skills and forge industry connections, past NCC graduates have experienced a high level of placement within the profession.
Creates a Pathway to Licensure
Due to the sensitive nature of working in funeral services, Pennsylvania requires those pursuing a career as a funeral director to secure state licensure. NCC’s Funeral Service Education Program meets the educational requirements for licensure set forth by the Pennsylvania State Board of Funeral Directors, including maintaining our ABFSE-accredited program status and facilitating a 12-month internship.
After completing the education requirements, you must pass two examinations—a written exam and an oral exam — regarding the clinical practice of funeral directing. Then, you can continue on to a career focused on upholding the wishes of those who’ve passed and bringing comfort to their loved ones.
What You’ll Learn in This Program
NCC’s associate degree program delivers a holistic funeral service education that prepares you for a career in the funeral industry. Your training spans a spectrum of industry-specific topics, from financial management to overseeing a variety of services and upholding national and state funeral law.
During your time in the program, you’ll gain a thorough understanding of the preparation of a body and ceremony. Study fundamentals in human biology, microbiology, and chemistry and then advance to embalming theories and restorative art and cosmetics in later semesters. Additionally, you’ll learn how to perform essential managerial and administrative responsibilities, including preparing financial accounts, filing death certificates and legal documents, and directing individuals into post-death counseling or support group activities.
The remainder of your training includes an in-depth examination of U.S. and Pennsylvania funeral law, funeral home operations, principles of funeral directing, and other industry-specific courses — all of which prepare you for the 12-month resident internship
Program Details
Semesters: 6
Credits: 94
College Catalog: View Curriculum
Program Map: Download PDF
Locations: BethlehemProgram Overview:
NCC’s Funeral Service Education Program provides you with a comprehensive understanding of all phases of funeral services required to serve the bereaved in a professional and ethical manner. Our program offers interdisciplinary training and hands-on experience to help you develop diverse competencies that will support a long and rewarding career.
Semesters: 4
Credits: 61
College Catalog: View Curriculum
Program Map: Download PDF
Locations: BethlehemProgram Overview:
We created the Pre-Funeral Service Program for those who need additional support completing general education requirements before receiving acceptance into the Funeral Service Education Program. Northampton Community College students preparing to enter the program take various classes in subject areas such as accounting, business communication, anatomy and physiology, chemistry, psychology and more.
NCC’s Pre-Funeral Service Program is designed to meet specific state or professional needs; however, it is not accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education. Students who complete this program, but do not continue into the Funeral Service Education Program, will not have the academic credentials for licensure in states where graduation from an ABFSE-accredited program is required.
Students who complete the Pre-Funeral Service Program will have fulfilled all of the general education components of the Funeral Service Education Program.
If you are a Northampton Community College student living outside of Pennsylvania or intending to complete an internship or clinical placement outside of the state in an NCC program leading to professional licensure, please review the requirements on the state board website to make sure that the program qualifies.
Licensure requirements vary from state to state, and you may require additional authorization from the professional licensing agency in that state. Participating in a program from outside of Pennsylvania, if not properly authorized by that state's professional licensing board, could result in a loss of licensing eligibility. If you need help or have questions, please contact Tony Moore, director of the Funeral Service Education Program, for more information.
Applying to the Funeral Service Education Program
Acceptance into the NCC Funeral Service Education Program is highly competitive. High school graduates and non-traditional student applicants will need to have completed high school biology and chemistry (with labs) with a grade of C or better and have an overall GPA of 2.5 or better.
Current NCC and transfer student applicants must have: grades of C or better in each course being transferred in and achieved a minimum GPA of 2.75 for any college-level work completed.
Additionally, since the Funeral Service Education Program is a fall-start clinical program, the application opens on October 1 and must be completed by February 1. Students who plan to start with the Pre-Funeral Service Program may apply at any time.
To ensure a smooth application process, please carefully review all provided information and requirements.
Tuition and Financial Aid
NCC helps you build your future. As one of Pennsylvania’s most affordable community colleges, we offer tuition and fees and robust scholarship and financial aid opportunities, so you can pursue your degree while saving money. Invest in your education and receive a high return in your future career.
