Mortuary Science

About the Program

The Mortuary Science Department at Cypress College prepares students for a career that cares for the dead and comforts the living. As a mortuary science student, you will prepare for employment as a funeral director and embalmer. The program prepares students to take the National Board Examination, California Embalmers Examination, and the California Funeral Directors Examination.

Program Learning Outcomes

• Explain the importance of funeral service professionals in developing relationships with the families and communities they serve.
• Identify standards of ethical conduct in funeral service practice.
• Interpret how federal, state, and local laws apply to funeral service in order to ensure compliance.
• Apply principles of public health and safety in the handling and preparation of human remains.
• Demonstrate technical skills in embalming and restorative art that are necessary for the preparation and handling of human remains.
• Demonstrate skills required for conducting arrangement conferences, visitations, services, and ceremonies.
• Describe the requirements and procedures for burial, cremation, and other accepted forms of final disposition of human remains.
• Describe methods to address the grief-related needs of the bereaved.
• Explain management skills associated with operating a funeral establishment.
• Demonstrate verbal and written communication skills and research skills needed for funeral service practice.

Program Objectives

• Enlarge the background and knowledge of students about the funeral service profession.
• Educate students in every phase of funeral service, and help them develop proficiency and skills necessary for the profession.
• Educate students concerning the responsibilities of the funeral service profession to the community at large.
• Emphasize high standards of ethical conduct.
• Provide a curriculum at the post-secondary level of instruction.
• Encourage student and faculty research in the field of funeral service.
• Qualify students for professional licensure examination.

Accreditation

Cypress College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The Mortuary Science associate degree program at Cypress College is accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE).

Program Statistics

Year Total Enrolled # of New Students # of Grads Timely Grad* Graduation Rate** Did Not Finish*** Overall % Employed Employed in FS 2024 144 64 45 39/45 67% 11 80% 78% 2023 134 57 31 25/31 54% 14 90% 84% 2022 148 64 33 26/33 52% 26 91% 79%

*Timely graduation = complete program in 1½ times designated program length.

**Graduation rate reflects cohort graduation rate (% of students from original cohort completing in the designated year).

***Left before completing the program; did not finish.

National Board Examination Pass Rates

Year Arts Takers School Pass Rate National Pass Rate Sciences Takers School Pass Rate National Pass Rate 2024 42 95% 78% 43 95% 73% 2023 32 88% 78% 33 91% 69% 2022 33 91% 69% 32 97% 64%

School pass rate is based on first-time test-takers within one year of graduation.

Location

Mortuary Science Office, Room 215
Technical Education III Building – Health Science Division

Faculty

Jolena Grande, CFSP

Jolena Grande has more than 30 years of professional experience as a multi-jurisdictional mortuary science practitioner, licensed as a funeral director, embalmer, cemetery manager, crematory manager, and cremationist. She is a longtime faculty member in the Mortuary Science Department at Cypress College, serving as an instructor since 1995. She serves on various committees with the California Funeral Directors Association, is the current secretary of the National Associated Colleges of Mortuary Science, and past-president of the American Board of Funeral Service Education. She is also involved with the California Department of Consumer Affairs Cemetery and Funeral Bureau Advisory Committee and is an item writer for the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards.

Damon de la Cruz, PhD

Damon de la Cruz is an accomplished educator and funeral service professional dedicated to advancing mortuary science education. He teaches in the Mortuary Science Program at Cypress College, where he previously served as Academic Senate President, and works with multiple funeral service education programs across the country. Dr. de la Cruz has developed and taught courses in embalming chemistry, restorative art, pathology, and funeral home management. He is the creator of Embalm Calc and serves the American Board of Funeral Service Education through curriculum committee work, institutional site visits, and other national initiatives.

Program Details

The Mortuary Science Department offers an Associate in Science degree in mortuary science and a Bachelor of Science degree in funeral service. The associate degree program can take about two years after taking prerequisites and being admitted into the program, designed to be completed in three semesters of major coursework once general education requirements are satisfied.

Requirements

• Eligibility for admission to Cypress College.
• Official high school transcript, GED test with an average score of 450 on the five-test battery, or high school proficiency examination.
• Evidence of good physical and mental health.
• Completion of English C1000 or ENGL C1000E or ESL 110C College Writing with a letter grade of “C” or better.
• Completion of BIOL 210C Anatomy and Physiology (with lab) or completion of BIOL 231C Anatomy (with lab) with a letter “C” grade or better and completed within the most recent 5-year period.
• Completion of Math 040 Intermediate Algebra or higher with a letter “C” grade or better.
• A minimum GPA of 2.0 in all college courses attempted.

This is designed as a full-time program. Students are encouraged to enroll in at least 12 units each semester to complete the program in a timely fashion.

Bachelor of Science Prerequisites

Students who qualify to apply for the Bachelor of Science in Funeral Service will have met the following prerequisites: Graduation from an ABFSE-accredited program of Funeral Service Education.