Mortuary Science

Mortuary Science Application Dates and Health Science Application Login Mortuary Science Program Application Information Mortuary Science Application Checklist Mortuary Science Workshop Dates Build Your Future as a Mortuary Science Professional The Mortuary Science Department at Cypress College prepares people 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 Cypress College Mortuary Science Program prepares students to take the National Board Examination, California Embalmers Examination, and the California Funeral Directors Examination. In support of this mission the following are the Program’s 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. The Mortuary Science Program Objectives Are As Follows To enlarge the background and knowledge of students about the funeral service profession;To educate students in every phase of funeral service, and to help them to develop proficiency and skills necessary for the profession, as defined in the Preamble at the beginning of Chapter 9 of the Manual on Accreditation;To educate students concerning the responsibilities of funeral service profession to the community at large;To emphasize high standards of ethical conduct;To provide a curriculum at the post-secondary level of instruction;To encourage student and faculty research in the field of funeral service;To qualify students for professional licensure examination. Cypress College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, 3402 Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa CA 95403; (707) 569-9177, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education. The college and its instructional programs are also approved by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges and by the State Department of Education for training veterans. A college or university is accredited if it has been evaluated by recognized accreditors and determined by their peers to meet acceptable levels of educational quality. Courses offered at an accredited institution generally are transferable to other institutions and qualify for financial aid. The Mortuary Science associate degree program at Cypress College is accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE), 992 Mantua Pike, Suite 108, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097 (816) 233-3747 www.abfse.org. Program Information — Cypress College Year Total enrolled # of New Students # of Grads Timely Grad* Graduation Rate** Did not finish*** Overall % employed Employed in FS 2024 144 644 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 Statistics — Cypress College Arts Takers School Pass Rate National Pass Rate Sciences Takers School Pass Rate National Pass Rate 2024 42 95% 78% 2024 43 95% 73% 2023 32 88% 78% 2023 33 91% 69% 2022 33 91% 69% 2022 32 97% 64% School pass rate is based on first time test-takers within one year of graduation. National Board Examination pass rates, graduation rates, and employment rates for this and other ABFSE-accredited programs are available at www.abfse.org in the Directory of Accredited Programs. To request a printed copy of this program’s rates, go to the Mortuary Science Department, Technical education III Building, Room 215, by telephone (714) 484-7278, or by email: mortsci@cypresscollege.edu Location Mortuary Science Office, Room 215 Technical Education III Building – Health Science Division Frequently Asked Questions The Mortuary Science Department offers an Associate in Science degree in mortuary science and a Bachelor of Science degree in funeral service. Depending on the program and the number of units taken, completing the associate in science degree program can take about two years after taking prerequisites and being admitted into the program. The program is designed to be completed in three semesters of major coursework once the general education subject matter areas are satisfied. Students work in funeral homes. FacultyDegrees & CertificatesPrerequisites & Requirements Jolena Grande Jolena Grande, CFSP, 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. Beginning her funeral service career in 1989 working for a large mortuary/cemetery/crematory combination operation in Southern California, she is also a longtime faculty member in the Mortuary Science Department at Cypress College where she has served 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. Read More Damon de la Cruz Damon de la Cruz, PhD, 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. From 2013 to 2017, he served as Director of the Funeral Service Education Program at American River College. 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. Read More Jolena Grande Jolena Grande, CFSP, 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. Beginning her funeral service career in 1989 working for a large mortuary/cemetery/crematory combination operation in Southern California, she is also a longtime faculty member in the Mortuary Science Department at Cypress College where she has served 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. Read More Damon de la Cruz Damon de la Cruz, PhD, 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. From 2013 to 2017, he served as Director of the Funeral Service Education Program at American River College. 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. Read More Jolena Grande Jolena Grande, CFSP, 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. Beginning her funeral service career in 1989 working for a large mortuary/cemetery/crematory combination operation in Southern California, she is also a longtime faculty member in the Mortuary Science Department at Cypress College where she has served 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. Read More Damon de la Cruz Damon de la Cruz, PhD, 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. From 2013 to 2017, he served as Director of the Funeral Service Education Program at American River College. 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. Read More Program Mapper: View course options for these programs, below. Associate in Science in Mortuary Science = 75 units (2 years after prerequisites and being admitted into the program)Bachelor of Science in Funeral ServiceEligibility for admission to Cypress CollegeOfficial High school transcript, GED test with an average score of 450 on the five-test battery, or high school proficiency examinationEvidence of good physical and mental healthCompletion of English C1000 or ENGL C1000E or ESL 110C College Writing with a letter grade of “C” or betterCompletion 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 time period.Completion of Math 040 Intermediate Algebra or higher with a letter “C” grade or betterA 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 in order to complete the program in a timely fashion. 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 and ICFSEB NBE CertificationCSU GE or IGETC Certification or a bachelor’s degree from a California State UniversityEmbalmer and Funeral Director License or Funeral Service Practitioner Certification, CFSP Please consider attending an information workshop about Cypress College Health Science Programs. The Health Science Workshop Schedule and Reservations link is here.