Funeral Service
B.S. in Mortuary ScienceFuneral Service Mission Statement:
The Funeral Service program is a professional program whose educational mission is to provide students with the highest quality of education instilled by dedicated faculty in all aspects of funeral service practice addressing end of life, public health, professional standards of practice and public policies on health related issues.
The program is accredited by the:
American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE)
3432 Ashland Ave., Suite U
St. Joseph, MO 64506
www.abfse.org
Michael Smith, PhD, Executive Director
exdir@abfse.org
(816) 233-3747
(816) 233-3793 FAX
Nourished by the enthusiasm of the Michigan funeral directors to raise the standards of their licensure, the curriculum in mortuary science was moved in 1943 to Wayne State University where, in association with the medical school, instruction was initially provided in anatomy, chemistry, and microbiology.
As one of the first schools of mortuary science in the nation, the Wayne State University program has long been synonymous with the highest standards of education in the profession. Of the current fifty-four nationally accredited programs, Wayne State University is one of the four university based programs offering a baccalaureate degree. Our mortuary science program allows students to receive a highly specialized education from a unique curriculum that includes in-house clinical training as well as grief counseling and professional practicum experience with area funeral homes. Notable is the professional public service requirement of the program as part of practicum.
The Bachelor of Science in Mortuary Science degree at Wayne State University fulfills the academic requirement for licensure in Michigan, and meets or exceeds the licensure requirements of most other states and countries. It is designed to enable public health personnel to deal effectively with personal and practical matters attendant on death and dying.
The services and facilities characteristic of a major university are available to students in this program. In addition to its own full-time faculty, the program has instructional staff who are selected from the various departments of the university as well as from the core of experienced practitioners in the community. The professional program offers extensive opportunity to participate in clinical / practicum training via affiliations with hospices and area funeral homes. Located in a large metropolitan area, Wayne State University provides the student with unlimited opportunities for cultural growth and development via offerings of the university and the community.