How to Become a Licensed Funeral Director
Funeral directors play a very important role for grieving families. They must deal with the grief of loved ones, as they attempt to bury someone they cared deeply about. If you think you want to be a Funeral Director you need to know how to comfort people who have experienced loss, but you will also need to be licensed. All states require funeral directors to be licensed, although the requirements can vary.
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Things You'll Need
- Degree in Mortuary Science People skills Ability to comfort Apprenticeship
Instructions
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States require you to have a degree to practice. The degree must be in Mortuary Science and it takes between 2 to 4 years to receive said degree based off of the college offering the program. The college granting the degree must be accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education.
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In over 30 states you will have to continue to receive education, so keep that in mind and plan accordingly. Check with the State Board to see if your state is one of the 30 that have this requirement. The continuing education programs update Funeral Directors on management techniques, new ways to provide counseling and update them on technological breakthroughs.
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You must apprentice with a funeral home. Depending on the state you may be able to do so before attending college for Mortuary Science, some ask that you do so concurrently with your education, while others maintain that you must do so after you receive your degree. The state board will have more information, including the required length of the apprenticeship.
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Pass a "Qualifying Examination" which will have both spoken and written sections which will ask you about the art of mortuary science and your apprenticeship.
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When it comes to embalming, the state laws vary. You may need to be licensed to embalm as a requirement of becoming a Funeral Director, in others you can receive that license separately. In every state, however, you have to be licensed to perform an embalming procedure.
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Tips & Warnings
You must be at least 21 to be a Funeral Director. Always check with your State Board as to the exact requirements since they vary by state.
Before moving, states check with the State Board to see if you will need to take an exam with their board. In many states you do not need to do so.
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Comments
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thanks, very insiteful,
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As a current in-trainee Funeral Director, I can tell you first hand that you have to have a strong appetite to heal others in grief, and some serious ability to be around death on a daily basis. As a family owned funeral home, my place of employment is small, busy, and I am constantly having to help move corpses, box them, etc. Get ready at least for death to become a very normal thing. :)
