Course Descriptions

This course is designed to provide the student with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to carry out the primary function of the profession – the protection of public health and the safety of the embalmer as well as all others who come in contact with the human body and the working environment of the funeral home. The course provides learning that covers the nature of various living microorganisms and pathogens that inhabit and multiply in a body following death. Students learn a variety of important sanitary techniques that must be practiced at all times when working in the embalming room. Methods of disease transmission, controlling the growth of microbes, prevention of the spread of disease, and the locations and sources of infection are also studied.

This is a work experience course that provides the student with the opportunity to put into practice the knowledge and skills learned in other courses. The student will participate in a minimum of 25 embalming operations (a total of 50 is required during the two years) and record these in their Student Log Book. Six Embalming Case Study Reports must be completed and submitted for embalming operations that have been documented in the Log Book. All work experience in this practicum must be done under the supervision of a licensed practitioner and a final evaluation report must be completed by the supervising sponsor.

This course is comprehensive course that covers the main principles of grief and bereavement psychology. The course will introduce various concepts and ideas attributed to bereavement and grief, including an introduction to the death system, social and psychological influences, relationship to the deceased, and causes and manners of death and their impact on the grief reaction.  Understanding the funeral director’s role in counselling and educating the bereaved and the purpose and benefits of funerals, as well as dealing with children and grief, are important topical areas that will be explored as well.

This is an introductory course in funeral service and covers the basic principles of working in a funeral service environment. Emphasis is placed on the development of appropriate practice for the apprentice funeral director, including general duty in the funeral firm, working on funeral services, making removals from the place of death, understanding company systems, working as a team member, and the appropriate handling of funeral related materials and documents.  This course also covers the proper protocols for taking first calls, carrying out funeral arrangements and conducting funeral services.  Topics in product knowledge and methods of disposition are also covered.

This course provides students with the opportunity to learn about the role that legislation plays in the regulation of funeral service firms and practitioners. The course examines the constitutional legislative authority that the provincial government exercises in the regulation of matters related to death, funeral practice, and the disposition of human bodies. The course will focus on specific provincial acts and regulations pertinent to the funeral service profession. Students learn the content of each of these Acts and Regulations as well as the application of the legislation as it is interpreted in practice. Students in this course will learn why the funeral service profession is regulated and how it protects the public.  It will discuss the structure and role of the provincial regulatory board/agency and the requirements to obtain a funeral home, funeral director, and embalmer licence.  Students will also learn about the law regarding trusted prearrangements, at-need and preneed contracts, price lists and solicitation.  Topics about the law regarding cemeteries, crematoriums, and disposition will also be covered. Students will also understand the process to register the death with Vital Statistics so that disposition may take place and the role and duties of the coroner/medical examiner when investigating a sudden and unexpected death. Students will also learn about privacy legislation and the proper manner in how to collect, use and disclose personal information.  

This course is an introduction to decision-making, negotiation, and general ethical principles. It provides students with the opportunity to apply the knowledge gained to scenarios that may be encountered in the field. Students learn the sound ethical principles that guide decision-making and how to apply them to hypothetical dilemmas. Students will understand the consequences of such decisions and the impact they have on individuals directly and indirectly involved. This course will also cover topics such as: conflicts of interest, whistle-blowing, preventative ethics, and obligations.  Along with this, students will gain skills on negotiating with integrity, how to give and receive feedback and/or criticism, effectively manage their time, and understand and manage conflicts that arise within the structure of funeral service and the funeral home.

This is a course designed to provide appropriate communication skills that are essential to effective funeral service. This includes interpersonal communication with grieving people in face-to-face encounters as well as the development of proper telephone etiquette when representing the funeral firm in this form of communication. Topics that will be studied in this course will include among others interpersonal skills, nonverbal communication, written communication, questioning, clarifying, listening, communication barriers, and the effects of stress and burnout on communication.  The use of social media will also be examined as a communication tool in the funeral service profession.

The Funeral Service Practicum is the work experience component of funeral service and is documented in the Student Log Book. The requirement for this practicum is 900-1800 hours (depending on province) of recorded work experience (1800-3600 is required in two years – depending on province) and the completion of a final evaluation report by the sponsoring licensed funeral director. The majority of the work logged during this time must be directly related to the provision of funeral services to the firm’s clientele. It must include 25 arrangements and as broad a range of experience as possible in order to give the student opportunity to demonstrate skill in all aspects of funeral service that are appropriate for a beginning funeral service student.

This course is intended for a student that is wanting to become a funeral director but not wanting to become an embalmer. Students that take this course are not required to take ETS100 (Embalming Theory 1) and ETS112 (Safety, Sanitation & Hygiene). A funeral director must still have knowlege about the embalming process as this will help to answer customer quesions and concerns about the care and preparation of human remains. The funeral director is also responsible for handling human remains when performing transfers, identification and other related tasks. The ETS105 course is an overview of both the ETS100 and ETS112 courses that focuses on the basic knowlege that a funeral director should have about the embalming process and safety protocols.

The ETS105 course is an introductory course in embalming studies and is intended to provide the student funeral director with the knowledge, attitude, and skills necessary to understand the purposes of embalming, the health concerns in the embalming room, the changes that occur in a dead human body, and the general steps followed during the embalming process. This course is also designed to provide the student with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to carry out the primary function of the profession – the protection of public health and the safety of the funeral service professional who comes in contact with the human body and the working environment of the funeral home. The course provides learning that covers important sanitary techniques that must be practiced at all times when handling human remains. Methods of disease transmission, prevention of the spread of disease, and the locations and sources of infection are also studied.

This is an advanced course in embalming technology designed to extend the embalmer’s knowledge and skills with regard to the many special circumstances that are encountered. Specialized techniques for dealing with cases of advanced decomposition, discolouration, and the post mortem conditions resulting from the pathological conditions causing death are also studied. Students are expected to be able to identify the problems and concerns encountered with specific conditions and to recommend appropriate embalming treatments and procedures to overcome them. 

Restorative Art is an advanced course in restorative art designed to extend the embalmer’s knowledge and skills regarding the management of restorative treatments. Students will learn how to analyze body conditions to implement techniques to restore the decedent to a presentable appearance for a viewing. Students will learn about the fundamentals of restorative art and establish approaches and procedures to overcome and manage minor and major restorations. Students will learn the importance and fundamentals of physiognomy, facial proportions, and facial markings. This course will also cover restorative treatments for various body conditions, wounds, fractures, and trauma. It will also guide the student in how to model facial features and perform wax restorations and hair replacement. Students will also learn about colour theory, cosmetics, and cosmetology.

This course supports and expands the knowledge required for proficient embalming practice. A thorough understanding of the anatomy (structure) of the human body as well as the physiology (function) allows the embalmer to evaluate post mortem tissue conditions and make decisions regarding the embalming requirements of the body. The course includes basic learning about the nature of cells, tissue, organs and the various functional systems of the body. Primary attention will be given to the circulatory system and the major vessels used in embalming. This course also includes the study of the integumentary system, muscular system, skeletal system, endocrine system, digestive system, respiratory system, urinary system, and the lymphatic system.

This is a continuation of the Level I ETS112 course. It extends the embalmer’s understanding of the requirements for sanitation and hygiene within the context of embalming and funeral practice in general. This course continues the examination of the relationships and the effects between various microorganisms and the human body. The course reviews and reinforces those sanitation and hygiene practices that are essential to the health and safety of the general public as well as the funeral service professional. Students will learn about the body’s natural defence mechanisms and the factors associated with a pathogen’s ability to cause disease. A portion of this course will also cover a wide variety of infectious diseases. Students are expected to know the causative pathogen for a specific disease, the mode of disease transmission, the body system it affects, and the best methods to prevent the spread of the disease to protect the embalmer and the public.

This is the second work experience course in the program and is intended to extend the knowledge and skills that have been learned. The student will participate in a minimum of 25 embalming operations (a total of 50 is required for the two year program) during the period of registration in Level II of the program. These operations must be recorded in the Student Log Book. Six Embalming Case Study Reports must be completed and submitted for embalming operations that are recorded in the Log Book. It is expected that the student will function more independently during this time, and that the student will assume increasing amounts of responsibility for the operation and care of the preparation room facilities. The supervising licensed embalmer must complete and submit a final evaluation report before credit will be awarded for the course.

This course is a continuation of the Level I course, FSS152. Several additional pieces of legislation that relate directly and indirectly to funeral service are included in the learning outcomes/objectives for this course. The course will cover the types of funding through social benefits and entitlements that is available for certain clients. Additional topics will also be covered and includes: Wills and Estates, the Public Trustee, Liability, Unclaimed Bodies, Body Donation Program, and provisions under the Public Health Act.

This course is an introduction to the fundamentals of funeral service as a business. The unique characteristics of a funeral business are examined. Students are introduced to business models and ownership; management, leadership and business styles; human resource issues; marketing; consumer behaviour; and financial decisions and analysis. In order for employees to understand the decisions made by the owner and/or manager, it is important to recognize the day to day operation of a funeral service business and the responsibilities of management. The course will also look at some of the various laws and departments that govern our profession.

This course is designed to further the student’s communication and interpersonal skills in those areas directly related to funeral directing and the management of funeral service firms. A major research assignment on a relevant topic of the student’s choice is to be completed as part of this course. The paper will be written and then presented to the class during the final seminar and will provide the student with an opportunity to demonstrate oral communication and presentation skills. A proposal for the topic to be researched will be presented to the instructor early in the term for approval before the research and writing begins. The student will be guided in how to prepare for the research and how to write and complete the paper.

This course takes an in-depth look at various world religions and worldviews. The student will learn about the funerary rights and customs of diverse religions and cultures, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism. Understanding different atheistic philosophies and worldviews is also part of the topics of this course.

This advanced practicum is designed to give the student as much experience as possible in the field of funeral directing and management. It is expected that by the end of the Level II program, the student will be able to function independently within the policies of the funeral firm following the principles of professional practice that have been learned in the program. A total of 900-1800 hours (depending on province) of work experience (a total of 1800-3600 hours for the two levels – depending on province) is required to be documented in the Student Log Book. A final evaluation report must be completed by the supervising licensed embalmer and funeral director before credit will be awarded for this practicum.