Like any other endeavor, the main ingredient is desire. In Illinois, admission requirements to an approved Mortuary School or program include thirty semester hours of college that constitute a minimum of twenty hours of liberal arts and/or sciences, and a maximum of ten hours of electives. Then the student must complete a rigorous twelve-month course in Mortuary Science at a mortuary college. Mortuary Science courses include Microbiology, Pathology, Restorative Art, Business Management, Law, Embalming (including practicum), and many more. Recognized mortuary programs also include strict attendance requirements. Following successful completion of the course and all requirements, each candidate must complete a one year apprenticeship during which twenty-four case reports including documented experience in all phases of mortuary business must be submitted to the Department of Professional Regulation for approval.. Upon completion of the case reports and examination passage of the Conference of Funeral Service Boards are completed the apprentice becomes a fully licensed funeral director / embalmer. The following are only two options that exist in Illinois to obtain a certificate in Mortuary Science. For more information please contact the following or consulate a directory:
Worsham College of Mortuary Science, 495 Northgate Parkway, Wheeling, IL 60090 (847) 808-8444
Malcom X College - Mortuary Science Program, 1900 West Van Buren Street, Chicago, IL 60612 (312) 850-7214
Bear-in-mind, the practice as a licensed funeral director/embalmer is akin to a "calling" and has little in common with the funeral practice we’ve been seeing recently on T.V.
