Funeral Services Administration
FSAD 101 Introduction to Funeral Services
Fall/Spring, 1 credit hour
This course is designed to introduce the student to basic terminology, concepts and professional expectations relating to funeral services. Each student will develop and understanding and comply with the licensing requirements with New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Funeral Directing, as well as learning about the program's expectations. Students will become proficient in a collegiant writing style while learning research techniques from various sources.
FSAD 111 STUDY OF FUNERALS: Past, Present and Future
Fall/Spring, 3 credit hours
This course is a historical approach to understanding the cultural and religious beliefs as they pertain to death and dying in various cultures and societies. Religious, historical and present-day funerals and preservation methods are explored and compared to current trends, norms, and practices in funeral service. The student will examine and discuss the role of the funeral director and other death-related professions throughout history beginning with the Ancient Egyptians through contemporary 21st century American culture.
FSAD 115 THANATOCHEMISTRY
Fall, 2 credit hours
This course is designed to assist the future funeral director/embalmer in developing a basic understanding of General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Biochemistry and how they relate to embalming and the preservation of human remains.
Prerequisite: Enrollment in the Funeral Services Administration program, or instructor approval.
FSAD 121 ANALYTICAL EMBALMING
Spring, 3 credit hours
This is the first of three embalming courses required to graduate from the program. This course addresses the definitions of death, the public health considerations, ethical performance, necessary instruments, embalming theory and procedures for typical cases. This course may only be repeated once.
Prerequisite: Enrollment into FSAD program, Blue Card status with the Department of Health - Bureau of Funeral Directing
FSAD 129 CLINICAL PRACTICUM
Spring, 2 credit hours
The student will serve for 5 weeks, 20-hours per week, (a total of 100 clock hours), in a Clinical Practicum experience with a local funeral home. They will perform various funeral home duties (under the direct supervision of an assigned Preceptor) as a funeral director student in the areas of funeral directing and embalming. Successful completion of this course is based on the Preceptor’s assessment.
Prerequisite:
- The student must have successfully completed FSAD 121 Analytical Embalming (with laboratory experience) with a grade of “C” or better.
- Must possess a Blue Card through the NYS Department of Health, Bureau of Funeral Directing.
- For students serving the Clinical Practicum experience outside of New York State, the student must comply with that state specific regulations governing Internship/Practicum experiences.
- The Clinical Practicum site needs to be pre-approved and an affiliation agreement must be completed and filed with SUNY Canton prior to beginning the Practicum experience.
FSAD 205 Mortuary Hygiene
Spring, 3 credit hours
This course will apply concepts from both microbiology and pathology as it relates to funeral services. During the first half of the course, the student will develop an understanding of microbiology terms, techniques, and concepts, as they apply to mortuary science. The second half of the course, the student will expand upon their knowledge as it relates to pathology, and how pathological illnesses could affect the human body, and subsequently the embalming and funeral process.
Prerequisites: BIOL 101 Introduction to Biology, or with permission from the instructor
FSAD 211 EMBALMING AND ASEPTIC TECHNIQUES
Fall, 4 credit hours
This course focuses on unique and special problems encountered by the embalmer in professional practice. Microbes and pathogens require special techniques before, during and after the embalming process, to control the spread of pathogens and protect the embalmer. This course will provide a comprehensive understanding of how to control biohazards in the prep-room and prevent cross-contamination. This course can only be repeated once.
Prerequisites: Enrollment into FSAD program; FSAD 121, or permission from Program Director; Blue Card status with the Department of Health - Bureau of Funeral Directing
FSAD 214 FUNERAL HOME MANAGEMENT I
Fall, 3 credit hours
This course is a survey of various management techniques and procedures that are necessary for the successful operation of a small business with the major emphasis on funeral home management.
Prerequisites: FSAD 111 or with permission from the instructor.
FSAD 225 PROFESSIONAL FUNERAL PRACTICE
Spring, 3 credit hours
Casket and vault construction and composition are extensively covered. Merchandising methods of funeral service goods such as caskets, vaults, and memorial tributes are explored and practiced. Professional Ethics with special attention given to the Federal Trade Commission's Funeral Rule, are learned and practiced.
Prerequisites: FSAD 101, FSAD 111
FSAD 245 Accounting and Technology for Funeral Services
Fall/Spring, 3 credit hours
This course will discuss the fundamental Principles of Accounting as they apply to the practice of funeral directing. The student will develop an understanding of basic accounting terminology used within the funeral profession. The accounting principles will be applied to funeral industry software, as part of office management and recordkeeping. A working knowledge of maintaining financial and personal information will be developed for recordkeeping and governmental reporting. In addition, the client- centered data entry software will be used as part of the process of maintaining case information.
Prerequisite: FSAD 101, FSAD 111, CITA 110
FSAD 307 HUMAN RESPONSE TO DEATH
Spring, 4 credit hours
This course is a survey of the psychological, philosophical, and sociological components of human loss and grief. Students will also learn how to complete required funeral service paperwork, as well as how to conduct removals, first calls, arrangements, and funerals. Students will learn social, cultural, and religious funeral standards and requirements.
Prerequisites: Enrollment into FSAD program; SSCI 315, and FSAD 225 or permission from instructor
FSAD 308 INTRODUCTION to the Clinical Experience
Spring, 1 credit hour
This course prepares the student for their Clinical Practicum & Internship experiences. The student will create a resume, reference list, and cover letter in preparation for a job interview. The goals and objectives of this course will be discussed and a recording keeping system will be established. Finally, the student will participate in a mock interview.
Prerequisites: Complete a minimum of 60 credit hours towards graduation;
FSAD 129 Clinical Practicum or with permission from the instructor.
FSAD 321 ADVANCED EMBALMING PRACTICE
Fall/Spring, 3 credit hours
Designed to improve the skills and knowledge base of practicing licensed personnel, this course focuses on the less common techniques applied in unusual situations. Waterless embalming, regional freezing procedures, alternative machinery, and special purpose chemicals will be explored. Unique embalming situations are addressed such as long-term storage, entombment vs burial, decomposed human remains, stillbirths, religious limitations, anatomical embalming, and fragment treatment in anticipation of delayed final disposition. The perfection of techniques of sterile procedure, eye enucleation, terminal disinfection, and personal protection will also be explored.
Prerequisites: FSAD 115, FSAD 121, FSAD 211 and FSAD 129. Must possess a Blue Card obtained from the NYS Depart of Health, Bureau of Funeral Directing or comply with specific state regulations governing student embalming experience. The student must have access to a state registered funeral home that engages in embalmings.
FSAD 322 FUNERAL HOME MANAGEMENT II
Spring, 3 credit hours
Students will work together in a group to address practical problems facing funeral managers in contemporary society, such as marketing strategies, pricing methods, creative personnel management, alternative memorial activities, financial assessment techniques, aftercare, expansion of facilities space, and the establishment of a consortia of funeral homes. The student will study a particular aspect of funeral home management as it relates to marketing their services to meet the consumer’s current needs.
Prerequisites: FSAD 214, BSAD 100, or permission of instructor.
FSAD 323 RESTORATIVE ART
Spring, 4 credit hours
This course utilizes special instruments, materials and techniques for restoring human remains, damaged as a result of disease and/or trauma. Numerous pathological conditions are reviewed and the most appropriate methods to restore a natural appearance are developed. Various trauma conditions are also explored to develop competence in a wide range of potential situations. The student will develop procedural restorative art treatment plans for various cases. This course will also explore the principles of color theory as it applies to the restoration and presentation of human remains.
Prerequisites: BIOL 207 and FSAD 211
FSAD 401 FUNERAL SERVICE LAW
Fall/Spring, 3 credit hours
This course evaluates general business and mortuary laws that affect the funeral profession. The student will be concerned with the laws that pertain to solicitation of clients, rights of possession, cemeteries/crematories, interstate agreements, international shipping, funding vehicles, association rights, lobbying, local ordinances, and employer/employee relationships.
Prerequisite: BSAD 100, BSAD 201
FSAD 406 BEREAVEMENT COUNSELING
Fall, 3 credit hours
This course will explore and utilize various theories of grief as they apply to a bereaved
person’s grieving process. The course will explore anticipatory grief, hospice care, disenfranchised loss, child death, suicide, homicide, absent grief, tragic and sudden death, and extended grief. The student will observe and describe the progress of a person’s grief to a recent loss as an original research project.
Prerequisites: PSYC 101, SSCI 315
FSAD 420 CURRENT ISSUES IN FUNERAL SERVICE
Fall/Spring, 3 credit hours
This is a writing intensive course and upon completion, the student will create a baccalaureate paper on a current funeral service issue. This paper will consist of a breadth, depth, and application section and upon completion will reflect a thorough analytical understanding of the topic, complete with personal and professional reflections.
Prerequisites: Senior status in the FSAD program
FSAD 440 INTERNSHIP IN FUNERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
Fall/Spring/Summer, 7 credit hours
The student will serve a 40-hour week, for 7 weeks (a total of 280 clock hours), in an Internship experience with a local funeral home. They will perform the standard duties (under the direct supervision of an assigned Preceptor) of funeral director trainees in the areas of funeral directing and embalming. Additionally, they will participate in a funeral home project that is outside the normal daily operations. Successful completion of this course is based on the Preceptor’s assessment.
Prerequisites:
- FSAD 308, FSAD 129
- Blue Card Status with the New York State Department of Health – Bureau of Funeral Directing, or comply with specific state regulations governing Internship/Practicum experiences.
Corequisites: This course can be taken concurrently (with approval from the FSAD Program Director) with FSAD 129 Clinical Practicum.
FSAD 445 MORTUARY COMPLIANCE
Fall/Spring/Summer, 2 credit hours
This course is taken during the last semester of the student’s course of study, which ensures compliance with all Health Department regulations, federal and state laws, pertaining to funeral directing in a state where the student intends to practice. These topics are exhaustively clarified and validated through extensive and focused specialized testing including the National Board Examination. Students must score 85% or better to pass this course.
Prerequisites: Blue Card Status and taken during the last semester before
graduation.