Pre-Mortuary Science
Start your journey to becoming a mortuary science professional.
Take Prerequisites Courses.
University of Nebraska Lincoln offers the classes you need to pursue mortuary science licensure in the State of Nebraska. See the list below for a brief overview of required courses.
Get Experience.
Start building your shadowing and volunteer hours to be a more competitive mortuary science school applicant. Don’t forget to keep track of your hours!
Talk to an Advisor Each Semester.
There’s a lot of coordination and planning that needs to happen to make sure you do everything you need before graduate school. The Explore Center’s advisors are here to help you navigate this journey. Meet with an advisor today to get a personalized pre-mortuary science plan!
Mortuary Science Prerequisite Classes
Depending on the school you plan to attend, you may need additional prerequisite courses. Meet with an advisor for more information.
Typical Mortuary Science School Requirements
Biological Sciences (Related to the human body) – 3 courses
Chemistry – 1 semester
Psychology or Counseling – 2 semesters
English – 2 courses
Business – 4 courses
Electives – 60 credit hours
What to Take at University of Nebraska Lincoln
Some classes require prerequisites. Meet with an advisor for help planning your courses.
Biological Sciences – BIOS 101/101L, 110/110L, 111, 206, 213/213L, 214, LIFE 120/120L, or 121/121L
Chemistry – CHEM 109A/L or 113A/L
Psychology or Counseling – Any PSYC, SOCI (if counseling related), or SOCW
English – ENGL 150, 151, 254, 354, or COMM 209
Business – Any ACCT, BLAW, CSCE, ECON, FINA, MNGT, MRKT, COMM 286, STAT 218, ECON 215, or EDPS 459
Electives – Choose any college credit courses to support your pre-mortuary science studies
The above coursework requirements fulfill the licensure requirements for the state of Nebraska. Students should contact the specific mortuary science program regarding course requirements for the school’s associate degree. A directory of accredited mortuary science programs can be found at http://www.abfse.org/html/dir-listing.html.
Other Notes:
- Licensure: Students attending a mortuary science program will earn an associate’s degree. A baccalaureate degree from UNL is not required prior to admission to mortuary school. 60 undergraduate hours are required for licensure plus completion of a mortuary science program. UNL offers coursework required at the undergraduate level as specified by the state of Nebraska licensure requirements for funeral directing and embalming. These hours must be earned in addition to a full course of instruction in a school of mortuary science; hours earned as part of the mortuary degree or diploma cannot be used towards meeting these 60 hours. Licensure requirements vary by state.
- Math Requirement: Some required science courses, like chemistry, require math as a prerequisite. See a pre-health advisor for math placement information.
Extracurricular Involvement and Activities:
Pursuing pre-mortuary science requires more than just coursework. Your extracurricular activities, employment, and healthcare experiences like shadowing and volunteering will contribute greatly to your success in this field. See a pre-health advisor in the Explore Center to plan extracurricular activities that will prepare you for this program.
Application and Admission
Application: Students interested in pursuing an associate degree in applied science at an accredited mortuary science school will follow the specific application procedures for each school. A directory of accredited programs in mortuary science can be found at http://www.abfse.org/html/dir-listing.html.
Entrance exam: No entrance exam is required.
Additional admission requirements: Some programs will require an interview and receipt of letters of recommendation prior to admittance to the program.