The Pre-Funeral Services Career Studies Certificate allows students to satisfy course admission requirements to apply to the Funeral Services program at Brightpoint Community College. This is a partnership program between BRCC and Brightpoint CC.

This two-year degree prepares students for jobs in funeral services. Students who complete this degree are eligible to take the national board exam which is required to become a licensed funeral director. This degree is offered at the Chester Campus.

This two-year degree prepares students for jobs as funeral directors. Students who complete this degree are eligible to take the national board exam which is required to become a licensed funeral director. This degree is offered at the Chester Campus.

The Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree in Funeral Service provides an extensive program designed to prepare students for careers in the field of mortuary science. A diversified curriculum addresses the changing needs and demands of contemporary funeral directing, embalming, and business management.

Entrance requirements for this program include: graduation from high school or completion of the GED and submission of high school transcript or GED certificate; placement or readiness for ENG 111; and successful completion (grades of C or better) of prerequisite courses (ACC 211, CHM 110, and FNS 121). Applicants must have an overall grade point average of 2.5 or higher. Students transferring from other American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE) accredited programs must be eligible for re-enrollment in their previous program, and have a minimum overall GPA of 2.5. Once prerequisite courses have been successfully completed, a Funeral Service Program Application must be completed. Students are also expected to have begun or declined in writing the Hepatitis-B series of shots upon entering FNS 111 and 112.

Transcripts from other colleges attended must be sent to Tidewater Community College, Office of the College Registrar, P.O. Box 9000, Norfolk, Virginia, 23509. These transcripts must be evaluated before any transfer credit is granted prior to the application deadline. Credit will not be granted for courses taken five years or more prior to the date of enrollment. Credit will only be granted for FNS courses taken at institutions accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education www.abfse.org.

Following acceptance into the program, students must maintain a C or better in all FNS courses and in SOC 200 and PSY 116. Students will be required to have completed twenty-four credit hours in order to enroll in FNS 111, 112, 113, 114, 211, 212, 231, and 232. In order to take the second part of sequenced courses, a grade of C or better must be earned in the initial course. Students who are unsuccessful in two or more FNS courses will be dismissed from the program. Individuals in the Funeral Service program are required to complete the National Board Examination (NBE) prior to graduation.

In order to receive a Funeral Service license in the Commonwealth of Virginia, an individual must: (1) complete an accredited program of mortuary science; (2) pass the National Board Examination; (3) complete a 3,000 hour internship; and (4) pass the State examination

Completion of the National Board Examination (NBE) is a requirement for graduation from the TCC Funeral Service program. The cost of the exam is $570.

The Funeral Service degree program at Tidewater Community College is accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE), 992 Mantua Pike, Suite 108, Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097 (816) 233-3747. Web: www.abfse.org . National Board Examination pass rates, graduation rates, and employment rates for this and other ABFSE-accredited programs are available at www.abfse.org in the Directory of Accredited Programs. To request a printed copy of this program's pass rates and rates, contact the Program office by e-mail at jwalton@tcc.edu, or by telephone at (757) 822-7074, or in person by visiting Tidewater Community College's, Virginia Beach Campus, Virginia Beach, VA, Building - G, Room G-138.

Program Learning Outcomes:
* Explain the importance of funeral service professionals in developing relationships with the families and communities they serve.
* Identify standards of ethical conduct in funeral service practice.
* Interpret how federal, state, and local laws apply to funeral service in order to ensure compliance.
* Apply principles of public health and safety in the handling and preparation of human remains.
* Demonstrate technical skills in embalming and restorative art that are necessary for the preparation and handling of human remains.
* Demonstrate skills required for conducting arrangement conferences, visitations, services, and ceremonies.
* Describe the requirements and procedures for burial, cremation, and other accepted forms of final disposition of human remains.
* Describe methods to address the grief-related needs of the bereaved.
* Explain management skills associated with operating a funeral establishment.
* Demonstrate verbal and written communication skills and research skills needed for funeral service practice.


Upon completion of the program, graduates will be able to:
explain the importance of funeral service professionals in developing relationships with the families communities they serve;
identify standards of ethical conduct in funeral service practice;
interpret how federal, state, and local laws apply to funeral service in order to ensure compliance;
apply principles of public health and safety in the handling and preparation of human remains;
demonstrate technical skills in embalming and restorative art that are necessary for the preparation and handling of human remains;
demonstrate skills required for conducting arrangement conferences, visitations, services, and ceremonies;
describe the requirements and procedures for burial, cremation, and other accepted forms of final disposition of human remains;
describe methods to address the grief-related needs of the bereaved; explain management skills associated with operating a funeral establishment;
and demonstrate verbal and written communication skills and research skills needed for funeral service practice.

The Tidewater Community College Funeral Service Program is designed to prepare students for entry level positions in the death care industry. This includes preparation for the National Board Funeral Service Exam (NBE) administered by the Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards (https://theconferenceonline.org/). Passage of the NBE is required by the Commonwealth of Virginia for licensure as a funeral service provider. If you live or move outside of Virginia, you must consult the licensing board in that state to confirm whether this program meets your states requirements prior to enrolling. More information on accredited mortuary programs and the NBE can be found at the American Board of Funeral Service Education's website www.abfse.org.

The Associate of Applied Science in Funeral Services with a Funeral Directing major, prepares students for careers in the field of funeral directing and client care. The Funeral Directing curriculum addresses the changing needs and demands of contemporary funeral directing, business management and entrepreneurship. Entrance requirements for this program include graduation from high school or completion of the GED and submission of a high school transcript or GED certificate, and placement or readiness for ENG 111. Transcripts from other colleges attended must be sent to Tidewater Community College, Office of the College Registrar, P.O. Box 9000, Norfolk, Virginia, 23509. These transcripts must be evaluated before any transfer credit is granted prior to the application deadline. Credit will not be granted for courses taken five years or more prior to the date of enrollment. Credit will only be granted for Funeral Service (FNS) courses taken at institutions accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education www.abfse.org.

Following acceptance into the program, students must maintain a C or better in all FNS courses and in SOC 200 and PSY 116. Students will be required to have completed twenty-four credit hours in order to enroll in FNS 126, FNS 231, FNS 232, FNS 295 FNS 236, and FNS 298. In order to take the second part of sequenced courses, a grade of C or better must be earned in the initial course.

In order to receive a Funeral Directors license in the Commonwealth of Virginia, an individual must:

1. Be at least 18 years of age and hold a high school diploma or its equivalent;
2. Have completed a funeral service internship prescribed by the board in regulation;
3. Have graduated from a school of mortuary science or funeral service accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education, Incorporated, or have completed an Associate's Degree or its equivalent, which consists of at least 60 credit hours of coursework from a funeral directing program approved by the board;
4. Have successfully completed coursework in the area of pathology as approved by the board;
5. Have passed the National Board Examination in Arts or Virginia State Board Examination in Arts of the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards; and
6. Have passed the Virginia State Board Examination on the laws, rules, and regulations for funeral practice.

The Tidewater Community College A.A.S. in Funeral Directing is designed to prepare students for entry level positions as funeral directors. This includes preparation for the State Board Examination in Arts of the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards (https://theconferenceonline.org/).

This academic program is designed to meet specific state or professional needs. It is NOT accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education. Students graduating from this program are not eligible to take the National Board Examination or any state board examination for which graduation from an ABFSE accredited program is required.