Funeral Service Education

Lake Washington Technical College started a new Funeral Service Education program in the summer of 2009. This two-year Associate of Applied Science degree program prepares students for employment as a funeral service directors or professional embalmers.

The program will give students the skills needed to start a flexible, well-paying career in the growing field of funeral services. Career options include working for a small family business, a multi-location company, or starting a business.

Students in this program will learn:

• Every phase of funeral service, including restoration, cremation and the art and science of embalming.
• How to provide a vital and necessary community service.
• How to work sensitively and professionally with bereaved families.
• The responsibilities of public health, safety and welfare in caring for human remains.
• Information related to the social, legal, psychological, religious and public health issues that are associated with death.

The program is the only funeral services education degree program in the state and one of only a few on the West Coast. .

All programs at LWTC aim to provide students with workplace skills that include Communication, Critical Thinking, Global and Cultural Awareness, Teamwork, and Technical and Information Literacy. Each program will include coursework used to assess student performance in these global outcomes.

The following program outline is a suggested sequence of courses for this area of study. Courses listed in the program outline may not be offered in this exact sequential order. It is the student’s responsibility to work out their individual schedule with a counselor or advisor.

Degrees and Certificates	Length of Program	Admission Dates
Funeral Services Education AAS Degree	104-107 credits 2 years	Fall, winter, spring, summer

For more information, call 425-739-8300 or e-mail info@lwtc.edu.

CAUTION:  Students applying for admission to the Funeral Services Education program should contact their respective state boards of funeral services regarding that state board’s approval of this particular program of instruction.