Funeral directors provide necessary services to those who have lost a loved one by using the technical skills, logistical knowledge, and compassion gained from a mortuary science education. However, their education does not end with an earned degree. Funeral directors continue learning and growing through additional training, internships, and licensing processes.
New students, career-changers, and others on the funeral director career path are best prepared by understanding the education and career requirements to get started in the mortuary sciences. For a funeral director, this includes guidance on the nuances of compassion and ethics required to maintain a good reputation.
Covered in This Blog:
Below, we walk through the steps that students, pre-professionals, and career-changers can take to become funeral directors. Our goal is to help new professionals achieve a sense of job security in their new careers and successfully perform their duties for those who need them most.
Steps To Becoming a Licensed Funeral Director
Funeral directors are in growing demand due to several factors, including growing population numbers and career transfers, which account for over 5,800 new job openings in funeral services in the U.S. each year. For natural reasons, the demand for professional funeral services grows as populations increase. Therefore, those who enter this career path can expect job stability and predictable growth for the foreseeable future.
This guide walks through every step, from education to licensure, that students, graduates, and career-changers alike need to take to enter and succeed in the growing field of funeral services. AAMI is a nationally accredited leader in funeral service education, emphasizing student success and program accessibility to help anyone enter and succeed in their new field. This step-by-step guide will help you find your way in this occasionally daunting yet exciting career process.
Step 1: Get Familiar With The Funeral Director’s Day-to-Day Work
Funeral directors are responsible for the logistics and legalities of funeral services, which may include the business operations of the funeral home in some situations.
Core responsibilities include:
- Arranging the services with the church or an appropriate venue
- Assisting families with preparations, including communicating services in a transparent and honest way
- Offering counseling services for grieving families and loved ones
- Overseeing the operations of the funeral home
- Carrying out the last wishes of the deceased as they relate to funeral services
- Providing necessary legal documentation for services
- Coordinating with crematoriums or cemeteries
- Managing business functions or assisting the funeral home owner
These responsibilities require logistical knowledge and organizational skills. However, they also demand high levels of compassion, as funeral directors must learn to recognize that their services are not only for the deceased but for the emotional security of their living family and friends. This requires transparent and honest communication of the funeral home’s offerings as well as the process of conducting the service legally, ethically, and compassionately.
Key Takeaway:
On any given day, a funeral director may be called upon to run the business of the home, conduct a service, sell a product, and offer grief counseling. Performing each duty with the appropriate sense of ethical conduct, compassion, and attention to detail begins with a strong foundation of education.
Step 2: Meet Education Requirements For Funeral Directors
Accredited funeral service institutions offer mortuary science degrees to provide funeral service professionals with a strong foundation of skills and knowledge for their future careers. For funeral directors, core classes may include:
- Professional Ethics
- Mortuary Law
- Funeral Home Directing
- Funeral Home Management & Merchandising
- Funeral Home Practicum
- Communication Skills
Beyond these options, specific course requirements depend on the field within funeral services that the student chooses to pursue.
Key Takeaway:
Most states require graduation from accredited programs to attain funeral service licensure. AAMI’s Associate Degree in Funeral Service is a flexible, career-ready option for students to access industry positions with the help of an accredited institution.
Step 3: Complete Hands-On Training Or An Internship
Accreditation as a licensed funeral services professional requires each student to complete hands-on training, apprenticeships, or internships with the proper supervision. Each state requires different levels of hands-on training, but nearly all require supervised practical training in an accredited setting.
Internships prepare students to manage services and interact with families by applying their classroom knowledge in real-world settings.
Key Takeaway:
AAMI supports students by connecting them with approved internship opportunities and making sure they fulfill the requirements for licensure in their state.
Step 4: Pass State & National Licensing Exams
After reaching the appropriate level of hands-on training, students must pass state and national licensing exams. There are two main licensing components: the National Board Exam (NBE) and state-specific requirements.
AAMI’s national recognition as a premium funeral services education provider is due in part to its students’ strong NBE performance. Our program focuses on career readiness to prepare graduates for success in their exams, including both national and state requirements.
Key Takeaway:
Licensure is a significant step in the process, but it is not the end of educational requirements for funeral services professionals. Continuing education is often required by state law to maintain licensure, which is why AAMI offers continuing education and career support to its former students.
Step 5: Start Your Career As a Licensed Funeral Director
After licensure, new funeral services professionals have many options available to them, including opportunities in funeral homes, crematories, and services management. As they progress and learn in these positions, they can move to the job of a funeral director using this experience.
Many professionals continue learning through advanced courses or specialty certifications to make a meaningful impact on their profession and demonstrate their ability to manage and administer the many responsibilities of funeral directors.
Key Takeaway:
Entrusting AAMI with your funeral services education is not a temporary arrangement. Our alumni and staff support funeral service professionals throughout their education, internships, licensure, and careers.
Begin Your Funeral Service Career With AAMI
On your path to becoming a funeral director, you will need a clear and trustworthy roadmap that outlines education requirements, training, licensing, and internship programs, and finding suitable career opportunities. At AAMI, our goal is to help students take the first step toward becoming licensed funeral directors, providing flexible online and on-campus class options, financial aid programs, and post-graduate support.
Learn more about enrollment and how to start your career as a funeral director at AAMI.