For more than 90 years, American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service (AAMI) has prepared students for meaningful careers in funeral service. Our mission is to educate individuals to reach their full potential and to uphold the highest professional and ethical standards in service to families and communities.
We are committed to academic excellence, integrity, and leadership in funeral service education, both on campus and online.
Our Mission
AAMI exists to:
- Provide a learning environment where students can achieve their goal of entering the funeral service profession
- Support students from diverse social and economic backgrounds through accessible and flexible academic programs
- Promote high academic standards, professional ethics, and dedication to public service
- Anticipate and respond to the evolving needs of the funeral profession through education, research, and innovation
Our Educational Model
AAMI is a private, nonprofit, single-purpose institution offering both on-campus and online associate degree programs. We serve a national student body while operating from our historic campus in New York City.
Through instruction, research, and professional engagement, we prepare students to:
- Understand the social and cultural dynamics of death and bereavement
- Develop technical, managerial, and interpersonal skills essential to the profession
- Explore the customs and challenges shaping modern funeral practice
Our Aims
AAMI affirms the importance of funeral service professionals as:
- Members of a human services profession
- Leaders in the communities they serve
- Participants in the relationship between grieving families and service providers
- Professionals who comply with local, state, and federal regulations and uphold public health standards in the care of human remains
Our Objectives
- Expand student knowledge of the funeral service field
- Teach every phase of funeral service, including technical, ethical, and community responsibilities
- Emphasize a high standard of ethical conduct
- Deliver a curriculum at the post-secondary level that prepares students for licensure and long-term professional growth
- Promote student and faculty research in funeral service education
Our Student Progress
Between 2015 and 2017:
- 922 students enrolled
- 364 students (45%) remain actively enrolled
- Of the remaining:
- 138 students (17%) withdrew
308 students (38%) successfully graduated