Amarillo College Mortuary Science Program

Welcome to the Amarillo College Mortuary Science website. Amarillo College has a rich history in the community and has served Amarillo and the Panhandle exceptionally.

On July 16, 1929, Amarillo College became the first junior college district in the state to be organized independent of a school district. The first classes were held in September 1929. The College moved to its present location with the construction of its first permanent building in 1937. After serving primarily as a junior college offering arts and sciences courses, the curriculum was expanded in 1942 to include vocational courses.

In 1958, Amarillo College was granted its own board of regents independent of the trusteeship of the Amarillo Independent School District. The 1960s brought expansion in College facilities and programs. A number of allied health and occupational-technical programs were added to the curriculum along with an extensive array of continuing education and community service courses.

Mortuary Science Aims and Purposes:

• To provide prospective funeral service practitioners with the theoretical skills which are currently demanded for success in the industry.
  
• To educate students concerning the responsibilities of the funeral service profession to the community at large
  
• Emphasize high standards of ethical conduct
• To provide a curriculum for advancement of funeral service education
  
• To encourage student and faculty research in the funeral service industry

Students seeking entry into the Associate of Applied Science degree in Mortuary Science must complete a specific program admission form and meet all admission requirements. Prior convicton of a felony may render the student ineligible to practice in the State of Texas.

The Certificate of Completion for Funeral Directing (soon to be Funeral Service Arts) is offered to meet specific state or professional needs. The program is directed to the student desiring licensure as a funeral director in the State of Texas. The Texas Funeral Director Certificate program does not include instruction in embalming, restorative art, microbiology, pathology, chemistry or anatomy; therefore, it is not accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education at this time. Students completing this program are eligible to sit for the Texas State Board Exam only and the Texas State Law Exam.

All students of the Associate of Applied Science degree in Mortuary Science must take the National Board Examination as required by the ABFSE as a requirement for graduation. All students of the Associate of Applied Science degree in Mortuary Science must pass the NBE as required by the Amarillo College Mortuary Science Department as a requirement for graduation. The annual passage rates of first-time takers of the National Board Exam (NBE) for the most recent three-year period and all ABFSE accredited schools of funeral service education are posted on the ABFSE web site www.abfse.org

For Amarillo College, the passage rates are: