Special Topics in Funeral Service & Mortuary Science Syllabus for 2017-2018
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Disability Statement

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Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

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Course

MRTS-1291-001 Special Topics in Funeral Service & Mortuary Science

Prerequisites

<p>Prerequisite: Program Director Consent</p>

Course Description

Topics address recently identified current events, skills, knowledges and/or attitudes and behaviors pertinent to the technology or occupation and relevant to the professional development of the student. This course was designed to be repeated multiple times to improve student proficiency.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact your advisor, the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(2 sem hrs; 2 lec)

Class Type

Online Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Suggested Text:

Funeral Service Compend, Sixth Edition. Published by: Professional Training Schools, Inc.  (The practice exam questions, for the most part, will be taken from the compend.  The book is a great resource if used wisely by the student.)

State Board  Exam Study Guide, (Most recent volume).  Must be purchased from the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards (ICFSEB).  Website:  http://www.theconferenceonline.org/  Phone Number:  479-442-7076  

STUDENTS PLEASE NOTE:  Many times the following question is asked, 'Where is the material to review?'  My answer is that is an exit/capstone course designed to practice exams over material you have been covering since you began in the program.  Therefore, your review materials, besides the glossary terms provided in this course, are going to be your text books and class notes kept from previous courses taken in the program.

Supplies

You must have access to a computer, active internet service, Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, RealPlayer, and exhibit computer competency

 

 

Student Performance

Course Objective #1:  The Texas State Board Exam is a 150 question test broken down into 5 sections.  They are:

• Funeral Directing (52 items)
• Funeral Service Marketing/Merchandising (22 items)
• Funeral Service counseling (23 items)
• Regulatory Compliance (38 items)
• Cemetery & Crematory Operations (15 items)

In this course, you will study and review glossary terms as well as any previous course notes and text books related to your studies while in the program.  You will be given practice exams in each subject area below beginning in Week 2.  Each practice exam will pull questions from a pool of questions specific to subject area below.  The design for the course is that you will take multiple attempts in each section resulting in seeing each question multiple times.  (The Funeral Service Compend (suggested text above) is the main source in we have used for these question pools.  The 'compend' contains many more questions that would be VERY beneficial for you to review.) NOTE: We have 7 sections.  This is done to break down the material.

1. Sociology and History of Funeral Service
2. Psychology and Counseling
3. Funeral Directing
4. Business Law
5. Funeral Service Law
6. Funeral Service Management
7. Accounting

• You goal will to begin studying the glossary terms provided during Week 1.
• During Week 2 and Week 3, all 7 practice sections listed above will be available to the student.  The student will be responsible for making at least one attempt in each section by the specified due date listed in the course calendar below.  Each section is set up so that a student may take unlimited attempts at each practice exam.  This is important.  If you don't score the required score, you must continue to take the exam(s) until you do.
• Week 4 - Week 15...The course calendar below will tell you when your attempts must be completed and what score you must achieve on each section.
• Week 16...FINAL EXAM WEEK

What must you score?  It is stated in the course calendar below.  You will also have a 'check sheet' in the course you are encouraged to print off during the first week to assist you in tracking your attempts.

A student must successfully complete this objective in order to attempt the final.  If a student fails to do so, they will fail the course.

A blank grade sheet is provided in the course for you to print and keep a record of your attempts and your score on each.  I will maintain one as well.  The grade book will be set to average each together.  I will manually override this and add the average of the top scores from each section for your gradebook average at the end of the semester.  If in doubt of your attempts, once again, contact the instructor.

Course Objective #2:  The Final Exam in this course will be a compilation of questions from each of the seven sections listed above.  There will be a total of 150 questions on the final.  The Final Exam MUST be taken on the date listed below on the course calendar.  You MUST score an 85% or better on the final to PASS this course.  NO EXCEPTIONS!  The final exam will simulate the Texas State Board Exam.

If a student completes Objective #1 and Objective #2 as stated above, they will pass this course.  Their grade will be based on the grading scale in this syllabus.  Once a student's completed course requirements for certificate graduation are confirmed, they will be certified to take the Texas State Board Exam ONLY.

If a student FAILS to successfully complete the requirements of both Objective #1 and Objective #2, they will receive a grade of 'F' for the course.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

Students should:

 

1. Attend (log-in to Blackboard) class.  A student should log-in at least 3-4 times a week.
2. Be prepared.
3. Read and understand required readings.
4. Read assigned text book material.
5. Be honest.
6. Do not violate the AC academic integrity policy. (Do not cheat).
7. Ask questions.
8. Actively participate in group discussions.
9. Do not judge other students.
10. Treat everyone with respect.
11. Follow and respect all rules and policies of this class, department and Amarillo College.
12. Remember the oath of confidentiality.

*Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated in this class and will result in a grade of 0 on the exam or assignment involved that cannot be replaced or dropped. Please see Student Rights and Responsibilities for a specific description of academic dishonesty. Any cases of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Students at Amarillo College.

Due to unforeseen contingencies, some of the class policies may be derived on a case by case basis. This is for Face to face courses.
 

1. If you desire to utilize micro-cassette recorders, you must obtain permission from the instructor.
2. Unnecessary class room disruptions (including pagers, cellular phones, digital watches, etc) are not allowed and may have a negative effect on your final grade. Turn them off or put them on silent mode.
3. Do not answer your phone in the classroom. Walk into the hallway
4. Chewing gum will be allowed as long as I can not hear you chewing it. Popping, rolling, cracking or any other obnoxious oral noises will not be tolerated
5. Sleeping in class is rude. For each occurrence, the student's grade will drop one letter and the student will be asked to leave the classroom
6. Reading the newspaper, working on assignments or studying for an exam for another class is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. For each occurance, the student's grade will drop one letter grade and the student will be asked to leave the classroom
7. No student should come to class under-the-influence of alcohol or drugs. If the odor of these substances are smelt upon your person will be asked to leave the classroom
8. NOTE: Modifications or additions applied to this syllabus may be made by the instructor as needed.

 

Grading Criteria

Grading Policy

• Objective 1 and Objective 2 (as described in 'Student Performance' of the syllabus) MUST be met in order to pass this course.
• Meet Objective 1 in this course syllabus.  Your scores needed to qualify to take the final are stated in the course calendar of this syllabus.  If you fail to qualify for the final, a grade of ZERO (0) will be entered in the grade book resulting in an 'F' for this course.
• If Objective 1 is met, then you will take the final exam (Objective 2).  You MUST score an 85% or better on the final exam to pass this course.  If you qualify to take the final and score less than an 85%, a grade of ZERO (0) will be entered in the grade book for the exam and you will fail the course.

To determine your overall average in this course, the instructor will use the following:

50% - Practice Exams - 7 Practice Exam Sections - Each practice section will have its own average.  I will take the top score from each due date to determine the average for each section.  REMEMBER, if you do not meet the minimum scores per due date for EACH section, you will not be able to take the final exam.

50% - Final Exam - If a student scores an 85% or better on the final exam, that score will be recorded in the grade book.  If a student scores below an 85%, then a ZERO (0) will be entered and the student will fail the course.

Grading Scale

• A=92-100
• B=83-91
• C=75-82
• F=74 and below
• (To pass the State and National Board Exams, you must score a 75 or better. Please note that we gear our grading policy towards that standard. Be aware of this as you take this class and all other MRTS courses.)

Each student is responsible for ensuring the integrity of his/her own work. Cases of academic dishonesty will result in either zero points or administrative withdrawal from the Mortuary Science Program. There will be no tolerance for missed due dates, assignments, projects, quizzes or tests. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO GET ASSIGNMENTS AND SUCH TURNED IN AND IN ON TIME. If you wait until the semester is over to resolve an issue with missing assignments, projects, exams, etc., then it will be too late. ALWAYS KEEP COPIES OF YOUR WORK (projects, assignments, clinical paperwork, etc.). Students should have a back up plan for computer problems. Most public libraries have internet access for students' use.

ALL course work is expected to be typed with correct grammar, punctuation and spelling. PROOF READ your work before submitting. Failure to do so will result in a lower grade.

 

Attendance

Class attendance is required and will be evaluated based on online participation and testing. Students failing to take the required exams will be deemed to be absent from class. Due to the fact that this class is totally online and available continuously no absence will be allowed unless approved in advance by the instructor. Students may adapt their class participation time to match their schedule. As long as all work is submitted by assigned time students will have met the criteria for class attendance. 

ONLINE ATTENDANCE: This is an online course and is intended to give you flexibilty. However, it is still the same time frame of a full 16-week semester. You are expected to make an effort to log-in a minimum of three times a week. It is recommended that you log-in at the beginning, middle and end of the week. Often times, changes have to be made and are announced through course e-mail and announcements. If you fail to log-in regularly, you may miss vital information concerning changes within the course. Online learning requires the student to be disciplined to keep up with online participation, assignments, scheduled quizzes and exams. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO GET ASSIGNMENTS AND SUCH TURNED IN AND IN ON TIME. If you wait until the semester is over to resolve an issue with missing assignments, projects, exams, etc., then it will be too late.

 

Calendar

Additional Information

Course Requirements

Please review Course Objectives #1 and #2 under 'Student Performance' of this syllabus.

Course Prerequisites

You should be in your final semester in the Certificate program. Participation in this course requires prior approval. Contact the program director for permission to register.  If you are taking other classes to meet the MRTS.CERT course requirements while taking this course and drop one of them, you will NOT be able to complete this course and MUST withdraw.  If you fail one of the other courses you are enrolled in, you will NOT be certified to take the Texas State Board Exam.

Course Links

www.theconferenceonline.org 

Texas State Board Exam

If a student successfully passes this class, the program director will certify them to take the Texas State Board Exam.  The program director will notify the student how to proceed via phone or email at that time.  NOTE: Successful completion of the MRTS.CERT program through Amarillo College only allows the program director to certify a student to sit for and take the Texas State Board Exam.  It does not allow for you to take the National Board Exam.

REMEMBER:  If you are taking other classes to meet the MRTS.CERT course requirements while taking this course and drop one of them, you will NOT be able to complete this course and MUST withdraw. If you fail one of the other courses you are enrolled in, you will NOT be certified to take the Texas State Board Exam.

Disability Policy

Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact Disability Services (Student Service Center room 199) by phone at (806) 371-5436 as soon as possible. 

I have read the above information and I hear by am in accordance with the obligations set before me by signature________________________________________.