Spring II 2022
The best way to reach me outside of class time is to email me through the course in Blackboard (listed above).
If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Student Service Center office 112. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.
Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.
If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.
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
The Tutoring for Success policy applies to any student whose grade or performance in the course falls below a departmentally determined minimum threshold. In either of those cases, the instructor will direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. Under this policy, the instructor will follow specific departmental guidelines governing the use, duration, and grade component of the tutoring need.
Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016
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.
The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students. If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .
MRTS-1191-001 Special Topics in Funeral Service and Mortuary Science
Prerequisites: Program Director consent
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
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:
Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me
You can also contact 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.
(1 sem hrs; 1 lec)
Online Course
Text Books:
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) OR the National Board Exam Study Guide if you plan on continuing to your Associate's Degree to be an embalmer. Must be purchased from the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards (ICFSEB). Website: http://www.theconferenceonline.org/ Phone Number: 479-442-7076
Prepare to Succeed: A Collaborative Collection of Questions to Test Funeral Service Knowledge - Funeral Service Education Resource Center - ISBN: 978-0-9979261-4-9
Funeral Directing and Funeral Service Management - Ralph Klicker (2008) This is the book you used for a previous course
STUDENTS, PLEASE NOTE: Because this is a REVIEW COURSE, you will utilize ALL the books you have used for your Mortuary courses as a review.
You must have access to a computer, active internet service, Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, RealPlayer, and exhibit computer competency
Printer: You must have a printer or access to one. It is recommended you print off your weekly materials and create a notebook for the class. It will help you remain organized and better prepared for success in this course.
INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD / DELIVERY:
Course Objectives: The Texas State Board Exam is a 150 question test broken down into 5 sections. They are:
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
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".
Students should:
*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.
Grading Policy
The course grade will be based on a group of ten (10) course assignments, nine (9) State Board Exam content area review exams, one (1) Practice National Board Examination, and one (1) comprehensive Final Exam.
All exams will be closed-book. NO LATE assignments will be accepted. Please note**for this course, NO ONE will be allowed to take an exam or quiz if they are late. You are considered late when the exam or quiz due date has passed.
Breakdown of Grade
Grading Scale
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 backup 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. Proofread your work before submitting it. Failure to do so will result in a lower grade.
MANDATORY SKILLS BUILDING/TUTORIALS
In an effort to improve student retention, the following policy is in place for this course:
The student is required to pass each content area exam before progressing to the next content area exam. The final exam cannot be re-taken.
Every student must score at least 75% on the Practice State Board Examination in order to be eligible to take the State Board Exam and graduate.
To continue in the program, a student may repeat a MRTS course only one time and may repeat no more than two MRTS courses while enrolled in the program. The term “repeat” shall be interpreted to mean re-enrollment following withdrawal, drop, or unsatisfactory grade. A grade of C or higher is required for satisfactory completion of all major course requirements, PSYT 1325 or HPRS 2301. Students who receive an F in two or more major course requirements, PSYT 1325 or HPRS 2301 will be removed from the program. A student will have 36 months to complete all major requirements.
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 schedules. As long as all work is submitted by the assigned time students will have met the criteria for class attendance.
ONLINE ATTENDANCE: This is an online course and is intended to give you flexibility. Oftentimes, 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.
The successful Mortuary Science student is independent, self-motivated, willing to learn, willing to ask questions as soon as they arise, good with written instructions, good at expressing him or herself in writing with excellent writing skills, and aware of technology as a convenience, not a barrier.
COURSE COMMUNICATION: The instructor will make announcements through course email and course announcements. It is IMPORTANT that you log-in at least five times a week not only for course material, but for emails and announcements as well.
Deadline to Drop the Course is: March 1, 2022
Guidelines
When taking an online test, follow these guidelines:
Tentative Class Schedule
|
Week of: |
Material/Subjects Covered |
Course Assignment |
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1/18-1/23
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Meet Tuesday night online at 8:00 p.m., Central Time, in the Collaboration Room Introduction – Course Overview & Syllabus |
ARTS Pre-Test Internet Scavenger Hunt Write 10 questions about Cemetery and 10 questions about Crematory Operations in the Discussion Board (Post the answers and where exactly they are found, including page and question number.) |
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1/24-1/30
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Assignment: Case Study Cemetery/Crematory Operations |
Answer 10 questions about Cemetery and 10 questions about Crematory Operations in the Discussion Board NBE Content Review Quiz- Cemetery/Crematory Operations Quiz (You are required to pass each content area before progressing to the next content area) Write 7 questions about Funeral Directing, 7 questions about Sociology and 7 questions about History in Discussion Board (Post the answers and where exactly they are found, including page and question number.) Turn in Cremation case study. |
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1/31-2/6
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Assignment: Case Study Funeral Service Directing |
Answer 7 questions about EACH about Funeral Directing (7) Sociology (7) and History (7) in the Discussion Board. NBE Content Review Quiz- Funeral Directing Quiz Sociology and History Quiz (You are required to pass each content area before progressing to the next content area) Write 10 questions about Psychology and 10 questions about Counseling in Discussion Board (Post the answers and where exactly they are found, including page and question number.) Turn in Case Study. |
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2/7- 2/13
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Assignment: Case Study Psychology |
Answer 10 questions about Psychology and 10 questions about Counseling in Discussion Board. NBE Content Review Quiz- Psychology and Counseling Quiz (You are required to pass each content area before progressing to the next content area) Write 7 questions about Business Law and 7 questions about Small Business Management and 7 questions about Accounting in Discussion Board (Post the answers and where exactly they are found, including page and question number.) Turn in Case Study. |
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2/14 - 2/20
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Assignment: Small Business Management Case Study
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Answer 7 questions about Business Law and 7 questions about Small Business Management and 7 questions about Accounting in the Discussion Board. NBE Content Review Quiz- Business Law and Small Business Management Quiz (You are required to pass each content area before progressing to the next content area) Write 7 questions about Funeral Service Law (Including Pre-Need Policies) and 7 questions about Ethics and 7 questions about the FTC in Discussion Board (Post the answers and where exactly they are found, including page and question number.) Turn in case study. |
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2/21 - 2/27
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Ethics (Taggart Book) FTC (Chapter 21 – Klicker Book) Assignment: Case Study- Pre-Need Policies |
Answer 7 questions about Funeral Service Law (Including Pre-Need Policies) and 7 questions about Ethics and 7 questions about the FTC in Discussion Board NBE Content Review Quiz-Regulatory Compliance Funeral Service Law Ethics FTC (You are required to pass each content area before progressing to the next content area) Write 10 questions about Funeral Service Merchandising and 10 questions about Funeral Service Marketing in Discussion Board (Post the answers and where exactly they are found, including page and question number.) Turn in Case Study. |
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2/28 - 3/6
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Read Exam Strategies, Time Management Skills, and Test Anxiety Tips assignments. |
Answer 10 questions about Funeral Service Merchandising and 10 questions about Funeral Service Marketing in Discussion Board. NBE Content Review Quiz- Merchandising/ Marketing Quiz (You are required to pass each content area before progressing to the next content area) |
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3/7 - 3/11
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Take SBE Practice Examination (Student must pass with a grade of 80.) Students who do not pass the PSBE must retake the course. Final Exam - Comprehensive -Must pass with a grade of an 80. |
Take the Practice State Board Examination – Arts Portfolios are due March 9 in my office. (include all assignments and copies of discussion board questions and answers.) |
Course Links
www.theconferenceonline.org
Texas State Board Exam
The student MUST successfully pass this class with an 80% overall score, and must achieve 75% on the State Board Practice Exam in order to be eligible to complete the final qualifying exam.
The qualifying exam includes faculty evaluation of all coursework completed during the Mortuary Science Program, evaluation, and discussion of overall student skills and competency, as well as, evaluations from all clinical experiences.
In order for the student to satisfactorily pass the qualifying exam, the student must have successfully completed this course and all course content; and, the faculty must reach a consensus that the student is academically prepared to be successful on the State Board Exam.
Once the student has successfully completed the Qualifying Exam, the Mortuary Science faculty will present the student with a "Contract to Test." After the Contract to Test has been signed by all parties, the Program Director will submit the student's name to The Conference releasing the student to take the State Board Exam for Funeral Director Licensing.
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.
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE:
If a student has a grievance with the course instructor, the following "due process" protocol will apply. The student must follow the protocol steps in the order shown.
I have read the above information and I hereby am in accordance with the obligations set before me by signature________________________________________________.
01/11/22 1:15 PM
01/11/22 2:18 PM