Prepare Skilled Professionals | Serve Communities
Our mission is to skillfully combine the study of behavioral, physical and applied sciences for the goal of preparing graduates for careers as knowledgeable, skilled and innovative funeral service professionals.
Recognizing that our students come to us with diverse educational backgrounds, we offer multiple degree-completion track options. The Program offers admission to students for both Fall and Spring semesters. Applications are accepted at any time and are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Each October the Program of Mortuary Science offers scholarships to current students. In past years, scholarship awards have ranged form $500 to $5,000. Applications are accepted from annually October 1st - 15th!
Licensing requirements depend on where you wish to live and practice as a funeral director. To assist graduates, employers, and other Program stakeholders with workforce needs, we offer a free, online job posting service for positions relating to the practice of mortuary science.
Mortuary science: ‘A special calling’ for a new generation of students
February 17, 2026
“I think it’s a vocation where you don’t pick it; it picks you.”
Those words by Michael LuBrant, director of the University of Minnesota’s Program of Mortuary Science, punctuate a recent tour he gave for prospective students.
Over the years, the chosen few have made their mark in mortuary science in big numbers, going on to serve families across Minnesota and beyond. Since the program began in 1908 — as the first in the country housed at a state university — it has produced 4,400 alumni, with a current job placement rate of 96 percent.
The University of Minnesota Twin Cities is one of only four universities in the nation to offer mortuary science as a bachelor's degree, and being part of the University of Minnesota Medical School adds additional prestige to a unique career choice that has evolved significantly over the years.
Program of Mortuary Science Tour Registration
An opportunity for prospective students and family to come see the University of Minnesota Campus, the classrooms/labs and the Office of the Mortuary Science Program. Interested in a tour?
Upcoming Events
2026 Commencement:
Saturday, June 6, 2026
11:00 am in the Coffman Memorial Union Theater
Program Director, Michael LuBrant
Funeral directors are health care professionals who serve others during a time of loss, pain and grief. The Program of Mortuary Science's mission is to skillfully combine the study of behavioral, physical and applied sciences for the goal of preparing graduates for careers as knowledgeable, skilled and innovative funeral service professionals. Program graduates will be prepared to serve bereaved members of their communities in a manner that is proficient, dignified and caring.
Virtual Reality Enhances Mortuary Science Training at the UMN
The University of Minnesota’s Health Sciences Library integrates virtual reality into its mortuary science curriculum, allowing students to experience end-of-life scenarios firsthand. Professor Janet McGee has incorporated VR into her coursework since 2023, emphasizing the importance of understanding the emotional and psychological aspects of end-of-life care.