Professional Resources

Continuing Education and Professional Development Resources

The Program of Mortuary Science advances its mission of service to the greater community by offering continuing and professional development opportunities for funeral directors and allied deathcare professionals. Below you will find information about continuing and professional education events being sponsored by the Program.

Interested in viewing a recorded Webinar? Check out the Past Webinars tab below.

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Upcoming Webinars

Email us at mortsci@umn.edu for infomation on the next session.

Past Webinars

 Recruiting and Retaining Top Talent: Challenges Facing Funeral Service Employers, and Solutions for Effectively Meeting Workforce Demands

  • Thursday, June 23, 2022
  • Presenter Michael LuBrant with Guest Pannelists Grace Hartley and Martha Thayer

 

 

 The Role of Empathy in Difficult Arrangements

  • Thursday, March 31, 2022
  • Presenter Martha Thayer, Professor Emeritus, Mortuary Science Program, Arapahoe Community College

 

Results From a Recent MN Funeral Service Research Study & Implications for Professional Practice

 

Minnesota Department of Health – Office of Vital Records Policy and Procedural Updates Affecting Death Registration

 

Implications of a Recent U.S. Supreme Court Decision Relating to Funeral Practice and Discrimination on the Basis of Sex: A Focus on Transgender Issues and Funeral Service

 

You Got This! Practical Ways to Serve Families During COVID-19

 

Mortuary Care in Service to Families affected by COVID-19

 

Come Chat with us!

The Mortuary Science Student Association would like to extend a warm invite to guest speakers in our community. We are looking for speakers on various topics that relate to funeral service.

We will be scheduling informal Zoom meetings outside of class time, to which all program students will be invited to attend. The number of meetings we host has yet to be determined and will be based on practitioners' topic suggestions and students' interest in the topic proposals received.

If you’re interested in speaking at one of our upcoming virtual student meetings, please fill out the form here.

Please contact mortsci@umn.edu with any questions.

On-campus Recruiting Opportunities

(Due to current safety measures, on-campus recruitment is limited)

We offer complimentary meeting space in our program office to host employers who would like to schedule recruiting events with our students. Based on student availability, the best days and times for these visits are Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 8:00 am - 9:00 am. To schedule an on-campus recruiting event, please contact our office to inquire about available dates.  Students will be notified of your visit and will contact you directly to schedule an appointment.

We are happy to answer any questions you may have about setting up an on-campus recruiting visit. Please let us know how we can assist you.

Job Opportunities

The University of Minnesota's Program of Mortuary Science is dedicated to supporting our students, graduates, and funeral service professionals.

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.

Time to verify of your Clinical Rotation hours?

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Associations & Organizations

American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE)
The national academic accreditation agency for college and university programs in funeral service and mortuary science education.

International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA)
International trade association representing all segments of the cemetery, funeral service, cremation and memorialization profession.

The International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards
National Board Examination service provider for the funeral service industry.

Minnesota Department of Health Mortuary Science Section
Licenses funeral homes, crematories and funeral directors and oversees cemetery regulations in the state of Minnesota.

Minnesota Funeral Directors Association (MFDA)
Supports funeral service providers in Minnesota through an annual convention, legislative representation, networking and communication via print and web site.

National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA)
Provides funeral service resources to members of the public and the funeral service profession, lobbies on behalf of the funeral service industry provides continuing education and learning opportunities to funeral service professionals through conferences, the web site and written publications.