The Associate of Applied Science & Diploma in Mortuary Science programs at Worsham College are accredited programs that train students to work in funeral service. The curriculum covers a broad spectrum of topics from embalming to the psychology of grief. Students gain exposure to ceremonies from several major world religions, instruction on financial management from a local bank, and professional development opportunities. Graduates leave our program fully equipped to begin careers as funeral directors and embalmers.

Our Associate of Applied Science Degree & Diploma programs take 12 months to complete.

Worsham College enrolls new students twice a year, during the first week of March and September.
Classes are held Monday through Thursday from 8 am to 2:10 pm. Each class period is fifty minutes long with a 10-minute break in between classes. These hours vary during the second six months of the program because of the laboratory class schedule.

Embalming lab work is included in the curriculum of our mortuary science degree programs. Our curriculum includes over 20 weeks of embalming lessons at the Medical Examiner’s Office. Students will have all the necessary skills to become qualified embalmers after graduation.

Annual tuition at Worsham College of Mortuary Science is $22,800 for our campus programs. This includes all classes, lab fees, equipment, the crematory operators’ certification, funeral director arranger training, examination fee for the National Board Exam, and more. To discover everything included in the cost of tuition at Worsham College please visit our Tuition and Financial Aid page.

To get into Worsham College of Mortuary Science, students must submit a completed application, official college transcript(s) with at least a 2.0 GPA* showing twelve (12) semester credits, a completed health certificate, two letters of recommendation, a brief essay describing the reason for selecting funeral service as a profession, and an application fee of $50.

Applicants seeking the AAS degree must have taken English 101, English 102, Biology, and Humanities prior to enrolling at Worsham. Applicants who have not completed those courses listed above will receive the Diploma.

Applicants to the campus programs from outside the United States must supply the Registrar’s Office with a translated transcript or statement from a recognized educational authority certifying that the applicant achieved formal education equivalent to twelve (12) semester hours of college.

Upon successful completion of the application process, students will receive a letter of acceptance from the college.

*Students with a GPA lower than 2.0 may be admitted on a probationary basis.

All students need to have taken some college classes prior to enrolling in Worsham College’s campus programs. To enroll in the AAS degree program, an applicant must have taken 12 college credits from a regionally accredited college and achieved a 2.0 or better GPA. The required courses are: English 101; English 102; Biology (introductory course, no lab required); and Humanities.
Applicants who already have a college degree, but are lacking one of the courses listed above are encouraged to pursue the Diploma, which does not require any specific courses. Both programs are accredited and share an identical curriculum, with the only substantial difference being this admission requirement.

Some states may require additional college credits beyond your Worsham degree or diploma in order to obtain licensure and practice as a funeral service professional. The amount of college credit required depends on the state in which you intend to practice after graduation.
Visit our State Licensing page for more information about individual state requirements.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for a funeral home manager in 2021 was $74,000. The median salary for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers in 2021 was $48,950. Jobs in this industry are expected to grow by 4% from 2020 to 2030.