Funeral Service Education

Today’s student preparing for a career in funeral service must study subjects in three broad areas: a social science focus in which grief psychology and bereavement counseling form a major component; the traditional technical focus, including embalming, restorative art and related sciences; and a business management focus to begin preparation for ownership and management. Now, with the help of the Stratford Funeral Service Education Program, you can train at home, and gain the knowledge you need to become a funeral service professional.   More Information

You will find the training materials thorough, readable, and highly practical in nature. They have been written and prepared by some of the foremost authorities in the field of funeral service education, professionals with a wealth of practical experience and the gift for sharing their insights with students.

We believe that you will also find our proven Stratford study method to be a positive and practical way for you to obtain this important training. Through guided independent study, you proceed at you own pace, working in the comfort of your home, yet with a qualified instructor always just a toll-free phone call away.

Funeral service is perhaps one of the oldest and most time honored professions. It is challenging work, and we feel confident that as a graduate of our Funeral Service Education Program, a challenging and rewarding career will figure prominently in your future.

Stratford's funeral service school training program covers:

Funeral Service Administration

The Function of the Funeral Director

Care and Disposition of Human Remains

Providing Social, Emotional and Legal Support

Management Issues

History of Funeral Services

Cultural Traditions and Religious Rites

North American Christian Funerals

Jewish Funerals

Other Religious Denominations

Non-Religious Funeral Services

Attitudes and Customs for Cremation

Methods of Final Disposition

Burial

Cremation

Burial at Sea

Legal Requirements and Issues for Funeral Directors

Funeral Directors and Establishments Acts

Secondary Legislation

Cemeteries Acts

Coroners Acts

Vital Statistics

Paperwork

Communications with the Public, Coroner and Police

Transfers and Transportation

Interactions with the Bereaved

Funeral Arrangements

Arrangements for Police, Firefighters, Military and Public Dignitaries

Administration of the Funeral Home

Management Functions and Decision-Making

Human Resource Management

Quality Control

Marketing, Pricing and Promotion

Accounting

Financial Statements and Other Financial Matters

The Psychology of Death and Dying

Death Awareness and Anxiety

Cultural Attitudes Toward Death

Processing the Death of a Loved One Through Life’s Transitions

The Psychology of Dying

Social Responses to Various Types of Death

Coordinating Resources and Organizations for the Dying Patient

Legal Implications for the Dying Patient and the Family

Psychosocial Aspects of Grief

Understanding the Basic Tasks of Grief

Circumstantial Factors Influencing Grief

Comparing and Contrasting Reactions to Loss

Manifestations of Grief

Why Some People Do Not Grieve

Therapeutic Strategies for the Bereaved

Psychosocial Functions of Funerals

The Family: Grief Characteristics and Conflicts

Children: Making Sense of Separation and Loss

A Response to Contemporary Funeral Practices

Bereavement Aftercare:

Issues for the Client and the Death Care Professional

The Multidisciplinary Support System

Counseling Techniques for Helping the Bereaved

Models of Bereavement Aftercare

Contemporary Issues Influencing Bereavement Aftercare

Issues for the Death Care Professional

Overview of the Theory and Practice of Embalming

Embalming: Social, Psychological and Ethical Considerations

Fundamentals of Embalming

Personal and Public Health Considerations

Technical Orientation of Embalming

Death-Agonal and Pre-embalming Changes

Embalming Chemicals

Anatomical Considerations

Embalming Vessel Sites and Selections

Embalming Analysis

Preparation of the Body Prior to Arterial Injection

Distribution and Diffusion of Arterial Solution

Injection and Drainage Techniques

Cavity Embalming

Preparation of the Body After Arterial Injection

General Body Considerations

Preparation of Autopsied Bodies

Preparation of Organ and Tissue Donors

Delayed Embalming

Discolorations

Moisture Considerations

Vascular Considerations

Effect of Drugs on the Embalming Process

Embalming for Delayed Viewing

The Origin and History of Embalming

Restorative Art and Mortuary Cosmetology

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