Funeral Directing – Online is a Certificate program (100% Online) offered by Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service in Houston, TX. The program takes 48 quarter credit hours — 9 months (three quarters) to complete, with a total tuition of $9,840.
Program Overview
The Certificate in Funeral Directing is issued to students who complete the college level curriculum of funeral service arts. It is designed to teach students the skills and abilities essential for employment as a funeral director. The Certificate in Funeral Directing program is NOT offered on campus. It is only available online.
What graduates can do. Graduates of this program will be able to prepare, other than by embalming, a dead human body for final disposition. They will learn how to conduct funeral service ceremonies of various religious, fraternal, military, traditional, humanistic, and non-traditional customs. Additionally, they will be able to conduct funeral arrangement conferences with families, conduct necessary paperwork in funeral home management, and be aware of proper workplace safety guidelines for funeral service personnel.
Crematory operator certification. As a part of this academic program, students will also become certified crematory operators through the Cremation Association of North America (CANA). This training is provided online and is embedded in the Cremation and Modern Funeral Service course.
Nine months, no clinical component. To earn the Certificate in Funeral Directing, students must complete 48 quarter credit hours of specialized and related coursework (three, eleven-week quarters). This program may be completed in 9 months. A clinical component is not required for this program.
Know what it is, and is not. It is the students’ responsibility to verify that the Certificate program is recognized in the state for which they are seeking licensure. This academic program is designed to meet specific state or professional needs. It is not accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education. Students graduating from this program will not have the academic credential for licensure in states where graduation from an ABFSE accredited program is required.
What sets this Program apart
Funeral service is its only major. “A reputation for Excellence Since 1936 – Where Funeral Service is Our Only Major.” The Institute has been providing education for funeral service professionals – as funeral directors, embalmers, or both – since 1936. The funeral service profession is our sole mission.
One curriculum, two ways to take it. Commonwealth offers a complete funeral service educational experience; whether you choose to attend classes on campus or utilize our online learning platform. The online course instructional delivery will follow the on-campus classroom instruction so that all students, regardless of modality, are learning the same information at the same time.
Cremation certification included. This program now includes Cremation Certification! Students become certified crematory operators through the Cremation Association of North America (CANA), as a final project in the Cremation and Modern Funeral Service course.
Among the first with two tracks. Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service was among the first mortuary colleges to offer two distinct learning tracks for student success; a completely on-campus program and an online program with on-campus clinical practicum experience.
The National Museum of Funeral History next door. Something else you will not find at another school is our relationship with the National Museum of Funeral History. Commonwealth is the only funeral service college to offer this special resource. The college and the museum share the same physical building complex as neighbors. Students learn funeral service through interaction with the Museum’s exhibits, which truly make the heritage of this great profession come alive.
Experienced instructors and applied learning. Commonwealth believes in utilizing experienced funeral service instructors, so that our students can be confident that they’re prepared to enter the workforce as capable and responsible practitioners. We do not simply teach theory but believe strongly in applied learning – that is taking the knowledge you learn in the classroom and demonstrating how to use it in the workplace.
Admission Requirements and Process
Minimum standards for admission. The minimum standards for admission to the programs at Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service are:
- Be at least 18 years of age.
- Be a citizen or legal resident of the United States. CIFS is not SEVIS approved by the Department of Homeland Security to accept international students.
- Graduate from an accredited four-year high school or its equivalent (such as a recognized G.E.D.). If any official school documents are in a foreign language, they will need to be translated and certified that the applicant has completed formal education requirements equivalent to high school graduation in the United States.
- Satisfy ONE of the following academic requirements: graduate in the upper one-fourth of the applicant’s high school class; have completed 16 semester hours of previous college credit with a 2.0 GPA (Certificate only); ACT composite score of 21; or SAT combined score of 990 (if taken after April 1, 1995).
Entrance examination. If none of the above academic requirements are met, then an applicant must take and pass the college’s entrance examination. Commonwealth Institute uses a standardized, online assessment created and provided by a third-party. An applicant is allowed only one attempt of the entrance examination per annual application cycle (i.e. if a new application fee is required, then a new entrance exam attempt may also be required).
Applications and acceptance. Applications are completed online through the school website using the student’s full legal name, and they are processed in the order in which they are received. New enrollees are given priority over re-enrolling students and students transferring from other ABFSE accredited programs. The deadline for acceptance is 60 days prior to the start date of each academic quarter. You must be accepted by that date to be considered for the upcoming term. Submitting all documents by the stated acceptance deadline neither guarantees nor constitutes acceptance into a program.
Check your state first. The licensing agencies of some states require a prospective student to notify the agency prior to enrollment in mortuary college, as well as complete pre-mortuary college educational requirements. Applicants must meet any mandated pre-mortuary college state licensing requirements prior to admission. If CIFS does not satisfy your state’s educational requirements for funeral service licensure, then you will be unable to enroll in our programs. However, if you plan to seek licensure in a state, other than your state of residence (and CIFS meets that state’s requirements), then you may proceed with enrollment. In these circumstances, a signed attestation form regarding the intended state of licensure is required.
Prior convictions. Some states prohibit applicants with misdemeanor and/or felony convictions from obtaining a license. In most instances, these matters are handled on a case-by-case basis. Prospective students who might be affected by this should address this matter prior to seeking enrollment by communicating directly with their state funeral service licensing agency.
Transfer credit. Coursework from a regionally accredited institution or from a nationally recognized agency such as CLEP, evidenced by an official transcript, may be accepted only for the General Education courses. Coursework from other ABFSE accredited mortuary colleges or programs may be accepted if it parallels that of CIFS courses, was completed less than 3 years from the date of application, and a grade of “C” or higher was earned. To be eligible for graduation from CIFS, students must complete a minimum of 30 quarter hours in residency at CIFS.
General Requirements
- At least 18 years of ageEvery applicant to the programs at Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service must be at least 18 years of age.
- A citizen or legal resident of the United StatesBe a citizen or legal resident of the United States; CIFS is not SEVIS approved by the Department of Homeland Security to accept international students.
- High school graduation or its equivalentGraduate from an accredited four-year high school or its equivalent, such as a recognized G.E.D.; documents in a foreign language must be translated and certified.
- One academic requirementGraduate in the upper one-fourth of your high school class, have completed 16 semester hours of previous college credit with a 2.0 GPA, or hold an ACT composite score of 21 or an…
- The entrance examination, if neededIf none of the academic requirements are met, you must take and pass the college’s standardized online entrance examination; one attempt is allowed per annual application cycle.
- Official, sealed transcriptsYour final high school transcript (or your GED certificate and transcript, sent by your state education agency) and an official transcript from EACH university, college, or…
- A program your licensing state recognizesCIFS must satisfy the educational requirements for funeral service licensure in the state where you plan to be licensed; a signed attestation form is required if that is not your…
Application Process
- 1Complete the Application for AdmissionComplete an Application for Admission on the CIFS website using your full legal name and electronically submit the $50.00 application fee. The application fee is valid for one (1) year from the date of application.
- 2Send your official transcriptsMail an official, sealed copy of your final high school transcript (or have your state education agency mail your GED certificate and transcript) and an official transcript from each college you attended directly to CIFS. Digital transcripts from E-Script and/or Parchment are acceptable.
- 3Return the CIFS formsOnce received from the CIFS admissions counselors, complete and return the CIFS Record of Previous Education and the CIFS Medical Form(s).
- 4Take the entrance examination, if applicableThe college recommends that six months prior to enrollment you complete the application, submit the fee and all official transcripts, and complete the entrance examination (if applicable).
- 5Plan how you will payThe Certificate in Funeral Directing program is not eligible for Title IV Funds (financial aid) nor can VA Funds be used. Following acceptance, the college registrar sets up quarterly or monthly payment plans.
- 6Acceptance and orientationThe deadline for acceptance is 60 days prior to the start date of each academic quarter. Upon acceptance, CIFS will forward orientation and registration information to you.
Program Schedule
Three quarters, nine months. All courses carry a specific number of quarter hour credits. A quarter hour shall be considered as the equivalent of one course hour of lecture per week for an eleven-week period of instruction or ten hours of laboratory instruction. To earn the Certificate in Funeral Directing, students must complete 48 quarter credit hours of specialized and related coursework (three, eleven-week quarters). This program may be completed in 9 months. A clinical component is not required for this program.
Weekly, not self-paced. This program is NOT delivered in a self-paced or correspondence method approach. In general, online course topics/lessons are presented on a weekly basis. All online courses will have at least one weekly assignment to assess the material presented that week. Students may go through material and complete assignments according to their own schedule; provided that weekly deadlines are met. In most instances, it is neither required for students to log in at a specific time nor interact with instructors and/or other students in real-time. However, regular participation and substantive online interaction are strictly required.
When you can start. For the Certificate in Funeral Directing program (offered online only), new classes start in April and October. Its first and third quarters are offered Spring and Fall, and its second quarter Winter and Summer.
Tuition timing. Tuition for online students is due two weeks prior to the start of the quarter to ensure timely delivery of books.
Our start dates are as follows:
- Spring Quarter: April 5, 2027 (close of enrollment February 1, 2027)
- Fall Quarter: October 4, 2027 (close of enrollment August 1, 2027)
- April 05th, 2027
- October 04th, 2027
Required Courses
| Subject # | Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
Campus Location
Why Accreditation Is Important
Attending an accredited or state-approved institution means its programs have been reviewed against independent standards.
State recognized; not ABFSE-accredited. Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service is recognized by the Texas Workforce Commission to offer instruction leading to the Certificate in Funeral Directing. This academic program is not accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education, which accredits the institution and its associate degree program.
- Reviewed against state standards
- Approved and regulated by the Texas Workforce Commission
- Check recognition in your licensing state
Accreditations
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
Tuition and fees. Tuition will be determined according to the modality of enrollment. The online tuition rate is $205 per quarter credit hour. For the Certificate in Funeral Directing – Online, the total tuition and fees are $9,940. This total includes a $50 application fee due with application, a $50 graduation fee due 30 days prior to graduation, and $9,840 tuition (48 quarter credit hours multiplied by $205).
A fully out-of-pocket program. The Certificate in Funeral Directing program is not eligible for Title IV Funds (financial aid) nor can VA Funds be used. This program is a fully out of pocket program. Only students enrolling into the Associate of Applied Science Degree program may be eligible to receive Title IV funding.
Books are included. All required textbooks are included in the cost of tuition. All students who pay tuition are entitled to one set of textbooks as required by classes. In some cases, these may be ebooks. Online student books will be mailed to the address on file no earlier than two weeks prior to the start of the quarter, via UPS/Signature Required.
Payment plans. Tuition for online students is due two weeks prior to the start of the quarter. CIFS offers quarterly and monthly payment plans to assist students in financing their education. The default plan is to pay tuition on a quarterly basis – for each academic term. For students who choose to enroll in the monthly payment plan, payments are expected to arrive the first day of each month; for online students, the first monthly payment is due 2 weeks prior to the start of each quarter. Students in the final quarter of enrollment will only be allowed to split their tuition into two monthly payments. CIFS accepts credit cards, debit cards, cash, money orders, cashier’s checks, and personal checks. Commonwealth Institute does not charge out of state tuition.
Other charges. If the monthly tuition is paid after the 5th day of the month, then a $15.00 late fee will be added to the account balance of the current month. There is a $50.00 Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) fee for any returned check. Termination of enrollment, for any reason, will incur a $100 administrative fee. Licensure examinations are governed by entities other than CIFS: the National Board Examination is $570.00 ($285.00 per section), payable to the ICFSEB, and the Texas Mortuary Law Examination is $89.00, payable to the TFSC. A CIFS Challenge Examination is $250.00, payable to CIFS.
Cancellation and refunds. A full refund will be made to any student who cancels their enrollment within 72 hours of the first day of the academic term for which the enrollment agreement has been signed. After the first 72 hours, the school may retain not more than $100 in any administrative fees charged. A student may not collect a refund if the student has completed 75 percent or more of the total number of hours in the portion of the program for which the student has been charged on the effective date of termination.
Curriculum
48 quarter credit hours, 538 clock hours. To earn the Certificate in Funeral Directing, students must complete 48 quarter credit hours of specialized and related coursework over three quarters: 15 credit hours in the first, 17 in the second and 16 in the third. The course sequence totals 528 lecture hours and 10 externship hours.
How coursework is classified. Courses are classified as either general education OR specialized and related courses. General education courses are those foundational courses traditionally offered in freshman and sophomore years at institutions of higher learning. Specialized courses are identified by the prefix MSCI (mortuary science). Related courses are those other than the general education but with a prefix other than MSCI. Certificate Specific courses (CERT) are ONLY available in the Certificate Program.
Science without embalming. CERT 2403 Science and Pathology for Funeral Directors is a survey course designed for those students not pursuing embalming licensure. Students are introduced to the basic applications of science within funeral service, including general anatomy, the embalming process and the preparation room, the basics of microbiology and pathology, and an overview of restorative art.
Graduation requirements. Completion of all courses either by transfer or through enrollment for a total of 48 quarter credit hours, with a minimum of 30 quarter credit hours completed at CIFS (Residency Requirement); a minimum final letter grade of “C” in each academic course; passing the CIFS Certification Exam (Arts Section); a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 in all coursework completed at CIFS; and discharge of all financial obligations to Commonwealth Institute 30 days prior to commencement.
Required Courses
| Subject # | Name | Lecture | Lab | External | Total | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Career Outcomes
Where graduates work. Graduates of this program may find entry-level employment as an apprentice/intern/provisional licensee with funeral homes, cemeteries, pre-need sales, and affiliated funeral service companies.
Check that your state recognizes it. The college’s state disclosure lists the Certificate in Funeral Directing as fulfilling state educational requirements for licensure, certification, and/or eligibility for licensure examinations for funeral directing ONLY in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas (no college needed), Colorado (no licensure), Florida (plus additional college), Idaho (plus additional college), Kentucky (no college needed), Louisiana, Mississippi (no college needed), Missouri, Nevada (no college needed), North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. It does not fulfill them in the other 35 states or the District of Columbia. Students graduating from this program will not have the academic credential for licensure in states where graduation from an ABFSE accredited program is required.
Licensing examinations. Certificate in Funeral Directing students take only the Arts section of the CIFS Certification Exam and must achieve a score of 80% or higher. Students completing the Certificate in Funeral Directing and planning to seek licensure in Texas (and some other states) must take the Arts Section of the National Board Examination, which is administered by appointment at Pearson VUE testing sites; students must be certified by Commonwealth Institute in order to sit for it.
Licensure in Texas. Texas requires applicants for licensure to be at least 18 years of age, hold a high school diploma or GED certificate, pass a criminal background check, graduate from an accredited mortuary college, score a minimum scaled score of 75% on each section of an approved licensing examination, score a minimum of 75% on the Texas Mortuary Law Examination, and complete a period of provisional licensure for a maximum of 24 consecutive months in which the provisional licensee must perform 45 cases under the direct supervision of an approved funeral director and/or embalmer. Applicants are advised to contact the licensing authority in the state in which they wish to practice in order to obtain the specific requirements of that state.
Career services. The Commonwealth Institute Career Center maintains a database of prospective employers concerning job positions for current students and graduates, for both full and part-time employment. The Career Center also provides resume building/critique, interview help, and assistance with LinkedIn profiles. Current job openings are posted on the school website under the Alumni section, and employers are invited to attend Career Fairs, held at CIFS each year, where they can recruit prospective employees and conduct interviews. CIFS does not guarantee employment to any student or graduate, as this is a decision which must always be made between employer and prospective employee.
Outlook. The college’s Job & Career Info page states that overall employment of funeral service workers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2020 to 2030, slower than the average for all occupations, and that about 4,000 openings for funeral service workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
What to expect as a Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service student
Learning online. All quizzes and exams will be delivered through the school’s Learning Management System (LMS) - Canvas. To ensure exam security and academic honesty, a third-party remote proctoring service is utilized. This involves the use of a webcam, microphone, and high-speed/reliable internet. However, CIFS reserves the right to require that exams be administered in a proctored setting.
Remote proctoring. Every student should be aware that they are being video and audio recorded during each examination and those recordings are evaluated to ensure exam integrity and academic honesty. Students will be asked to verify their identity via a valid photo I.D. (for each online assessment), and they will be required to scan the room and work area. Browser extensions and/or software downloads may be required on the student’s computer to enable remote proctoring, which may negate the usage of public or workplace computers.
Online attendance. In an online environment, “attendance” is more than just logging into a course. Online attendance is measured by students’ academic engagement with the course content, course tools, course instructor, and with other students in the course. During the first week of class, all online students are expected to log in to their courses, view each course syllabus and pertinent messages, and become familiar with course layouts, schedules, and due dates. An online student may be terminated if they have more than two consecutive assignments missing in a single online course and/or they have missed all scheduled assignments for a single week in all of their enrolled courses combined.
Your books arrive by mail. Online student books will be mailed to the address on file no earlier than two weeks prior to the start of the quarter, sent via UPS/Signature Required. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure a current mailing address is on file. Online general education courses use ebooks.
A library from a distance. Distance learners may participate in the Books-By-Mail program by using an item’s “Hold” function in the online library catalog. Information about the library’s collection, including links to full-text materials, is available 24/7/365 at library.commonwealth.edu, and membership in the Library and Information Resources Network (LIRN) adds full-text electronic journals, newspaper, and bibliographic databases.
Proctored exams in Houston. Some courses or elements of the curriculum require proctored examinations, and CIFS reserves the right to require a student to take a proctored examination onsite in Houston, Texas. Examinations in the CIFS testing facility are by appointment only.
Grades and progress. All courses require a minimum passing grade of “C” or 70% in order to progress to the next academic term. Due to the timely nature of our profession and the duration of instruction, CIFS does not allow any make-up examinations or assignments. CIFS requires students to earn a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) to graduate, and a student has up to three attempts to successfully complete and pass all courses.
A national student body. One of CIFS’s distinct assets is the diversity of its student population. Students, campus and online, come from all over the United States, and this results in constant faculty and student exposure to various perspectives, cultures, and practices. The opportunity also exists to make valued friends and future professional contacts nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Other Programs at Houston
Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service in Houston, TX also offers these 2 programs at 415 Barren Springs Drive, Houston, TX 77090.