Funeral Service

Associate of Applied Science in Funeral Service – Hybrid. The Associate of Applied Science in Funeral Service (AAS) curriculum at Dallas Institute of Funeral Service is designed to meet the prerequisites for licensure and employment in funeral service. The curriculum offers both theoretical and practical fundamentals of funeral service.

The program is offered in academic quarters, with each quarter consisting of eleven weeks of study. The program is developed with the input of successful professionals, ensuring exceptional career relevance, and designed to impart real-world knowledge and skills.

Applied science curriculum that builds real-world skills. The curriculum is structured to develop both the technical and interpersonal skills essential to today’s funeral professionals. Courses include Embalming Theory and Lab, Funeral Service Law, Restorative Art, Grief Counseling, and Funeral Home Management.

Delivered in eleven-week academic quarters, the program combines classroom study with applied training in modern laboratories and clinical settings. This balanced approach ensures graduates are well-prepared to meet licensure requirements and serve families with professionalism and compassion.

Program learning outcomes. The college publishes these program learning outcomes:

• Explain the importance of funeral service professionals in developing relationships with the families and communities they serve.
• Identify standards of ethical conduct in funeral service practice.
• Interpret how federal, state, and local laws apply to funeral service in order to ensure compliance.
• Apply the principles of public health and safety in the handling and preparation of human remains.
• Demonstrate technical skills in embalming and restorative art that are necessary for the preparation and handling of human remains.
• Demonstrate skills required for conducting arrangement conferences, visitations, services, and ceremonies.
• Describe the requirements and procedures for burial, cremation, and other accepted forms of final disposition of human remains.
• Describe methods to address the grief-related needs of the bereaved.
• Explain management skills associated with operating a funeral establishment.
• Demonstrate verbal and written communication skills and research skills needed for funeral service practice.

Learn from experienced funeral service educators. Students benefit from the guidance of dedicated faculty—licensed funeral directors and embalmers who bring years of professional experience to the classroom. Their mentorship supports each student’s journey from classroom learning to career readiness. Dallas Institute emphasizes personalized instruction and small-class learning environments that foster confidence, empathy, and mastery of practice.

Hands-on experience and internships. Dallas Institute partners with funeral homes and mortuaries across Texas to provide students with meaningful internship opportunities. These field experiences allow students to apply theory to real-world practice—observing arrangements, assisting with preparations, and supporting families through the funeral process.

A trusted mortuary science college. If you’re looking for mortuary science schools in Texas or online funeral service programs that offer both flexibility and rigor, Dallas Institute of Funeral Service stands apart.

A legacy of excellence. The Dallas Institute of Funeral Service has a rich and storied history dating back to the turn of the century. One of the earliest schools of embalming in the United States, particularly in the South and Southwest, was founded in Dallas, Texas, initially known as the Barnes School of Anatomy.

With over 10,000 alumni who have excelled as funeral directors and embalmers, the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service continues to uphold its tradition of excellence and remains a cornerstone in mortuary education.

Our mission. Dallas Institute of Funeral Service is dedicated to providing quality education through transformative experiences and applied training to prepare leaders in the funeral service profession.

Memberships. Dallas Institute of Funeral Service is a member of:

• The Texas Funeral Directors Association (TFDA)
• The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA)
• The National Funeral Directors & Morticians Association (NFDMA)
• The International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA)
• The Cremation Association of North America (CANA)

Educational licensing requirements. Educational requirements are prescribed by statute as well as rules and regulations of the funeral service licensing board of the state in which a student desires to obtain licensure following graduation from Dallas Institute of Funeral Service. It is essential that an applicant be familiar with these requirements before enrollment.

Licensing criteria vary considerably from state to state so it is strongly recommended that the applicant contact the state licensing board or the Admissions Office to ensure compliance in advance of graduation. The minimum requirement for admission in all cases is high school graduation or its equivalent.

Background checks. Many states require fingerprinting and background check upon application for professional licensure. Additionally, many funeral homes require a background check as well as drug testing prior to employment. Individuals who possess a criminal record or history of bad character may be denied licensure in certain states because of the wording of their rules and laws even though a student successfully completes mortuary school.

Application and acceptance. The application for matriculation should be completed online. In addition, the following items are required for admission and acceptance to the College:

• A completed application for the desired program;
• A $50.00 non-refundable application fee;
• The applicant must be at least 18 years of age at the time of program start;
• Completion of all required enrollment documents via DocuSign for the selected program;
• A high school transcript certifying graduation, or a GED certificate with scores, sent directly to the College from the issuing institution, or an approved equivalent;
• Official transcripts from all previously attended postsecondary institutions, sent directly to the College from the issuing institutions;
• A recent photograph for identification purposes only (a driver’s license or state-issued identification card is preferred);
• Documentation of bacterial meningitis immunization or an approved exemption, in accordance with state requirements.

The College reserves the right to refuse admission to any applicant when such action is deemed to be in the best interest of the College, its faculty, staff, students, or the funeral service profession. Once the application and all required admissions documentation have been submitted to the Admissions Office, the application will be reviewed and an admissions decision will be made. Applicants may be contacted via email if additional documentation is required prior to a final decision.

International students. At this time, Dallas Institute of Funeral Service is not SEVIS-approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and is unable to enroll international students.

Transfer credit. Transfer credits are accepted for ENG 100: English Grammar and Composition and MAT 100: Mathematics for Business, regardless of the time elapsed since their completion. Transfer credit for these courses will be granted based on official transcripts that indicate a minimum grade of "C" or its equivalent.

For time-sensitive courses, the course must have been completed within the four (4) years preceding the transfer to the College, and the official transcript must reflect a minimum grade of "C" or its equivalent. Due to the specialized nature of the curriculum, transfer credits will not be accepted for any Funeral Service Core (COR) courses or Capstone (CAP) courses.

Advanced placement. First-year students who have taken the College Board Advanced Placement Examination may be eligible for as many as 20 credits towards specific general education courses at Dallas Institute of Funeral Service. Scores of 3 and above may result in credit.

Military and veteran application fee waiver. The application fee is waived for Active-Duty U.S. Military personnel, members of the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR), and U.S. Military Veterans who have been honorably discharged from Active Duty or IRR.

Academic quarters. The program is offered in academic quarters, with each quarter consisting of eleven weeks of study. Dallas Institute of Funeral Service charges tuition on a quarterly basis according to the number of credit hours in which a student is enrolled.

Courses by quarter. The program runs eight quarters, 100 quarter credit hours and 1,166 total contact hours (1,034 lecture and 132 lab). The college's program page gives its length as 24 months, online or in person.

• Quarter 1: 14 quarter credit hours (154 contact hours)
• Quarter 2: 14 quarter credit hours (154 contact hours)
• Quarter 3: 14 quarter credit hours (154 contact hours)
• Quarter 4: 12 quarter credit hours (165 contact hours)
• Quarter 5: 14 quarter credit hours (154 contact hours)
• Quarter 6: 13 quarter credit hours (176 contact hours)
• Quarter 7: 13 quarter credit hours (143 contact hours)
• Quarter 8: 6 quarter credit hours (66 contact hours)

Quarter credit hour. Dallas Institute of Funeral Service defines a quarter credit hour as one 50-minute session per week over an eleven-week quarter for lecture, recitation, or classroom instruction. One quarter credit hour is awarded for each two hours of laboratory instruction per week, and one for each three hours of clinical experience per week.

Distance learning. Dallas Institute’s distance learning program allows its students the opportunity to complete their programs and/or their courses off campus. Distance learning classes are delivered to the student through the internet, allowing the student to forego the time he or she would normally spend in the classroom.

To be successful in a distance learning course, excellent time management skills are necessary as distance learning courses still require study time and commitment. Course assignments and discussions are completed online, and a secure, automated online proctoring service is utilized within all distance learning courses.

On-campus requirements for distance learning students. Distance Learning Students must be on campus to complete the following:

• Final embalming case (12th case)
• Restorative Art Lab hands-on components
• Clinical demonstrations required in COR 226 – Embalming II Lab and COR 236 – Restorative Art Lab II

Students should prepare for up to four (4) full days on campus at the end of the quarter that includes these courses. Students are responsible for all travel, lodging, and meals unless otherwise noted by the College.

Boot Camp. As a component of the Capstone courses, students are required to participate in Boot Camp, an intensive online review experience. Non-attendance disqualifies students from taking final and board exams. Dates for Boot Camp are published in the Academic Calendar.

Add/drop. Dallas Institute offers students the opportunity to add or drop a course through the first seven (7) calendar days of the quarter. Students who do not post attendance in all their courses during the add/drop period will be withdrawn from the program.

Hours of operation. Our college is open Monday through Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Central Standard Time.

Upcoming quarters. The college's online application currently offers the Winter (January 4, 2027) and Spring (April 5, 2027) quarters; the catalog's academic calendar sets the 2027 quarter start dates.

Our start dates are as follows:

• January 4, 2027
• April 5, 2027
• July 6, 2027
• October 4, 2027