The Embalming Certificate is a direct result of the articulation agreement between Community College of Vermont and Cape Cod Community College. Students gain a working understanding of public health through sanitary science and embalming chemistry, and hands-on embalming in our clinical sites. Restorative Art will be studied and then applied by constructing wax facial features and mortuary cosmetics on an armature.
This satisfies the requirements of all states requiring an embalming certificate prior to licensure and most closely aligns with the academic requirements in Vermont prior to embalming licensure.
Upon successful completion of the Cape Cod Community College Embalming Certificate, students are able to demonstrate a factual, conceptual, and applied understanding of:
- Embalming: The embalming curriculum examines the process of chemically treating the dead human body to reduce the presence and growth of microorganisms and to temporarily inhibit organic decomposition, and to restore and acceptable physical appearance. The subject examines procedures and treatments for handling and embalming difficulties encountered due to disease and pathological changes, autopsied and procurement cases, organ and tissue donation cases, and various conditions encountered in the dead human body.
- Restorative Art: The curriculum examines the basic principles of restorative art as they relate to funeral service and emphasizes the techniques of restoring and recreating an acceptable physical appearance of the deceased for the benefit of surviving family members.
- Preparation for Disposition: The various methods and means of disposition of the dead human body are explored, including how the handling, treatment and disposition of the body meets the sociological, psychological, theological, physical and legal requirements of family and community.
- Funeral Service Sciences: The funeral service sciences focus on those systems providing the foundation for embalming, pathology, public health and restorative arts; the chemical principles and precautions involved in the preservation and disinfection of the dead human body; the basic principles of microbiology as they pertain to sanitation, disinfection, public health, and embalming practice; and those conditions which relate to or affect the embalming or restorative art process.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the Embalming Certificate, students are able to:
- Apply 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.
- Describe the requirements and procedures for burial, cremation and other accepted forms of final disposition of human remains.
Prerequisite Statement
To graduate within this program in the specified time, students must begin in the Fall semester and successfully place into required courses based on placement test results and/or high school GPA. Academic advisors can assist with questions.