People often say that they wished they had learned how to balance a checkbook and handle money in high school because this would have helped them be more financially savvy as adults. After mortuary school, funeral directors might have similar feelings: although we’ve spent lots of time in school, when we leave it often feels like we’ve barely scratched the surface of what it means to be a funeral director. 

This course will cover some topics that you may not have discussed—or at least not in detail—while in school but that are important nonetheless; these topics include sexual harassment, communicating through the generations, advocating for both the funeral home and the client, working at urban versus rural funeral homes, and taking care of one’s mental health. The better educated a funeral director is about the industry, the better the director can serve families, the community, and the funeral establishment.

Upon completing this course, students will be able to:

• recognize what constitutes sexual harassment and the steps employers must take to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace
• understand the importance of communicating effectively with people
• understand your role as an advocate for both the families you serve and the funeral establishment you are employed by
• explain the differences between urban and rural funeral establishments
• describe methods that employers and employees can use to handle traumatic stress in the funeral industry