Funeral Service Education Program Progression Policy
Funeral Service Education Program Progression Policy
Funeral Service Education (FSE) courses must be completed in the prescribed sequence designated by the program. Students must meet all prerequisite and co-requisite requirements prior to progressing in the program.
Students may earn a minimum grade of “C” (70%) in general education courses. However, a minimum grade of “B” (80%) is required in all FSE courses. Students who earn below a “B” in any FSE course must repeat the course in its entirety and achieve at least a “B” before progressing to subsequent Funeral Service Education courses.
FSE courses are offered on a planned rotation schedule and may not be available every semester. As a result, earning less than a “B” in an FSE Occupational course may delay program progression and graduation.
Failure to meet progression requirements may result in withdrawal from the program. Program reentry is subject to seat availability.
Practicum/Clinical
FSRV 1050 Funeral Service Practicum requires affiliation with a licensed funeral home in order for students to gain work experience in the profession, under the supervision of a licensed funeral professional. The funeral service program does not assign students to practicum sites. It is the student’s responsibility to develop an affiliation with a licensed funeral home in good standing.
Funeral homes must agree to follow OTCs requirements for preceptors.
Students in the practicum course must successfully pass a criminal background check and drug screen. Background checks and drug screen results are only accepted from organizations with which OTC has a pre-existing contract. Students are responsible for the cost of the background check and drug screen.
Students in the practicum course are also provided with the option of having the Hepatitis B vaccination. Although this vaccination is not required by the college, students do have the opportunity to begin this process upon admission, to protect themselves from the transmission of the Hepatitis B virus. If you would like to begin the process, please contact your personal physician or local health department. It is the student’s responsibility to assume all costs associated with having this vaccine. If a student does not wish to have the vaccination, he or she will be requested to sign a “Hepatitis Vaccination Declination.”
A complete orientation session will be conducted for students prior to their participation in the Practicum course. Students must attend the orientation for the practicum course to obtain all course information and paperwork related to Practicum. Failure to attend the orientation will result in the student not being permitted to participate in the practicum. There are no exceptions to this requirement.