The term is most often applied to a college curriculum in the United States that prepares a student for a career as a mortician or funeral director.
Many reputations were eroded as a result of high-profile exposés on a few rare cases of unethical sales practices and police investigations that followed criminally negligent behavior of some morticians.
[3] The curriculum typically includes courses in anatomy, physiology, pathology, embalming techniques, restorative art, and business management.
[6] Regarding personal reactions, mortuary science students indicate a certain level of desensitization, as human bodies they work with become an impersonal “interconnected system of arteries and veins.”[6] While students often explain that their first experiences are the most difficult, they do become accustomed to the work, though the various odors are considered the worst element of the job.
As morticians sometimes work with infectious cadavers, an element of risk is inherent, though considered remote if recommended precautions are followed.
In some cities, a mortician's license may include a registration fee, formal notification to the state, and/or a building inspection.