Graduates leave the program with:

• A deeper understanding of death, dying, grief, and loss across multiple dimensions.

• Practical tools for supporting the dying, caring for the bereaved, and creating meaningful rituals.

• Confidence to apply what you’ve learned in personal life, caregiving, healthcare, spiritual practice, or professional roles such as counselor, clergy, educator, or death companion/death doula.

• A supportive community of peers and mentors who share your commitment to transforming how we live with death and grief.

• The distinction of training within a program with a long and respected history in the field.

Yes, the program is completely online featuring live instruction. Recordings are available for 90 days after the event. For those pursuing the certificate, you need to communicate in advance regarding any sessions you can not make to the program facilitator so arrangements can be made.

The program runs for nine months and starts twice a year:

• January to September (with a break in July and August), or

• August to April (with a break in December).

Students can not jump between cohorts. Students may start the program in either January or September.

This is a professional certificate program—not a degree-granting program (like at a college or university)—and it is recognized by major professional bodies for continuing education credit. The program provides approximately 90 contact hours of structured instruction, which can be applied toward professional certifications:

As the program begins its new home at the School of American Thanatology, we’ll be re-establishing accreditation.

• [In progress] ADEC (Association for Death Education and Counseling): 1 contact hour = 1 CEU, applicable to Certification in Thanatology (CT) or Fellow in Thanatology (FT). *The Association of Death Education and Counseling® (ADEC) has deemed previous years of this program as counting towards the contact hour requirements for the ADEC CT/FT and we are engaged in the process of re-establishing.

• [In progress] APFSP (Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice): 10 contact hours = 1 CEU. The program may provide 9 CEUs toward the Certified Funeral Service Practitioner (CFSP) designation.

• We will establish with other professional bodies specific to mental health professionals, nurses, and social workers. Stay tuned.

Each credentialing body has its own approval process, so you’ll want to confirm with your board or certifying organization how the hours apply to your needs.

Students are welcome to reach out in advance of enrollment and we’ll provide any needed documentation to your professional body for anyone seeking to do this on an individual basis.

Professionals: healthcare professionals, funeral directors, social workers, hospice professionals, clergy, educators, nurses, physicians, chaplains.

Seekers: anyone with a sincere interest in this subject matter

All students must be at least 21 years of age. We recommend delaying enrollment for those less than a year out from a major loss.

Students interested in receiving a certificate and the ability to use the “Integrative Thanatology: Death Education Counselor” label will only be able to do so after passing an assessment test, completing a capstone project, presenting the capstone project, and attending all educational sessions.

Students not seeking the certificate are not required to complete the items listed above. However, please note that for students that might change their mind in the future, they will have to completely retake the program.