A mortician course equips the learner with the skills on how to process dead bodies, preservation, embalming, burial, or cremation as well as the arrangement of funeral ceremonies.
The course will equip an individual to be a professional mortician with relevant attitudes, knowledge, and skills for processing and handling human remains with dignity, and compassion as per the client’s needs.
The course is mostly offered at certificate level but some institution now offers a diploma in mortuary science.
KMTC is one of the main institutions that is involved in training the course to try and bridge the gap of professional morticians in the country. Other institutions that offer the course are some of the accredited universities.
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Diploma in mortuary science course requirement at KMTC
For any diploma course in Kenya, the student should have a minimum KCSE mean grade of C with a C in English or Kiswahili, and C in Biology/Biological Sciences, C- in Chemistry/Physical Science. C- in any one of the following: Mathematics, Physics/Physical Science
Those who have a Certificate in Mortician Services can also be admitted for the diploma course.
Schools and universities offering mortuary science courses in Kenya.
In Kenya, we have few institutions that offer the course but the main ones in the industry include. Some offer certificate level while others diploma.
- Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC)
- University of Nairobi (Chiromo)
- Moi Univesity (Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital College of Health Sciences)
- Uzima University
- Kenyatta University
Units for a diploma in mortuary science at KMTC
Year 1 Semester 1 units
- Mortuary tools and equipment
- Microbiology in mortuary science
- Pathology I
- Human physiology
- Human anatomy I
- Human psychology
- Communication skills
- Examination Module
Year 1 semester 2 units
- Law and Ethics
- Practical attachment II
- Grief counselling
- Law and ethics
- Interment and exhumation
- Post-mortem techniques
- Embalming techniques I
- Pathology II
- Human anatomy II
Year 2 Semester 1
- First Aid NEW
- Anatomy Practical Attachment III
- Biostatistics
- Post-mortem technique II
- Embalming techniques II
- Entrepreneurship
- Health systems management
- First aid
- Occupational health and safety
Year 2 semester 2 course units
- Practical attachment IV
- Mortuary and Funeral Services Management
- Restorative art
- Thanatology
- Medical and mortuary waste management
- Informatics
- Mass fatality management
Year 3 semester 1
- Practical attachment V
- Stress management
- Museum techniques
- Research methods
Year 3 semester 2
- Practical attachment VI
- Research report
Mortuary science course career and opportunities
Those who pursue the course at the diploma or certificate level can be employed in different facilities that deal with human remains and preservation.
Some of the areas include
- Working in county or national government mortuary
- Operating a private mortuary
- Offering burial services and programs.
- Work as a pathologist assistant
- Cremation centers
The salary will depend on the institution that has employed you and the qualifications. However, the salary can start from Kshs. 20,000 to above 50,000.
What is the fee for a diploma in mortuary science in Kenya?
Using KMTC as a benchmark the diploma course tuition costs approximately Kshs. 83,700 per year. Other institutions may vary but not with a big margin, like Uzima University is Kshs. 90,700.