Mortuary Science Continuing Education
The School of Arts and Science at Iona University is an approved Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice (APFSP) CE Provider. We are also registered at the New York Department of Health, Bureau of Funeral Directing. Professional development participants are eligible to receive credits to help maintain Funeral Service Requirements.
If you have additional questions related to the program, please contact Diane Ferrero-Paluzzi or Susan DellaCagna at funeralce@iona.edu or call (914) 633-2138.
Discount for Professionals
Professionals registering for both courses can use the promo code WEBBUNDLE for a 15% discount. Please note that you must purchase both courses at the same time to receive the discount.
Coming Soon: Earn Two NY Law CE credits
Join Stephanie Gillman, Director of the Bureau of Funeral Directing at the New York State Department of Health, for an upcoming continuing education course designed to help funeral professionals stay informed and up to date on New York law.
Earn two NY Law CE credits while gaining valuable insights from an experienced industry and regulatory leader.
Course details and registration are coming soon.
Stay tuned for this exciting opportunity—and for more Continuing Education courses from Iona University.
Upcoming events
(Courses listed below have been approved by the NY State Dept of Health Bureau of Funeral Directing and the APFSP for 1 Live CEU Credit.)
Saturday, October 24, 2026, 1 p.m.
"Effective Communication and Stellar Professionalism for Funeral and Mortuary Science Professionals"
Synchronous (Live) Webinar
Presented by Diane Ferrero-Paluzzi, Ph.D., Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Iona University, New Rochelle, NY
Course Description
Despite using communication every day, we, as professionals, tend to take for granted that just because we tell someone something it means that we communicated our ideas effectively and the message was interpreted the way we intended. This course will deconstruct these ideas to reveal the reasons we should learn a self‐ evaluative communication style which is empathetic and effective in order to thrive as a funeral service provider who is a professional yet flexible communicator.
Learning Goals
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Demonstrate best practices in communication and professionalism through evidence and interactive‐based learning drawing upon research from neuroscience, psychology, and interpersonal communication.
- Learn fail‐proof communication techniques to enhance relationship‐based customer service highlighting professional empathy, trust, and genuine concern.
- Interact and engage professional competencies and the skills necessary for effective professional and ethical practice.
- Learn how to self‐evaluate and reflect on their own professional and communication style in terms of environment and the needs of their communication partners.
Topics will Include:
- delivering information while addressing varying emotions
- counseling and therapeutic communication
- conducting difficult conversations including delivering bad news
- choosing appropriate words based on situation and audience
- deciding on and employing strong nonverbal and listening techniques for increased client satisfaction
- using small talk professionally
- employing advocacy, persuasion, and additional professional strategies from a place of compassion, caring, and genuine concern.
APFSP CE Information
This course is offered for 1 CE credit for funeral professionals.
professionals Register Here: Effective Communication Seminar
Funeral Staff Register Here: Effective Communication Seminar
Saturday, November 14, 2026, 1 p.m.
"Bitcoin and Blockchain for Funeral Professionals: A Plain-English Introduction"
Synchronous (live online webinar)
Presented by Karl Engemann, IT Product Manager for Policy and Risk Control at Tokio Marine HCC
Course Description
As more families ask to pay for funeral services with Bitcoin, funeral directors face a practical question: Should we accept it, and if so, how? This introductory course explains Bitcoin and blockchain in clear, plain language written for professionals rather than technologists. Participants will learn where the technology came from and where it is heading, how it actually works, and how to think through the real-world considerations of accepting digital payments, including volatility, conversion to dollars, record keeping, and fraud awareness. The goal is not to promote Bitcoin but to give funeral professionals the understanding they need to make informed decisions for their firms and their clients.
Learning Goals
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Understand the differences between blockchain, Bitcoin, and cryptocurrency, and explain in plain
terms how Bitcoin differs from traditional payment methods. - Understand where this technology came from, where it is now, and where it is going, including the
origins of Bitcoin and the current state of mainstream adoption. - Understand how these changes may influence funeral professionals, including how a
cryptocurrency payment works in practice, key record-keeping considerations, and common red
flags.
Topics Will Include:
- Welcome, purpose of the session, and the scenario that frames the hour: a family asks to pay for services in Bitcoin. What now?
- Blockchain vs. Bitcoin vs. cryptocurrency: defining the terms and how they relate, in plain language.
- Where this technology came from, where it is now, and where it is going: Bitcoin’s origins, market growth, and current adoption, regulation, and payment infrastructure.
- Blockchains (public vs. private) and what can be recorded on a blockchain: payments, ownership records, proof of transactions; the role of private keys and what happens to a person’s Bitcoin when they die.
- Bitcoin: how a payment actually works, from the funeral home’s side: the family sends, you receive, it confirms, you convert to dollars, you record it.
- Types of wallets and cryptocurrencies: custodial vs. self-custody, hot vs. cold storage; Bitcoin, stablecoins, and other digital assets. Key point: you can accept cryptocurrency without holding it.
- Record keeping and payments for funeral professionals: accepting cryptocurrency, volatility and conversion, payment processors, receipts and tax treatment, when to involve your accountant, and scams and red flags (payments cannot be reversed).
APFSP CE Information
This course is offered for 1 CE credit for funeral professionals.