This agreement enables Mercy University to offer Pierce Colleges graduates a unique pathway to business management.
Dobbs Ferry, New York – Today, Mercy University announced it has signed an articulation agreement with the Pierce Colleges of Funeral Service to offer a new pathway in its business program in Operations Management that aims to provide funeral service students and professionals with the skills necessary to effectively manage a funeral home or establish their own business. Through this first-of-its-kind pathway, current students and graduates with an associate’s degree in Mortuary Science can now earn a bachelor’s degree in business management in as little as 12 to 18 months. Enrolled students can earn their associate’s and bachelor’s degree concurrently or continue on to the bachelors program after graduating from the Pierce Colleges.
“At Mercy University, we are committed to providing high-quality education and developing innovative pathways that respond to needs of the labor market and prepare graduates for successful careers,” said Brian Amkraut, vice president of Workforce Credentialing and Community Impact at Mercy University. “We are proud to work with the Pierce Colleges of Funeral Service to offer an unprecedented pathway that will equip funeral service professionals with the skills they need to excel in business management and support overall growth of the industry. This is the first of several articulation agreements we have been working on with accredited mortuary and funeral service colleges.”
“The Pierce Colleges of Funeral Service is focused on providing the best education possible for students and service to the funeral profession and is excited to be a part of this long overdue universal acceptance of the Mortuary Science associate’s degree program by a regionally accredited university, generating a whole new unique path to higher education, certifications, and credentialing,” said Joseph Finocchiaro, president and CEO of the Pierce Colleges of Funeral Service.
The Funeral Home Management pathway, which is part of Mercy University’s B.S. in Organizational Management program in the School of Business, combines funeral service expertise with business management skills to empower funeral service professionals to reach new heights. Mercy faculty members are leaders in their field and bring years of practical hands-on experience to the classroom, ensuring that students receive a comprehensive and industry-relevant education.
One of the many advantages of Mercy’s bachelor’s program is that it is entirely online, offering flexibility to students who can access their courses at their convenience. With asynchronous courses, there are no fixed class meeting times, enabling students to balance their studies with other commitments.
Mercy University partnered with Vector Dimensions LLC (Vector D) of Rexford, New York to offer this unique pathway to the funeral profession.
Students can transfer up to 62 credits earned at an accredited funeral service mortuary college, allowing them to build upon their previous education and thereby progress seamlessly towards their bachelor’s degree. Additionally, as part of this articulation agreement, students can simultaneously work towards completing their associate’s degree while embarking on their bachelor’s degree, maximizing their time and efforts.
To learn more about Mercy’s Organizational Management: Funeral Home Management pathway and how to apply, go to https://www.mercy.edu/academics/school-business/organizational-management-funeral-home-management.
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Mercy University is an independent, coeducational institution serving more than 9,000 students each year across campuses in Westchester, the Bronx, and Manhattan, as well as online. It is a federally designated minority-serving institution and the largest private Hispanic Serving Institution in the state of New York. Mercy offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs and certificate programs within six schools: Business, Education, Health and Natural Sciences, Liberal Arts, Nursing and Social and Behavioral Sciences. The institution also provides non-credit courses and certificates for adult learners looking to acquire new skills through CERTiFi by Mercy University. Founded in 1950 by the Sisters of Mercy, the mission of transformative education remains strong. For more information, visit www.mercy.edu.
About Pierce Colleges of Funeral Service
Pierce Mortuary Colleges have provided outstanding education to students pursuing a career in funeral science for over 54 years. Their schools are accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education, an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. Dallas Institute of Funeral Service, Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service, and Mid-America College of Funeral Service are single purpose institutions offering the Associate’s Degree in Funeral Service. For more information, visit www.pierce.edu.
About Vector Dimensions LLC
Vector Dimensions LLC (Vector D) was formed by experienced higher education administrators and faculty consisting of a fourth-generation licensed funeral director, the grandson of a funeral director, and a business and economics professor associated with New York and Long Island universities. Formed by Brian Kasler, it seeks to provide educational pathways and instruction, and bring innovative technologies, to the fields of funeral service and mortuary science, through innovation in education and instructional course design.
