Section 645.101.3. Educational qualifications.

       101.3(1) The applicant shall be issued a license to practice mortuary science by the board when the applicant has successfully completed:

        a.           A minimum of 60 hours as indicated on the transcript from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum of a 2.0 or “C” grade point average. The 60 semester hours shall not include any technical mortuary science courses; and

        b.           A program in mortuary science from a school accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education.

        c.           A college course of at least one semester hour or equivalent in current Iowa law and rules covering mortuary science content areas including but not limited to Iowa law and rules governing the practice of mortuary science, cremation, vital statistics, cemeteries and preneed.

       101.3(2) Foreign-trained funeral directors shall:

        a.           Provide an equivalency evaluation of their educational credentials by International Educational Research Foundations, Inc., Credentials Evaluation Service, P.O. Box 3665, Culver City, CA 90231-3665, telephone [phone], Web site www.ierf.org, or E-mail at [e-mail]. The professional curriculum must be equivalent to that stated in these rules. A candidate shall bear the expense of the curriculum evaluation.

        b.           Provide a notarized copy of the certificate or diploma awarded to the applicant from a mortuary science program in the country in which the applicant was educated.

        c.           Receive a final determination from the board regarding the application for licensure.

        d.           Successfully complete a college course of at least one semester hour or equivalent in current Iowa law and rules covering mortuary science content areas including but not limited to Iowa law and rules governing the practice of mortuary science, cremation, vital statistics, cemeteries and preneed.

[ARC 9239B, IAB 11/17/10, effective 12/22/10]