FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

(1) Is there a difference between Correspondence and Distance Education courses?
(2) Regarding Module 2 — Why should I pay for this Module? I know how to speak in public!
(3) Why should a Funeral Celebrant be paid an hourly rate?
(4) Why isn’t it OK to practice as Funeral Celebrant without proper training (to a celebrant who started a course but then stopped because he thought he would learn on the job.)
(5) Refund Policy

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(1) Is there a difference between Correspondence and Distance Education courses?
College Diploma courses are essentially Distance Education, this is different from “correspondence’ in that a substantial part of our pedagogical method is field work in the real world of ceremonies. The most valuable learning source of all Modules is the knowledge and experience of the cooperative and professional celebrant. We assist the student link up with a professional celebrant. For some Modules you will need to connect with a celebrant who is exceptionally creative. (eg Module 5)

In most Modules the student is required to attend at least three different ceremonies by three different celebrants — but we encourage you to attend as many as you can. There is a formalised learning sturucture the student is required to follow when analysing each ceremony in depth.We define “celebrant” in the broad sense. The celebrant could be the mayor of the city who presides over a citizenship ceremony – for example. And what is particularly advantageous is to attend ceremonies in cultures other than your own. (Or sometimes see films – like Monsoon Wedding! These are sometimes very advantageous and should be written up in the Learning Journal (a requirement of each Module).

Seriously practised simulated ceremonies are also very advantageous. Detailed reports on such ceremonies, or if possible, video on a DVD are a great help to the learning and assessment process. Many of our students are already practising celebrancy. Studying / practising by means of a College Course, we hope, will greatly enhance a celebrant’s professionalism and improve their practical skills.

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(2) Regarding Module 2 — Why should I pay for this Module? I know how to speak in public!
The first thing I would like to communicate is that the college does have a responsibility, when we certify that you are qualified by this module, that you really are competent in public speaking for ceremony.

Unfortunately, and please do not take this personally, our experience quite often has been that people who produce all sorts of documentation and references that they are competent public speakers, are quite often not competent at all.

I concede to you that public speaking in funeral parlours where there are established public address systems, is not as demanding as large weddings, which are quite often held outside or in difficult venues, where there are no other public address facilities. This means that the celebrant must be able to project his /her voice, judge their breathing well, and ensure that their diction is a really clear and professional.

Built into your Module 2 is a fee of $A75 to pay are really well qualified voice person to diligently assess a student of this module on the use of voice, the right level of emphasis and feeling in the reading of poetry. For weddings outside or for funerals by the graveside, one needs genuine competence in the use of the various kinds of microphones and portable PA systems. If such a qualified person professionally assesses someone like yourself we are satisfied!

Also I need to Point out that Module 2 contains a great deal of organisational and choreographic information that is basic to all three Diplomas, it is, I admit mostly geared to weddings which is the flagship ceremony of any culture, but the principles of which apply to all ceremonies.

For example
(a) FIRST MOVE: THE PACKAGE
(b) SECOND MOVE: THE INTERVIEW
(c) LISTENING SKILLS
(d) BODY LANGUAGE
(e) POETRY AND MUSIC
(f) CHOREOGRAPHY
(g) MIXED CULTURES AND RELIGIONS
(h) SAME SEX COMMITMENT CEREMONIES
(i) PA SYSTEMS
(j) THE VALUE OF MARRIAGE
(k) ACOUSTICS AND SOUND
(l) AN EFFECTIVE REHEARSAL -Readers
(m) MORE ON REHEARSALS (Kirkley)
(n) THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY ITSELF
(o) CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND TENSION EASING

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(3) Why should a Funeral Celebrant be paid an hourly rate?
What I find is that celebrants who accept the low fee, in the end, lower their standards and tailor the amount of work they do to the low fee.

I find that the hourly rate is the only fair way because I, like you, cannot half do the job. I have also found that people like you and I give funerals away because it takes too much out of them both in the preparation and recovery.

Another angle is the hourly rate gives freedom to the family to ask you to do two or three interviews with other friends and relatives. Once this is done the necessary checking processes become much longer, because one must check back final eulogy and ceremony with those whom you have quoted and those whom you have used as a source.

Most (not all!) Funeral directors are about money and not adding to their bill, but they are also about power. It took me a long time to realise this.

My eulogies can be found in my book “Ceremonies and Celebrations” but I am happy to share any of them with you or any celebrant!

Finally, I would like you to know that in the College of Celebrancy’s Funeral Diploma course we demand the high standard that you and observe!
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(4) Why isn’t it OK to practice as a funeral celebrant without proper training (Why not learn on the job? ).

Module 1 is just the first part of the Diploma in Funeral Celebrancy.
You then do Module 2 and then Module 4.
It is clear to me that many of the celebrants in Australia do not know what they are doing.
When a person “learns on the job” it becomes “victim based learning”.

I do not think it is fair to grieving families. A skillfully prepared funeral really assists people in grief. A second rate funeral can exacerbate grief and extend it for years.
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And if people think they are “trained” with a two or three day course, they are kidding themselves. They don’t know what they don’t know.
It has another sinister effect- if entry into the profession is the result of a “cheap” and inadequate course the participators do not hold themselves or their profession in any esteem.
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It pains me to see that many are not educated or transformed by a course of study which should be absorbed into their being. Transformation takes time.
And a transformative course of study should result in the attitudes, skills and knowledge which distinguish a professional celebrant from obvious amateurs and learners – (unethically) dealing with people in grief and ritualistic need.

5) Refund Policy.

If the International College of Celebrancy cancels or postpones a Distance Education course for any reason we will refund all monies paid for that course unless we can make alternative course arrangements acceptable to the student.

Once a student pays for one or more modules, and has received the Distance Education course materials they are deemed to have started the course and so no refund is payable. If a student pays fees for more than one module and then wishes to cease the study within the thirteen weeks (three months) allowed for each module, the college will not refund the fees for the first module but will refund the amount for all other accredited modules paid for less $100 per module administration fees.

Temporary suspensions of study (extensions) will be given on application to your assigned Tutor. These extensions will be for a 3 month period and will incur a fee of $A100. The commencement date for the following modules will begin at the end of the extension.

The time allowed for each Module is 13 weeks. No refund will be given if a student withdraws after the 13 weeks allowed for the Module has commenced, unless they have taken advantage of the two exceptions stated above.