Table of Contents

What is Meant by “Thanatology Experience”?

How do I Calculate “Thanatology Experience Hours"?

Does Personal Experience Count?

How do I Enter my Thanatology Experience Information on the Application?

How do I Verify my Experience Hours?

What is Meant by “Thanatology Experience”?

This is documented experience in thanatology gained through paid professional work, supervised volunteer roles, or internships.

Examples of thanatology experience:

• Providing direct care and/or counseling for those experiencing life-threatening, life-limiting, or terminal circumstances (or supervising those who do)
• Providing direct counseling or therapy for those who are facing impending loss, experiencing grief following a death (foreseen, unforeseen, traumatic, etc.), or experiencing grief related to non-death losses
• Providing death education (courses, webinars, presentations, podcasts, etc.)
• Training individuals to perform in a thanatology role
• Providing care and memorialization of the deceased
• Serving as administrator in a thanatology organization

How do I Calculate “Thanatology Experience Hours"?

Multiply the number of hours per week serving in a thanatology role X the number of weeks/year X the number of years   For example:

30 hours/week X 50 weeks/year X 2 years = 3000 hours of thanatology experience

If your thanatology role constitutes only a portion of the total hours of your job, you can only count the hours specifically spent on thanatology. Using the example above but if only 70% of your total job description falls under a thanatology role:

30 hours/week X 50 weeks/year X 2 years X 70% of the job description =  2100 hours

For each hour spent teaching, Death Educators can claim that time, and may add up to 0.5 hours for related research and course development in preparation for that instruction.

Does Personal Experience Count?

If you have received training and provided direct end-of-life care within the past 3 years, you can claim a maximum of 100 experience hours for that care.

How do I Enter my Thanatology Experience Information on the Application?

One half of the required experience hours must be dated within the past 10 years. Make sure the total number of hours submitted equals or exceeds the total hours required under the certification track for which you apply.

The application will prompt you to “Add Thanatology Experience Entries”.

Please list these experiences in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent.

Complete the following thanatology experience fields for each entry you document.

1. Name of organization
2. Title/job/position (you can also add a short description if clarification is needed)
3. Start and end dates
4. Number of hours

Click “add”, then if you have more to enter, choose “Add another thanatology experience entry”.

How do I Verify my Experience Hours?

1. Application reviewers will refer to the letters of recommendation you upload from supervisors or colleagues who can speak to your thanatology role as well as where and when you were in the role.
2. You are not required to upload any other documentation at the time you apply. However, should you be chosen for a random audit or should there be any questions about your experience hours, you may be contacted to clarify information or to obtain a signed letter from the organization where you serve(d).