Overview

The Master of Science in Thanatology program philosophy is that dying, death, loss, and grief are primarily human experiences with medical aspects and not merely medical events that affect humans.

What is Thanatology?

Thanatology is the systematic study of dying, death, loss, grief, bereavement, life-threatening behavior, traumatic death, suicide, euthanasia, physician-assisted death, and the associated anthropological, developmental, historical, ethical, legal, philosophical, educational, psychological, scientific, sociological, spiritual, and theoretical elements.

Thanatologists are specialists who are knowledgeable about the dying and grieving process including evidence-based practices for family care, cutting-edge literature, and thanatology research.

As a person is actively dying, families and individuals must make difficult decisions regarding end-of-life care. After a person dies, those close to that person must navigate their grief and learn to live with this loss in adaptive and effective ways.

What Does a Thanatologist Do? Careers in Thanatology

Earning a Master of Science in Thanatology from Edgewood College can lead to a range of rewarding and worthwhile careers in death and grief, including but not limited to:

Bereavement Program Coordinator

Grief Counselor

Hospital Bereavement Support

Funeral Director

Faith Community Bereavement Program Development

Non-Profit Family Grief Centers and Grief Camps
Death Education in Businesses and Communities

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Ethics in Death and Dying

Developmental Thanatology: Research Methods Across the Lifespan

Family Systems and Thanatology

Traumatology

Suicidology
Death and Grief in the U.S. Military Context

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2025-08-26 00:00:00

Apply anytime.
Starting 2026-01-21 00:00:00

Apply anytime.

More details

Admissions will be rolling until the first day of classes.

Language

English

IELTS

Free IELTS Mock Tests!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

Duolingo English Test

115

Take A Free Practice Test!

Check IELTS test dates and locations. Book an IELTS test now!

Credits

30 SCH

Delivered

Blended

Campus Location

Madison, United States

Disciplines

Counselling Psychology View 806 other Masters in Counselling Psychology in United States

Join for free or log in to access our complete career info list.

Academic requirements

GPA

2.75

English requirements

IELTS

Free IELTS Mock Tests!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

Duolingo English Test

115

Take A Free Practice Test!

Check IELTS test dates and locations. Book an IELTS test now!

Other requirements

General requirements

A completed application
Official transcripts reflecting completion of a bachelor’s degree or its international equivalent with a 2.75 GPA. Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate academic credits must be submitted.
A personal essay (500-1,000 words) articulating why the applicant wishes to study thanatology and relevant career goals
The Test of English as a Foreign Language may be required.

Student insurance

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
Liability
Home contents and baggage
Accidents
Legal aid

We partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

Get your student insurance now

Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at Edgewood College and/or in United States, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Tuition Fee

To always see correct tuition fees

International

15000 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 500 USD per credit during 12 months.
National

15000 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 500 USD per credit during 12 months.
In-State

15000 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 500 USD per credit during 12 months.

Living costs for Madison

1015 - 1752 USD /month

Living costs

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Thanatology.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About