INSTITUTE POLICIES

Services for Student With Disabilities

Our diverse student body includes people from all different backgrounds personally and educationally. The Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science works to provide an equal opportunity for those seeking a career in funeral service, in accordance with ADA and Section 504 regulations. Those students seeking reasonable accommodations for a documented disability must make a formal request.  Students begin the process by advising the Registrar and asking for an Accommodation Request Form. 

The Accommodation Request Form must be completed by the student and must be accompanied by ALL of the following: a statement as to the nature of the disability, documentation of the diagnosis, the name and credentials of the person(s) who made the diagnosis, copies of the results of any/all assessments (tests/evaluations) used to make the diagnosis, and the professional’s judgement of the prognosis of the disability over time.  These reports need to have been dated within three years of the time of application. Other information relevant to the case may be requested by PIMS administration upon review.

PIMS’ Administration will then determine, on a case-by-case basis, if the accommodation(s) requested are deemed to be reasonable.  Please note that accommodations require additional support and resources. Because of this some accommodations may take more time to arrange. This policy can be found on the PIMS website at https://pims.edu/prospective-students/.   

Caveat: It should be noted that the goal of the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science is to ensure that our graduates become gainfully employed. While some accommodations are possible for students in an educational setting, the same accommodations may cause undue hardship to a funeral home/director/business in an employment situation. In fact, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) offers the following explanation: “undue hardship means that the accommodation would be too difficult or too expensive to provide, in light of the employer’s size, financial resources, and the needs of the business.”

All prospective students are asked to read, review, and acknowledge receipt of the Admission Health and Wellness Acknowledgement Form, which serves as a general advisement about expectations in funeral service education and the profession at large. Although we recommend that any new student in need of potential accommodation(s), complete the Accommodation Request Form and submitting all relevant documentation at time of admission, a student can make this request at any time they are attending a class(es).

While it is the intent of the Pittsburgh Institute to provide reasonable accommodations that are verified per procedures, PIMS does not make accommodations to the admissions requirements.  PIMS will not admit any individuals to its program or offer modifications and auxiliary aids to such individuals if any of the following conditions apply:

• If the individual poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others;
• If the modification in the course or the provision of the auxiliary aid or service requested will fundamentally alter the course of study or result in an undue burden to PIMS;

If the individual cannot meet the basic eligibility criteria set forth below or elsewhere in the admissions policies and requirements of PIMS.