Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) is a professional education in the field of pastoral care that integrates knowledge from medicine, psychology and other behavioral sciences into pastoral practice. It serves as a part of one’s preparation for parish ministry, chaplaincy, lay ministry, teaching, and counseling. The learning environment in CPE is saturated with relational opportunities. It is primarily that of “action-reflection-action.” Moreover, it focuses on “learning-by-doing” with a built-in evaluation at all levels.

Seminary Credit: The Chaplaincy Concentration requires three credits for one unit of CPE at an approved and accredited CPE center. Credits are awarded in two ways:

US citizens and legal residents complete a CPE unit, submit a “Credit for Prior Learning” form to the university, and pay a recording fee;
Register for the course PATH 557 Practicum in Clinical Pastoral Education and take the unit during the given semester concurrently with other full semester courses without a recording fee, as the registration will be part of the MDiv load.

ACPE: A nationwide directory of Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) accredited centers can be found at

The Structure: A unit of Level I/ II CPE consists of 400 hours of study within a specific scheduled and dated program with a student group and a Certified Educator. This includes a minimum of 100 hours in structured group and individual education and a supervised clinical practice of at least 300 hours.

Summer Intensive: By far the most impactful, a summer internship gives the student an opportunity to engage in the CPE process fulltime for the span of three to four months, usually May to August.

Extended: The extended unit is completed over the course of four to eight months in which students are required to spend about eight hours per week in class with their educator and fellow CPE students and about 15-20 hours per week providing care in a clinical setting.

Online: The online options usually follow the schedule and format of the extended unit except that students meet with their group and educator through online platforms. This option provides more flexibility than the other options but can lack the interpersonal benefits of meeting in-person, thus limiting the student’s experience and growth. Online units may be the most expensive.

Application Process: The application process for each unit of CPE involves the following:

The applicant writes the five requested essays, and submits them with an application form and an application fee to the center. It is recommended for students to begin completing their application many months prior to the unit’s starting date because most CPE centers are highly competitive. The application guidelines can be found .

Housing and transportation: Most CPE centers expect students to provide their own housing and transportation while completing a CPE unit.

International Students: need to be granted a Curriculum Practical Training (CPT) permission through the International Students Office before they can start a CPE program (a single unit or a residency). For this reason, the international student must:

Have been enrolled for a full academic year before starting CPT
Be registered for a full course of study during CPT and the CPE should be reflected in the course load.
Reapply each semester for CPT even if the duration of the specified training is longer than a semester.
Submit the following to the Chaplaincy Coordinator:
1. A completed Authorization Request Form
2. A letter of acceptance from the ACPE or CPSP center where a training will take place. The letter should clearly state a start and end date.

Testimonies:

“It was by far one of the most challenging life experiences, but I am thankful because it has only solidified my faith in God and call to ministry. The amount of self-awareness that I gained has reshaped my relationship with others, self, and God.” ~ Roxan Del Valle

“CPE assisted [me] in the discovery of hidden characteristics that shape how I relate with others as a minister. I have grown to connect with my emotions. Consequently, I am now able to feel the pain of others and provide empathy when needed. I highly recommend that all pastors, if able to, should make CPE a part of their personal experience for the growth and development it will provide.” ~ Fabian Taffe