Students are offered CPE Courses through distance education.  There are three main elements: small group interaction with one’s peers and supervisor-educator, online learning modules and an internship.

CPE provides a reflective and relational learning environment that fosters growth, personal and pastoral development. Such an environment involves mutual trust, respect, openness, challenge, and confrontation in a respectful and caring manner. Students are expected to be self-directed and explore one’s theological framework as it applies and is integrated into one’s abilities to practice compassionate pastoral care.

Students are expected to develop a learning contract appropriate to their learning needs and congruent with CPEI’s Objectives and Learning Outcomes.  The learning goals are to be uno their specific learning issues and measurable. In some cases, these may be modified at mid-course as one gains new insight.

The certificate in Clinical Pastoral Education comprises four courses (CPE 100-400) or 1600 hours. Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) is about change, transition, and transformation and involves group and individual supervision as part of an action-reflection-action learning process. Each course requires completing 400 hours (100 hours) of structured and unstructured learning and (300 hours) of an internship. Students will receive a certificate of completion for each course and a certificate of achievement for four courses or 1600 hours.

Yes, students can enroll as special students to complete one course.

Students identify internship sites that provide opportunities for them to practice the art of pastoral care. CPEI approves the internship site, and students must submit a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to the site coordinator, which details the information about CPEI and the responsibilities of the CPE Faculty (Supervisor-Educator), the student, and the site coordinator. Based on the student’s needs, more than one site may be used at the time; however, each site must have a site coordinator, and a separate MOU is required. Also, students are required to submit a weekly log of hours which becomes part of their record in Populi, with a copy provided to the Site Coordinator. At the end of the Course, the Site Coordinator also submits an assessment of the student’s work and affirms the student’s hours.

Once an application has been received, the applicant will be contacted by CPEI or one of the CPEI Affiliates to schedule an interview.  Applicants approved for the Certificate Programs in CPE or Supervisory CPE will be accepted into the course and term they have applied for and will be sent an email with their course information as well as their acceptance letter as well and an enrollment agreement, which must be signed and returned.

Upon completion of the enrollment letter, CPEI’s Registrar will enroll them in the correct course. NOTE: Students will need to sign a new enrollment agreement for each course.

Yes, students will receive a final evaluation which addresses the learning outcomes and assigned a grade based on the following scale. 

Yes, students will receive a certificate of completion for each course and a certificate of achievement for four courses or 1600 hours.

Most courses are scheduled for 12 week and 16 week terms. A typical week requires students to meet with their supervisor-educator and peer group approximately 3-4 hours per week and complete the required learning modules. In addition, students are required to complete 300 internship hours.

CPEI’s educational programs are distance education, which includes engagement and preparatory learning and allows for greater involvement of students due to geographical limitations. In a few situations, students may live near an Affiliate site and select to meet face-to-face or online for small group and individual supervision. We call this “hybrid,” and students and CPEI’s faculty are free to choose this option. There are no CPEI classroom locations.

Yes, CPEI accepts credit transferred from other pastoral cognate organizations or educational institutions; however, the following guidelines must be followed.

Students may submit official transcripts (preferably) or a certificate of completion from another Clinical Pastoral Education organization or educational institution indicating the completion of previous courses or units. The transcript or certificate must be from a pastoral care cognate organization recognized by the US Dept of Education or an active Commission on Ministry in Specialized Settings (COMISS) member.

The process includes students completing the Request to Transfer of Credit for CPE or Supervisory Education Coursework or Unit.

There is no guarantee that coursework completed with CPEI will automatically be approved by another CPE or Educational institution. The receiving institution will determine the outcome of any transfer requests.

Unfortunately, CPEI does not allow for exemptions to the admission or credit for previous training,experiences, or experiential learning. This includes but is not limited to prior ministry experience or coursework which may have included chaplaincy training.