Clinical Pastoral Education Programs

Fulltime, twelve (12)-month program from early September to late August. Intended for persons aiming at a level of competence that permits them to attain professional board certification as chaplains and/or admission to Educator CPE or serve as faith community spiritual care specialists.

Pre-requisites:

• Education: Preference on selection will be given to students who have at least 36 hours of theological education toward a master’s degree, or the equivalent combination of apprenticeship/mentoring and experience according to their faith tradition that would meet standards for board certification.
• Experience: Faith group or community leadership experience.
• Clinical Pastoral Education: one prior unit preferred.

Stipend and Benefits:

CPE Residents receive a stipend and benefits. They are Mercy caregivers/coworkers for the time that they are in the program.

Tuition:

Tuition is being revised and new rate will be posted in early 2025.

Full-time, 11-week, program from early June to August. One unit of CPE. Intended for seminarians as part of their ordination process and for other qualified persons—lay and ordained—who wish to discern their future ministry options, hone their ministry skills, or prepare to do a CPE residency.

Pre-requisites:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree or other professional designation; e.g. RN, with sufficient theological background for program.
• Experience: Faith group or community leadership experience

Stipend and Benefits:

No stipend.

Tuition:

Tuition is being revised and new rate will be posted in early 2025.

The Certification Process is designed as a developmental, competency-based approach to learning. Evaluation of CECs/CESs is ongoing and is grounded in clearly articulated competencies that are required to successfully engage in our work. Competency-based learning utilizes systems of instruction, assessment and reporting that are based on students demonstrating that they have learned the knowledge and skills they are expected to learn as they progress through the process.

Timeline

Certified Educator Student (Year 1): Demonstration of Level I & II Objectives & Outcomes, ACPE Admission Portfolio Completion, successful ACPE admission to candidacy interview
 

Certified Educator Candidate (Typically years 2 to 4): Completion of Phase I and Phase II Competencies of the ACPE certification process, plus all ACPE required support. Written evaluations every 6 months of the process. More information on competencies and certification process is available at https://acpe.edu/programs/cpe-educator-certification. 

Requirements:

• Education: graduate theological degree (Master of Divinity) or education/apprenticeship/mentoring appropriate for endorsement from the student’s faith tradition and equivalent for board certification
• Experience: leadership in a spiritual/religious community; ordination, license, or standing suitable for endorsement from a faith tradition recognized for board certification
• CPE requirements: completed ACPE applications are accepted anytime, 4-6 units of CPE with student & educator evaluations, demonstration of spiritual care and conceptual competence as evidenced by the attainment/completion of level I/level II outcomes
• Skills and Knowledge: evaluation of the competencies for admission to a certified educator program

Stipend and Benefits: stipend and benefits available according to budget designation. Students are Mercy co-workers for the time that they are in the program.

Tuition: based on APCE requirements

Chaplain Board Certification: not required but preferred - consult  www.nacc.org or www.apchaplains.org for chaplain board certification 

New program launching in September 2025.

Pre-requisites:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree or other professional designation; e.g. RN, with sufficient theological background for program. 
• Experience: Faith group or community leadership experience.

Stipend and Benefits:

No stipend or benefits are offered for this program.

Tuition:

Tuition is being revised and new rate will be posted in early 2025.

Part-time program for CPE Interns serving at institutions with the Mercy Health Ministry. The program seeks to accommodate persons with commitments (e.g. job or profession) that do not permit fulltime CPE.
 

Pre-requisites:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree or other professional designation; e.g. RN, with sufficient theological background for program. 
• Experience: Faith group or community leadership experience.

Stipend and Benefits:

No stipend.

Tuition:

Tuition is being revised and new rate will be posted in early 2025.

Applications are accepted year-round. Application deadline: when program is full

Check back in January 2025 for updated Program Dates.