Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)

The PHS/Phillips Clinical Pastoral Education LEVEL I is an extended parish/community based course intended to meet the standard requirements for one unit of certified ACPE approved training. The course design engages students in critical reflection in order to gain greater self-awareness, ministerial identity, and effective ministry skills.

Course Overview

First Semester
CPE 500 Clinical Pastoral Education Level I is an extended parish-based course intended to meet the standard requirement of a one-half unit of certified ACPE training. The design of the course is based on the action-reflection peer learning model of experiential education. Students will engage in critical reflection in order to gain greater self-awareness, ministerial identity, and effective spiritual caregiving skills. Through the use of verbatim case studies, didactic instruction, and individual/group supervision by a certified ACPE supervisor, progress toward specific Level I learning outcomes will be achieved and evaluated.

Focus: Identifying personal myths, Vocational calling, System theories, Theological reflection.

Second Semester
CPE 510 Clinical Pastoral Education Level I is an extended parish-based course intended to meet the standard requirement of a one-half unit of certified ACPE training. Like CPE I, this course will engage students in the action-reflection model in order to gain deeper levels of self-awareness, ministry identity, and effective spiritual caregiving skills. Students will continue to reflect using verbatim case studies, didactic instruction, and peer-learning activities. Evaluation by the supervisor and students will assess progress toward completion of Level I CPE outcomes as defined in the current ACPE Standards manual.

Prerequisites include successful completion of CPE 500.

Focus: Pastoral leadership, Boundaries and the Limits of Care, Social theory and community organization, Skill development and pastoral interventions.

Program Goals

Through the use of clinical/ministry settings, reflection, and didactic instruction with individual and group supervision by a certified ACPE supervisor, progress towards specific learning outcomes will be achieved and evaluated.

Phillips works with an external entity to offer CPE to students, and the seminary’s current relationship is with the Sankofa CPE Center. Students who enroll in CPE through Phillips must also submit an application to Sankofa for admission to their CPE program. The seminary subsidizes a portion of the fees from Sankofa for taking CPE for all degree-seeking students. For more information, please contact Director of Theological Field Education, Dr. Eric Gill.

CPE ADMISSIONS PROCESS

Level I CPE addresses basic competencies and issues of pastoral reflection, pastoral formation, pastoral identity and functioning in one or more units of CPE. A CPE student must meet Level I CPE outcomes, as documented in the Supervisor’s evaluation, as a prerequisite for acceptance in Level II CPE.

How to Apply

Qualified applicants for the Clinical Pastoral Education program must have a Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum GPA of 2.7 or be over 40 years of age with 60 hours toward a Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum GPA of 2.7.

Special Student application forms should either be currently on file in the Admissions Office or are to be completed and submitted to the Admissions Office in order to complete Admissions process.  For more information, contact Cortney Lemke, Director of Admissions.

Important Documents/Forms: