What Is Clinical Pastoral Education?

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) is supervised, experience-based education for chaplains, pastors, ministry leaders, and others providing spiritual and pastoral care. It combines academic instruction, clinical experience, self-awareness, theological reflection, and action-reflection learning to help students grow in professional competence and compassionate care.

Christian Leaders Institute partners with The Chaplains Academy of Christian Chaplains & Coaching to make Christ-centered CPE available to students. The Academy integrates a Biblical Christian worldview with professional chaplaincy competencies, ethical conduct, respect for diverse beliefs, and appropriate boundaries in spiritual care.

Four Progressive Courses

The Chaplains Academy offers CPE 511, Foundations of Client-Centered Chaplaincy; CPE 512, Developing Competence in Pastoral Care; CPE 513, Leadership and Advanced Pastoral Practice; and CPE 514, Professional Chaplaincy Integration and BCC Preparation. Each course is valued at 10 Academy credits; credit recognition by CLI is governed by the applicable partnership agreement and CLI academic policies.

Coursework and Clinical Hours

Each CPE unit consists of 150 hours of coursework and 300 hours of clinical experience, for a total of 450 hours during a 16-week term. Online coursework includes self-paced learning, live class meetings, and individual supervision. Students may complete approved clinical hours across a variety of ministry and pastoral care settings, subject to Academy approval and supervision requirements.

Coaching and Spiritual Formation

The Academy incorporates personal Christian Life Coaching, mentoring, and reflective practice through experienced CPE Supervisor Educator-Coaches. Students develop self-awareness, spiritual maturity, leadership, listening skills, ethical judgment, and professional pastoral-care practices.

Preparing for Professional Chaplaincy

CPE may contribute toward eligibility for professional chaplain board certification when combined with the education, endorsement, experience, and other requirements of the relevant certifying organization. Completion of CPE does not guarantee board certification.

CPE Recognition and Approval

The Chaplains Academy of Christian Chaplains & Coaching Clinical Pastoral Education program is accepted and approved by the Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc. (BCCI) and the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC), and is accepted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Graduates of the Academy’s CPE program may be considered for Board Certification by major chaplaincy certification agencies, including EBCC, ACCC, BCCI/APC, NAVAC, and SCA, subject to each agency’s current eligibility and application requirements. Completion of CPE does not guarantee Board Certification.

Learn more about current CPE requirements, academic terms, fees, and admission at https://www.chaplainsacademy.org/cpe-detail-page.