Clinical Pastoral Education - Frequently Asked Questions

CPE is experience‐based spiritual education and formation for seminarians, clergy and lay persons of diverse cultures, ethnic groups, faith traditions or spiritual expressions.
 

In CPE, you'll join other people currently in ministry or who are preparing for it. Some may be health care professionals looking to supplement their work pastorally. CPE welcomes qualified persons across all faith traditions and spiritual expressions. 

"Clinical" describes the basic methodology of CPE, which is reflecting on your experience. Some people call it "process education" and describe it with three simple steps:

• Experience
• Reflect
• Act

"What did you learn?" is a common question you'll hear in CPE. 

"Clinical" also refers to your ministry site for residency, which can be at Mercy Hospital Springfield, Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City or Mercy Hospital South. For extended and summer CPE, more locations are available across the Mercy system throughout Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kansas. You'll provide pastoral care at your clinical site, a key component of your learning.
 

Through our new virtual CPE program, you can also arrange an acceptable ministry site near you, participating in classroom education by video. 

Mercy's CPE program has been accredited since 1974. The program is accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE), making it one of 350 ACPE‐accredited CPE centers in the U.S. Mercy's CPE program is accredited to offer Level I and Level II CPE as well as virtual CPE. 

Mercy is accredited to offer Level I, Level II and Certified Educator Candidate:
 

• Level I CPE – addresses the fundamentals through five key areas:
  • Spiritual formation and integration
  • Awareness of self and others
  • Relational dynamics
  • Spiritual care interventions
  • Professional development
• Level II CPE – develops the five key areas to a level that allows participants to pursue professional certification as a chaplain and/or Educator CPE
• Certified Educator Candidate – incorporates educational theory and practice following the educational contract and format of Mercy CPE (not currently accepting new applicants)

Learn more about Mercy's CPE program offerings by visiting this page.

According to Standards, a unit of CPE is at least 100 hours of structured group and individual education. Each unit will be accompanied by supervised clinical practice in ministry. The combined time should be no less than 400 hours. 

Within any unit of Level I or Level II CPE, you'll be a part of a peer group (minimum of three people but usually more) who learn from case studies, critique and feedback on your practice of ministry. Peer groups will also critique each other's verbatims, which are word‐by‐word reviews of a pastoral visit.
 

You'll work with a qualified supervisor who is first and foremost a pastoral educator, a companion in your own pastoral formation process. This educator has pastoral experience and a Master of Divinity or the equivalent. By certifying as a CPE educator, he/she has pursued three to six years of post-graduate work.
 

Students will meet with their CPE educator for about an hour each week, during which time they'll discuss ministry events, personal issues, theological questions, peer relationships or any other experiences that might impact their ministry and/or their pastoral identity. 

Ordination is not required for CPE. Since CPE is a graduate-level program, preferred applicants will have completed a bachelor's degree and at least half of the coursework for a master's degree appropriate for chaplaincy (theology, pastoral ministry, divinity, etc.). 
 

For spiritual traditions with leadership development based in apprenticeship or mentoring, educational equivalency that meets standards for board certification will also be considered. For all CPE programs, the Mercy Pastoral Education Center looks for applicants who are active and established in their faith tradition, and who have been in service in some way in their local faith community. 

Each application requires a $50 non-refundable application fee. Tuition for the program is set at either $650 or $3,500 (virtual CPE) per unit. 

At the present time, we have no available scholarships. You may be able to receive financial support through your faith community. Mercy caregivers may be eligible for continuing education funds through Mercy University. 

Mercy is not currently accepting new admissions for either second year residency or Certified Educator Candidates. You may be able to find an offering through the ACPE website.

You can complete a Mercy CPE application or general inquiry by completing this online form.
 

Once you complete your application (including application fee, references and essays), it will be reviewed for accuracy and quality. If deemed a candidate for the program, you'll be contacted for an interview to:

• Discuss your application materials
• Ask any questions you have about CPE, specifically concerning Mercy's program
• Decide whether this program is a good fit for you 

Through our new virtual CPE program launching in September 2025, it will be possible to do clinical work at alternative sites with approval from the CPE educator.
 

To be approved, a clinical site must be able to provide:

• 300 hours of spiritual care visits over the course of the unit
• On‐site mentoring by a qualified individual
• A site placement agreement

Details of this type of arrangement are unique to each situation. 

Mercy's CPE program sites can't provide housing. Students are responsible for arranging their own housing prior to beginning their program.

Mercy is unable to assist with or sponsor any visa applications. We don't provide visa sponsorship for employment and/or educational purposes, which includes our CPE program.
 

All applicants must have the necessary authorization to work and/or study in the relevant jurisdiction at the time of their application. 

The CPE curriculum at Mercy is designed with both APC and NACC Standards in mind, as well as those of the accrediting body, ACPE. Alumni of Mercy's program have successfully achieved both NACC and APC chaplain certification.