Clinical Pastoral Education - Frequently Asked Questions

To apply, first fill out the application form on our website: Mercy Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) Application and Inquiry Form (Page 1 of 7) . After the online application is submitted, the applicant will receive an automated email containing five short essay prompts they must respond to.

After essays are submitted and reviewed, an interview with one or more of our Certified Educators and/or PAG members is required. In-person interviews are preferred for resident positions. Each application requires a $50 non-refundable application fee.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Application deadline: when the unit is filled.

According to ACPE Standards, one unit of CPE is at least 100 hours of structured group and individual education, plus a minimum of 300 hours of supervised clinical practice in ministry. The combined time should be no less than 400 clock hours.

Upcoming unit dates can be found on our website: Clinical Pastoral Education Programs | Mercy 

Individual units and residencies with open seats are listed on the online application form.

Clinical placement for extended and intensive CPE units is offered at:

• Mercy Ada (OK)
• Mercy Ardmore (OK)
• Mercy Oklahoma City (OK)
• Mercy Fort Smith (AR)
• Mercy Northwest Arkansas (Rogers, AR)
• Mercy Jefferson (Festus, MO)
• Mercy Joplin (MO)
• Mercy Lebanon (MO)
• Mercy Springfield (MO)
• Mercy Southeast (Cape Girardeau, MO)
• Mercy St. Louis (MO)
• Mercy South (St. Louis, MO)
• Mercy Washington (MO)

Current resident openings are listed on the online application. Three-unit CPE residencies are offered at:

• Mercy Ardmore (OK)
• Mercy Joplin (MO)
• Mercy Springfield (MO)
• Mercy South (St. Louis, MO)

Mercy CPE’s external (aka “virtual”) units are $3500 per unit in tuition. This tuition cost is discounted for students who complete their clinical hours at a Mercy facility (internal CPE). Students who complete their clinical hours at a Mercy facility pay $650 per unit in tuition.

Residents pay $650 per unit in tuition ($1950 in total tuition for the three-unit residency).

Payment plans are available through Mercy Specialized Billing for all CPE students.

Currently, we have no available scholarships. You may be able to receive financial support through your faith community or employer. Mercy caregivers may be eligible for continuing education funds through Mercy University. 

Students must either pay their tuition invoice in full or have a payment plan established with Mercy Specialized Billing by the first day of the unit.

Ordinarily, students do not incur program costs over and above tuition and books. Occasionally, a CPE cohort may decide on an activity that includes an added expense; but such a decision is reached through dialogue, negotiation, and cohort consensus.

Mercy CPE expects students to cover the costs of certain miscellaneous expenses, such as textbooks, webinar registrations, and expenses incurred by attending conferences and seminars. 

The Mercy CPE Program may pay Residents’ fees for a limited number of relevant workshops provided through Mercy or through the community that relate to ministry and spiritual care.  Decisions will be made by the CPE Educator in consultation with appropriate person(s).

Mercy CPE students in extended and intensive units complete their education hours virtually with a cohort of other CPE students and a Certified Educator. This Educator has significant pastoral experience and a Master of Divinity or the equivalent. By certifying as a CPE educator, they have pursued three to six years of post-graduate work.

Education sessions meet for four to eight hours per week, depending on the length of the unit. Students also meet virtually with their CPE Educator for around an hour each week for individual supervision. In individual supervision, students and their Educator discuss personal issues, theological questions, peer relationships, or any other experiences that might impact their ministry and/or their pastoral identity. 

Internal CPE students complete their clinical hours at a Mercy facility. External (Virtual) CPE students complete their clinical hours at a non-Mercy facility. Virtual students are wholly responsible for finding their own clinical placement site.

Mercy CPE’s residency programs are full-time, twelve (12) months, three–unit residencies. Residencies take place annually from September through the following August. The residency aims at a level of competence that permits students to attain board certification as a chaplain and/or admission to Certified Educator CPE.

Residents are full-time Mercy employees (caregivers) during the time of their program and receive a stipend ($17.50/hour) and benefits. Group, clinical work, and individual supervision are typically held Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Students provide on-call, weekend, holiday, and night shift coverage in rotation with Mercy staff chaplains. 

To apply, students must have at least one previous unit of CPE (ACPE preferred).

Virtual students are wholly responsible for finding their own clinical placement site.

Permissible placements to conduct clinical hours can be a health care facility/hospital, emergency services, house of worship, community health organization, rehabilitation facility, correctional facility, behavioral health facility, educational facility, hospice/palliative care, or anywhere viable spiritual care can be accomplished. It must be a place where the student can participate in 300 hours of spiritual care over the duration of the unit.

A non-Mercy facility with an established ACPE-accredited CPE center may not be used as a clinical placement for our units.

Extended & Intensive Single Units:

• Education: A bachelor's degree or other professional designation, such as RN, with sufficient theological background is required for the program.
• Experience: Faith group or community leadership experience is expected.
• Work Residency: Mercy doesn't provide visa sponsorship for our CPE program. All applicants must be fully authorized to work and/or study in their chosen jurisdiction when they apply.

Three-Unit Residencies:

• Education: Preference will be given to students who have at least 36 hours of theological education toward a master's degree. We may also consider applicants who have an equivalent combination of mentoring and experience according to their faith tradition which meets the standards for board certification.
• Experience: Students must have one pre-qualifying CPE Unit (ACPE preferred). Faith group or community leadership experience is expected.
• Work Residency: Mercy doesn't provide visa sponsorship for our CPE program. All applicants must be fully authorized to work and/or study in their chosen jurisdiction when they apply.

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, Mercy CPE 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 unit of CPE consists of at least 400 clock hours of work. The 17-week units are a time commitment of approximately 25 hours per week (including clinical, education, and individual supervision time). The 24-week units are a commitment of 12-16 hours per week. The 12-week summer intensive units are a time commitment of approximately 30-35 hours per week.

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

• Level I CPE (Level IA and IB) – addresses the fundamentals through five key areas: Spiritual formation and integration, Awareness of self and others, Relational dynamics, Spiritual care interventions, and Professional development
• Level II CPE (Level IIA and IIB) – 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)

Second year residency for current Mercy residents are considered case by case. Mercy is not currently accepting new admissions for either second year residency or Certified Educator Candidates (CECs). You may be able to find CEC offerings, or more information about the CEC process, through the ACPE website.

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. International students are wholly responsible for completing their own visa application process if they wish to complete a CPE unit or residency.

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

ACPE sponsors international CPE students on the J-1 Visa in the Trainee category. More information can be found here: The International Student Visitor Program 

At least four units of CPE are required for chaplaincy certification. These four units may be obtained through individual extended/intensive units, or through our three-unit residency (plus one pre-qualifying unit).

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

The following websites provide information about chaplaincy certification:

• Association for Professional Chaplains (APC) www.apchaplains.org
• National Association for Catholic Chaplains (NACC) www.nacc.org
• National Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC) www.najc.org
• The National Association of Veterans Affairs Chaplains (NAVAC) www.navac.net

Completing a unit or residency at Mercy does not guarantee a staff chaplain job after completing the unit(s). If you are willing to relocate, you will have more possibilities, especially in rural areas. People who complete Mercy’s residency program have a good track record on employment both within and outside of Mercy.

For the summer intensive and the extended units, there is no stipend.

The CPE residency pays a stipend, computed at $17.50/hr., subject to state and federal withholdings. CPE residents also receive benefits at the same rates as other Mercy caregivers.

A person in Educator CPE receives Mercy caregiver benefits and earns a salary in the range for chaplains at Mercy.