Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) is a structured form of interfaith professional education. It prepares students for ministry in a variety of settings through contact with persons in crisis along with individual, group, and supervisory reflection on these encounters. One unit of CPE (equivalent to 8 Iliff academic credits) is required for the MAPSC degree program. MAPSC students may take up to 16 Iliff academic credits of CPE (equivalent to two units of CPE). All students taking CPE for academic credit are required to register for the CPE Integration Praxis (2 credits) following successful completion of their unit.

Iliff School of Theology provides academic credit for ACPE-accredited units only. CPE is typically offered in two formats:

1. Intensive Units: 40 hours/week plus limited on-call time for ten weeks; or
2. Extended Units: Reduced weekly hours extended over 14-20 weeks, and sometimes longer.

For more information about ACPE-accredited programs, visit https://acpe.edu/.

CPE completed prior to matriculation, for a non-Iliff degree program, or through a non-ACPE accredited program cannot be taken for Iliff credit or fulfill Iliff degree requirements.

IST 4004 - Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) (8 credits): CPE is a structured form of interfaith professional education offered through an accredited Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) site and supervisor. Students register for this course and are waitlisted until the CPE Confirmation Form is completed and their background check is cleared by the Office of Professional Formation. Students register for credit in the quarter in which the CPE unit begins. 8 credits, pass/fail. Students do not receive a grade for IST 4004 CPE until they have completed and received a grade for IST 4006 CPE Integration Praxis. A grade of "In Progress" ("IP") is given for CPE until the Integration Praxis is completed.

CPE Prerequisites: At least 24 credits of coursework; Identity, Power, and Vocation in Community (IPVC); First Year Interdisciplinary Course; and a background check through the Office of Professional Formation. MAPSC students are encouraged to take at least one pastoral care course prior to entering CPE. In particular, IST 2012 Pastoral Theology and Care is highly recommended.

IST 4006 - CPE Integration Praxis (2 credits): The CPE Integration Praxis is a degree requirement for all students who take CPE for credit at Iliff. This online course helps students integrate a completed CPE experience into their ongoing professional formation and coursework at Iliff.

ACPE Application Process & Receiving Credit at Iliff

To receive Iliff academic credit for CPE, students must complete the following process. Additional details are available on the Professional Formation Canvas site: https://iliff.instructure.com/courses/1546618.

1. Review accredited Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) sites using the online directory at www.acpe.edu.
2. Start the ACPE application process by:
1. Applying to ACPE-accredited sites using the online application found at https://acpe.edu/.
2. Submitting an APCE Academic Reference Request Form: https://goo.gl/forms/hRdmNe8J237gTLD83. In order to receive Iliff credit for CPE, you must request an academic reference from Iliff Pastoral Theology and Care faculty as part of your ACPE application.
3. Once admitted to an ACPE program, register for IST 4004 Clinical Pastoral Education for the quarter in which the CPE unit begins (8 credits/CPE unit, pass/fail).
4. Complete the CPE Site Confirmation Form and subsequent background check authorization form through the Office of Professional Formation. Students will be removed from the course waitlist once these assignments are complete and background check is cleared. Students may not start CPE until they are removed from the waitlist.
5. In order to receive Iliff credit for CPE, students must complete all assignments in the IST 4004 CPE Canvas site.
6. Following the successful completion of a CPE unit, all students taking CPE for credit are required to register for the IST 4006 CPE Integration Praxis (2 credits). The degree requirement will not be completed without successful completion of the CPE Integration Praxis course.

CPE for MDiv Students

Denominations may encourage or require students seeking ordination to complete CPE. However, CPE does not necessarily need to be completed for academic credit at Iliff, nor be marked on a student’s Iliff transcript. The CPE supervisor documents successful completion of a CPE unit and upon student request can submit this documentation to a judicatory. 

The financial cost of CPE taken for credit at Iliff includes 8 credits of tuition and may include additional CPE program fees. In contrast, CPE program fees range from $200 - $2,000. Find current tuition rates here: https://www.iliff.edu/costsandfinancialaid/. In order to receive Iliff credit for CPE, MDiv students must follow the "ACPE Application Process & Receiving Credit at Iliff" policy above. MDiv students may take one unit of CPE for Iliff credit in addition to Internship, totaling a maximum of 22 credits (Internship + CPE + CPE Integration Praxis) of contextual education.

CPE Invoicing & Fees

When a student registers for 8 credits of CPE, Iliff will contribute the equivalent of up to two credits of tuition towards CPE program fees, paid directly to the CPE site. For many but not all sites, this will cover the entire CPE site fee. If the CPE site’s fees exceed Iliff’s contribution rate, the student is responsible for paying any remaining balance. Iliff cannot pay or reimburse students directly for application fees or deposits; there are no exceptions to this policy.

To process Iliff's contribution for CPE fees, students must:

1. Download the W-9 form from the CPE Canvas course or the internet.
2. Submit the W-9 form to the CPE site and request that the site invoice Iliff.
3. The CPE site submits the completed W-9 form and invoice via email to [e-mail].
4. Once the student has paid tuition for the quarter, the Office of Professional Formation will authorize payment to the CPE site.