Denver Seminary

Clinical Pastoral Education Programs

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Janet R. McCormack, DMin

Associate Professor; ACPE National Faculty Certified Educator

ContactMcCormack, Janet R.

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What is Clinical Pastoral Education?

In the past decade, Denver Seminary’s Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Programs have trained hundreds of students to serve in a variety of diverse ministry contexts and is one of the few community-based programs accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE). As a seminary and a community-based program, we are able to place students in clinical sites that match their unique interests and passions. We have placed students with hospitals, hospice, the U.S. military, churches, senior adult communities, urban ministries, first responders, and other unique ministry contexts.

Program Overview

At Denver Seminary, one unit of CPE is required in order to graduate from our chaplaincy degree programs. As a result, we are only able to provide CPE to currently enrolled Denver Seminary students. Learn more about our degree programs. 

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) provides students with the opportunity to integrate their personal history and their theological heritage into an authentic pastoral identity. Students work with their ACPE Certified Educator to craft individual learning goals that will guide the students’ educational process.

Denver Seminary CPE Programs are accredited solely by The Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) to offer Level I and II CPE student education and Certified Educator Candidate CPE supervisory education.

At Denver Seminary, we offer 15-week Extended Level I/II CPE units in the Fall (August-December) and the Spring (January-May), mirroring the academic school calendar. Each extended unit of CPE consists of at least 400 hours of training – 100 hours of group and individual education/supervision and 300 hours of person-centered clinical site work. In our program, a typical week of CPE will require between 25-30 hours.

We also offer year-by-year Certified Educator Candidate (CEC) CPE supervisory education. Prospective candidates will need to qualify as Associated Denver Seminary Faculty. There is no stipend for an accepted CEC student; CEC students pay a yearly tuition to the seminary for their training. However, as associated seminary faculty there are contract opportunities to teach seminary classes in addition to teaching Level I/II CPE students once the CEC has reached Phase 1B in the CEC process.

Our curriculum is based on the clinical “action-reflection-action” method of learning, utilizing information from the actual practice of ministry as the context for learning with one’s peers, ministry site mentor, and ACPE Certified Educators.

Your CPE Experience Will Include:

Students experience firsthand a wide variety of real-life ministry situations while engaged in direct, person-centered care. These interactions will look different depending on the CPE Student’s ministry site placement, or if they are a CEC CPE student. Denver Seminary students have been placed in many different sites depending on their interests and desired training.

Students present weekly written verbatim reports of interactions with care recipients to their ACPE Certified Educator(s) and peer group. These opportunities for feedback help assess one’s strengths and areas for growth for providing pastoral care. Additionally, students will have one hour of individual supervision with their ACPE Certified Educator every other week.

Students present weekly written verbatim reports of interactions with care recipients to their ACPE Certified Educator(s) and peer group. These opportunities for feedback help assess one’s strengths and areas for growth for providing pastoral care. Additionally, students will have one hour of individual supervision with their ACPE Certified Educator every other week.

Sharing personal experiences in a small-group setting teaches group process and leadership skills. Students learn from insights gained from peers about their pastoral effectiveness, from situations other colleagues encounter, and their interpersonal relationships.

How to Apply for a CPE Program

Level I and II CPE

At present, we are only able to provide introductory CPE units for students currently enrolled in degree programs at Denver Seminary. We do not offer residencies.

  • All CPE students must meet the requirements for entrance to Denver Seminary prior to being considered for CPE.
  • No CPE applications from non-enrolled Denver Seminary students will be accepted. 
  • From the pool of enrolled Denver Seminary students, these ACPE accredited programs do not discriminate against persons because of race, ethnicity, religious/spiritual tradition, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, or disability. 
  • We presently have a two-year waitlist for our currently enrolled Denver Seminary students. 
  • Acceptance into a Level l/ll unit will require a $300 fee in addition to class tuition for the CHP 650/775 seminary unit/course.
Admissions Policy
ACPE Application
Fees, Refunds and Benefits