Overview

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) description

The Cleveland Clinic Center for Spiritual Care is accredited for all levels of CPE training. A CPE unit consists of clinical time with patients, verbatim seminars, didactic sessions, interpersonal relations group (IPR), and individual supervisory consultation. Participants receive an evaluation and certificate at the completion of each unit. Applicants need not be ordained by a religious/spiritual order to be considered. Applications are accepted year-round and students are admitting on a rolling basis.

Summer Intensive Unit

This full-time unit requires 40 hours each week, Monday through Friday. Regular weekend and evening on-call shifts are required. This course runs for ten to eleven weeks between the months of May and August. The tuition fee for new students is $550 and for returning students is $400.

Fall Extended Unit

This unit is ideal for those currently seeking employment or employed in part time or flexible positions. Class meets once a week on a designated day for eight hours, morning and afternoon. Students also commit to sixteen additional hours of clinical time per week, which includes regular weekend shifts. Occasional overnight on-calls (done on-site) may also be scheduled - you can inquire prior to the unit for more details. This course begins in late August or early September and concludes at the beginning of January. The tuition fee for new students is $550 and for returning students is $400.

Spring Extended Unit

Structured similarly to the Fall Extended Unit, this unit begins in early January and concludes mid-May. The tuition fee for new students is $550 and for returning students is $400.

Residency

This year-long area of study consists of three units. Residents are required to have completed one unit of CPE prior to the residency. The residency consists of 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, with regular weekend and evening on call shifts. The residency begins in late August and concludes the following summer. The stipend is $41,000.

Residency applications begin being reviewed in mid-December, and interviews start in January. We look to have the resident vacancies filled by mid-April.

Certified Educator Training (limited enrollment as available)

As students progress through the ACPE educator certification process, a cohort of instructors and peers forms to guide participants in developing their supervisory methods. Please contact the Director of CPE for further details.

Application process

Clinical Pastoral Education accepts applications year-round.

Inquiries may be directed to the CPE Director, Andy Burnette, at ClinicalPastoralEducation@ccf.org or by calling 216.444.2518.

Prior to submitting an application, it is recommended that applicants review the admissions-related information and requirements linked below for the academic year in which they wish to apply. The links include information on the following:

  • Required admissions documents
  • Required enrollment documents

Admission/enrollment overview

*Academic years fall between July 1, 20XX through June 30, 20XX of the following year. 

Example: July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026

Admission related documents

Enrollment related documents

Articulation agreements

Clinical Pastoral Education educational experiences are offered under the sole sponsorship of Cleveland Clinic. However, students who meet specific articulation criteria may be eligible to apply credits earned in the program to academic programs at other institutions with which articulation agreements exist. Acceptance of transfer credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution and is not guaranteed. Students are encouraged to contact the receiving institution directly to confirm eligibility and acceptance of coursework.

The following institutions currently have articulation agreements in place with this program:

Nondiscrimination policy

Cleveland Clinic does not discriminate in admission, employment, or administration of its programs or activities, on the basis of age, gender, race, national origin, religion, creed, color, marital status, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, ethnicity, ancestry, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by the federal, state, or local law. In addition, Cleveland Clinic administers all programs and services without regard to disability, and provides reasonable accommodations for otherwise qualified disabled individuals.

Statement of confidentiality and student rights

Annual notice (published in accordance with ACPE standards):

This ACPE CPE center/program guarantees to its students the rights to inspect and review education records, to seek to amend them, to specified control over release of record information, and to file a complaint against the program for alleged violations of these Family Education and Privacy Act (FERPA) rights.

A student has the right to object to record content. If not negotiable, the written objection will be kept with and released with the record. Grades are exempted from this right.

Violations of these protocols may be reported to the Chair of the Accreditation Commission at: ACPE, 55 Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard, Suite 835, Atlanta, GA 30308.

For additional information please consult the Cleveland Clinic CPE Student Handbook as well as the Spiritual Care Department Policy Manual.