CPE Supervisor and SIT Requirements and Application

ICPT Training Units

1. Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Units 1-4
   1. 400 clock hours - 100 clock hours didactic/lecture and 300 clock hours clinical/applied learning
   2. 12 weeks full-time or 24 weeks part-time
2. Supervisor in Training (SIT) Units 1-4
   1. 400 clock hours - 100 clock hours didactic/lecture and 300 clock hours clinical/applied learning
   2. 12 weeks full-time or 24 weeks part-time

CPE Unit Requirements

• 100 hours of Didactic Learning: Students are required to participate in 100 hours of didactic lectures offered live and/or via interactive distance learning (IDL).
• 1 Orientation Paper: Students must submit an orientation paper the first week of the unit that is no more than 2 pages that discusses their position on one of the following subjects:
  • theology of person;
  • how do you picture and talk about illness;
  • how you picture human suffering especially among the innocent;
  • how do you picture pain and destruction; or
  • a subject of your own choosing in discussion with your supervisor.
  • The orientation paper must be submitted by file upload, in the ICPT Learning Center for the CPE Supervisor(s) review and academic feedback.
• 10 Reflection Reports: Students must submit 10 reflection reports that detail what they experienced, learned, and thought about regarding ministry during their training. Reflection reports are due each week starting the 2nd week of the unit and completing the final report in the 11th week of CPE training. Reflections should be no more than two pages in length. Topics may include but are not limited to:
  • Significant events that occurred with patients, peers or the CPE Supervisor;
  • Steps taken to meet learning contract and CPE objectives; and
  • Significant learning events in the student’s personal and professional life.
  • All reflection reports must be submitted by file upload, in the ICPT Learning Center for the CPE Supervisor(s) review and academic feedback.
• 6 Case Studies: Students must submit a minimum of 6 case studies that reflect interactions with patients or clients. Case studies help students understand their strengths and weaknesses during visits with patients or clients. Case studies are written in a specific format outlined in the appendix of the student handbook. Students must present at least 1 case study to their classmates in their cohort. Smaller cohorts may require students to present additional case studies.
  • All case studies must be submitted by file upload, in the ICPT Learning Center for the CPE Supervisor(s) review and academic feedback.
  • Students must also review and evaluate other classmates case studies and provide peer-to-peer feedback.
  • Students must upload case studies 2 days in advance of the scheduled due date for peer review in the ICPT Learning Center.
    • Onsite students may provide in person peer-to-peer feedback.
    • Interactive Distance Education (IDL) students must engage in live case study discussion forums and post peer-to-peer feedback in the interactive chat-board. All IDL students must evaluate peer case studies during each unit.
• Customized Coaching/Supervision: Students are responsible for scheduling a weekly coaching/supervision meeting with their CPE supervisor. The weekly supervision meetings allow students to discuss, one-on-one, with their supervisor, any concerns they have, reflection reports, and how they are progressing with their learning contract. All supervisory meetings are held in the strictest confidence. Please note, sessions may be recorded or transcribed to ensure compliance with ICPT academic standards.
• Group Discussion: Students must participate in weekly group discussions. Group discussions may be live or via computer mediated live conferencing such as Zoom. Note, these sessions may be recorded or transcribed to ensure compliance with ICPT academic standards.
• Midpoint and Final Unit Evaluations: Students must complete midpoint and final unit evaluations. The peer review portion of the evaluations may be shared with classmates. These evaluations are codified in a specific format detailed in the appendix of the student handbook. Students must submit evaluations by file upload, in the ICPT Learning Center for the CPE Supervisor(s) review and academic feedback.
• Didactic Modules: Students must complete the didactic modules denoted on the unit syllabus. Each unit includes at least two or more required modules. Students will receive a Pass/Fail notification after completing the test in each module. Students have a total of three attempts to pass the test at the end of each module with a score of 80 or better. The three attempts must be made within seven days of the module completion date denoted on the syllabus or prior to the unit completion date. Module tests are taken in the ICPT Learning Center.
• 300 hours of Clinical/Applied Learning CPE Units: Each student is responsible for completing a minimum of 300 hours of clinical ministry during the unit. Clinical hours may be completed at your current place of ministry (if you are currently employed as a Chaplain or Pastor of a church), or any number of institutions including but not limited to; hospitals, hospice houses, corporate settings, prison systems, skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and community services. Your hours may be paid or volunteer. Each student is responsible for keeping track of these hours on the CPE Weekly Clinical Hours Log provided in the appendix of the student handbook, and having this form signed by the proctor at the clinical site. The form must be submitted by file upload, in the ICPT Learning Center for the CPE Supervisor(s) weekly verification.

Supervisor in Training (SIT) Unit Requirements

• 100 hours of Didactic Learning: Supervisor in Training students (SITs) are required to participate in 100 hours of didactic lectures offered live and/or via interactive distance learning (IDL). During which time, the SIT must also evaluate the didactic material in an instructional capacity and work with the CPE supervisor to codify lesson plans, identify individual learning differences and garner appropriate instructional methodologies. This portion of the unit is designed to thoroughly engage the SIT through “deliberate practice” which involves attention, rehearsal and repetition that fosters new knowledge and skills that can later be developed into more complex teaching skills.
• Orientation Paper Evaluation: Under the direct supervision of a qualified CPE Supervisor, the SIT must conduct an analysis of one orientation paper per student in the cohort. The SIT must submit comments regarding each orientation paper in the grading section of the ICPT Learning Center. The SIT must evaluate how each student addressed the following subjects:
  • theology of person;
  • how they picture and talk about illness;
  • how they picture human suffering especially among the innocent; and
  • how they picture pain and destruction. The SIT’s analyses will be graded and evaluated with the CPE Supervisor(s) during the second week of training.
• Reflection Report Evaluation: Under the direct supervision of a qualified CPE Supervisor, the SIT must conduct an analysis of 10 reflection reports per student in the cohort. The SIT must submit comments regarding each reflection report in the grading section of the ICPT Learning Center. The SIT must evaluate how each student addressed the following subjects:
  • Significant events that occurred with patients, peers or the CPE Supervisor;
  • Steps taken to meet learning contract and CPE objectives; and
  • Significant learning events in the student’s personal and professional life. The SIT’s analyses will be graded and evaluated with the CPE Supervisor(s) weekly.
• Case Study Evaluation: Under the direct supervision of a qualified CPE Supervisor, the SIT must conduct an analysis of 6 case studies per student in the cohort. The SIT must submit comments regarding each case study in the grading section of the ICPT Learning Center. The SIT’s must also engage in live case study discussion forums and post peer-to-peer feedback in the interactive chat-board.
• Customized Coaching/Supervision: Under the direct supervision of a qualified CPE Supervisor, the SIT must participate in weekly coaching/supervision meetings between the student and the CPE supervisor. These discussions may be live or via computer mediated live conferencing such as Zoom.
• Group Discussion: Under the direct supervision of a qualified CPE Supervisor, the SIT must participate in weekly group discussions. These discussions may be live or via computer mediated live conferencing such as Zoom. The SIT must submit comments to students and the CPE supervisor regarding group discussions in the discussion forum in the ICPT Learning Center.
• Midpoint and end of Unit/Final Evaluations: Under the direct supervision of a qualified CPE Supervisor, the SIT must conduct an analysis of midpoint and final unit evaluations for each student in the cohort. The SIT must submit comments regarding each evaluation in the grading section of the ICPT Learning Center. The SIT must evaluate how each student addressed the core competencies.
• 300 Hour Clinical/Applied Learning: Under the direct supervision of a qualified CPE Supervisor, the SIT will learn how to successfully guide CPE students through the unit training syllabus. The CPE supervisor will provide guidance, training, and oversight about the tacit knowledge of becoming a CPE supervisor while providing theoretical training about how good CPE supervisory work is done. Training will include instructing, grading, evaluating, counseling and tracking CPE students regarding their interactions with patients, families, and staff in hospitals, congregants in congregations, prisoners and/or workers in prisons on best practices in clinical pastoral care.

Each week SIT students will perform the following steps under the direct supervision of a board-certified CPE Supervisor:

1. Conduct programs of CPE training according to ICPT policies and procedures.
2. Participate in admissions interviews.
3. Follow ICPT’s methodologies for student-centered learning.
4. Assign, review, and comment on students’ written materials in a timely manner.
5. Evaluate the students personal and professional functioning and provide SAP evaluations at midpoint and the end of each unit.
6. Evaluate student’s assignments, case studies, reflection reports and competencies.
7. Teach CPE courses and content as provided in the Syllabi.
8. Prepare lesson plans and supplementary materials for the CPE units.
9. Support an interdisciplinary approach to pastoral care.
10. Participate in in-service training and supervision.

The SIT is responsible for keeping track of clinical supervisory hours on the SIT Weekly Clinical Hours Log provided in the appendix of the student handbook, and having this form signed by the CPE supervisor. The form must be submitted by file upload, in the ICPT Learning Center for the CPE Supervisor(s) weekly verification.

ICPT Training Programs

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Supervisors are a privileged few who are selected to conduct CPE training because of their commitment to the program and their adherence to the high standards set by ICPT. To learn how to be a CPE supervisor we encourage you to enroll in our Supervisor in Training (SIT) units. Click here: