Clinical Pastoral Education

Children’s Health℠ applies its role as a leading teaching hospital in North Texas to its Spiritual Care and Education Department. Clinical Pastoral Education is interfaith professional education for ministry. It brings theological students and ministers of all faiths into spiritual care encounters under supervision.

Our program offers a dynamic and challenging learning environment for students interested in professional and personal growth through ACPE: The Standard for Spiritual Care and Education. At Children’s Health through ACPE, we offer Level I and Level II Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) and Educator Certification at Children’s Medical Center Dallas and Children’s Medical Center Plano. 

At the Dallas campus we offer four resident positions in CPE each year, from August to August, which include a stipend with benefits. Certified Educator certification fellowships (a minimum of three years) are available on a rolling basis. Please contact us regarding openings in our Educator Candidacy CPE program before submitting your application. 

We also offer single units of CPE, Levels I and II, throughout the year:

  • Dallas Campus

    1935 Medical District Dr.
    Dallas, TX 75235

    For specific dates of current and upcoming programs please call 214-456-2822

    • Extended unit: September - May
    • Summer intensive unit: June - August

  • Plano Campus

    7601 Preston Rd.
    Plano, TX 75024

    For specific dates of current and upcoming programs please call 469-303-2822

    Continuous extended units:

    • September - April
    • April - September

Our programs

Residents and single unit students in the CPE program have the opportunity to:

  • Learn about childhood spirituality and development, Godly Play®, and how to incorporate an appreciation for the spirituality of children into one’s spiritual care for the whole family.
  • Develop perspective and skill in a family-systems approach to spiritual ministry.
  • Explore and develop theoretical stances that assist in assessing and responding spiritually to complex theological and ethical issues that accompany the serious illness of an infant, child or adolescent.
  • Learn to provide spiritual care to members of the staff and to understand spiritual issues at the organizational level.

Although spiritual care education in the pediatric setting equips the resident with specialized skills in working with children and families, the overall program focus is transferable to other settings.

  • Applicants for residencies at the Dallas campus should have a master’s level degree or equivalent based on faith tradition (in progress or completed). A previous unit of CPE is strongly preferred.
  • Applicants for Educator Candidacy education should have completed a master’s degree or equivalent and at least four units of CPE.  
  • Applicants for single units (extended or summer programs) should have a bachelor’s degree from a nationally accredited institution or its equivalent

English language proficiency that is adequate to function pastorally in the clinical and educational settings is necessary.

Tuition and applications

Tuition per unit is $500 for residency programs and $300 for single unit programs. Completed applications should be emailed to the contact persons below at the campus to which you are applying.

Spiritual care and education

When a child is hospitalized, that child’s world is changed forever. We are honored to provide a hopeful, spiritual presence for children and their families at one of the most vulnerable times in their lives. Learn more.

Resources

Annual Notice - Department of Spiritual Care and Education

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Clinical pastoral education

Dallas

214-456-2822

Plano

469-303-2822