About CPE Equivalency
CPE Equivalency is a process by which an Applicant may be granted an Equivalency for one (1) unit of CPE (Qualification 301.QUA4) providing the Applicant demonstrates that an educational program, acquired in a way other than through a traditional unit of CPE, successfully meets the NACC Qualifications and Competencies. An equivalency must be attained through formal academic and/or accredited programs, which are educational, experiential, and supervised. The CPE Equivalency Panel of the Certification Commission decides whether a CPE equivalency request is granted or denied. CPE Equivalency may not be utilized by an Applicant seeking certification as an Associate Chaplain.
Prerequisites
- Applicant must have taken at least one (1) full unit of CPE, with accreditation from ACPE, USCCB or CASC/ACSS, prior to applying for equivalency for one (1) of the other three (3) required units.
- Applicant must have participated in a single learning experience (not a combination of several experiences) that contains all of the following:
- The practice of ministry to persons.
- An adult education, action-reflection model of learning that helps students evaluate their personal and pastoral functioning through case conferences, worship, didactics, spiritual assessments, theological reflection, and group process.
- A specific time period which consists of at least 400 hours of supervised
learning. At least 200 of these hours involve the actual practice of ministry and at least 100 hours involve group work, reflection, and didactics on the practice of ministry. - A small group of peers (3-8) in a common learning experience.
- Regular supervisor-directed peer group meetings for the purpose of
facilitating learning through interpersonal dynamics and fostering leadership. - Students demonstrate leadership in utilizing peer groups for interaction,
support, clarification, and confrontation as a means of integrating their
personal and pastoral identity. - Pastoral supervision.
- Theological Reflection on ministry that articulates a pastoral theology that is both contemporary and functional.
- An individual contract for learning developed in dialogue with the supervisor that addresses Integration of Theory and Practice, Professional Identity and Conduct, Professional Practice Skills and Organizational Leadership and criteria for measuring this learning.
- An evaluation of the student’s experience, including final evaluations by both student and supervisor.
See Section 11 of the Certification Procedures Manual for more information on CPE Equivalency.
