Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)
What is Clinical Pastoral Education?
Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) is graduate-level professional interfaith training for spiritual care providers, religious/spiritual leaders, and those exploring the career of chaplaincy. CPE learning combines hands-on clinical training with reflection, feedback, small group work, didactics, and individual supervision with our ACPE Certified Educator. Students at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) will gain insight, deepen self-awareness, and develop interpersonal and professional skills as they integrate learning into their spiritual care practice.
About Clinical Pastoral Education Training
The Department of Spiritual Care and Education at BIDMC is accredited by the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) to provide Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) programs for Level 1 and 2 students and Certified Educator Education.
ACPE Certified Educator: Rev. Ashley Mangrum, D
Minimum Tuition: $1200, including a $200 deposit due upon admission to the program
Application fee: $50
Clinical Pastoral Education Programs Offered
BIDMC offers two Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program formats each year — a summer intensive unit program and two extended unit programs. Each unit of ACPE-accredited CPE is comprised of at least 400 education and clinical hours.
- The summer intensive program typically begins in late May and ends in mid-August. The program requires a full-time commitment Monday-Friday, 40 hours/week, with the possibility for occasional weekend and overnight responsibilities. Additionally, students should expect to spend time on course assignments outside of the standard 40-hour week.
- The fall and spring extended unit programs typically follow the academic semester schedule. The fall extended unit typically runs from September to December, and the spring extended unit typically runs from January to May. Extended units require a part-time commitment of approximately 25-30 hours/week with the possibility for occasional weekend and overnight responsibilities. Clinical schedules will be determined in collaboration with the Educator and Director of Spiritual Care based on students’ availability, clinical placements, and departmental needs.
Summer 2026 Program Details
Summer Intensive Unit Dates: May 28, 2026 – August 11, 2026
Application opens: November 15, 2025
Applications due*: January 1, 2026
*Applications will be reviewed as they are received beginning November 15, 2025
About the Educator
Ashley is an ordained minister and a Certified Educator through ACPE: The Standard for Spiritual Care & Education. She holds a Doctor of Ministry degree in Chaplain Leadership and Education from Ecumenical Theological Seminary, a Master of Divinity from Truett Theological Seminary, and a BA from Mississippi State University. Her professional interests include the intersection of spirituality and story, creative process as a means of reflection, and trauma-informed spiritual care and supervision among others. Ashley’s approach to education is rooted in theories of adult and transformative learning. She seeks to cultivate educational experiences that empower students to connect with and employ their authentic self in the provision of spiritual care. Prior to joining BIDMC, Ashley served as a chaplain in the acute care setting, in outpatient psychiatric care to veterans with serious mental illness, and in higher education. She and her family live in the greater Boston area.
