Clinical Pastoral Education is an experiential educational process set within the context of direct spiritual and pastoral care.
Developed within the Christian faith tradition, Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) uses action/reflection methodology and principles that are applicable to other faiths and spiritual expression.
Jess shares their experience of the Clinical Pastoral Education course at the RMH.
About CPE
CPE requires a commitment to the holistic care of persons and to exploration of the interface of life events and a person’s search for meaning. It provides opportunities for supervised pastoral encounters with people in a variety of circumstances.
The various circumstances confront people with questions of meaning and purpose and in meeting them in these profound places, CPE student learns the possibilities for offering effective spiritual care.
CPE seeks to develop:
- Self-awareness and compassion of caregiving professionals so that they can more effectively foster resilience and wellbeing in those they serve
- Pastoral, professional and personal identity
- Pastoral awareness and competence in assessment of spiritual need/resources
- Capacity to evaluate practice within small groups and individual supervision
Learning outcomes are transferable to many caregiving contexts.
Personal reflection and evaluation of hands-on experiences enables participants to develop new awareness of their own humanity, the needs of those to whom they serve and the capacity to facilitate and support an individual’s search for and discovery of meaning.
Clinical Pastoral Education is carried out in the context of hands-on spiritual care to persons - patients, consumers or clients, families, and members of staff.
The RMH is a major teaching hospital offering CPE placements within a diverse range of critical and general care, surgical and medical units, under mentorship of experienced clinicians who are accredited spiritual care practitioners.
External community or agency placements are possible but must be arranged by the applicant and equal 15 hours per week.
Pastoral learning
Drawing on their own spiritual, cultural and familial journeys, participants are challenged to reflect on and gain awareness of the:
- Influences and personal resources they bring to the spiritual encounter
- Impact of these influences within themselves and within the other
Professional development
The program structure enables a multidisciplinary team experience whereby participants develop inter-personal and inter-professional relationship skills, inter-disciplinary awareness, competence and accountability.
Personal growth
Individual faith and spiritual or religious practices, together with the participant’s behavioural and emotional responses to serving and peer group interactions, are revealed and explored towards a greater place of integration.
CPE emphasises experiential learning in an adult educational process. The emphasis is on exploring and learning from the responses of the 'living human document' – oneself, peers, supervisors, mentors, and those encountered:
- Small group and individual supervisory sessions
- Written seminar presentations focused on patient/participant relationships
- Personal reflection and evaluation of the processes experienced through journals, reviews and case-studies using multi-modal forms
- Spiritual reflection seminars
- Leadership of reflections/rituals
- Written didactic presentations and reading tasks
Successful completion of a unit of CPE is recognised as one subject in a Bachelor of Theology or Diploma of Pastoral Care, through the University of Divinity.
CPE Centre Director
David Glenister, Clinical Pastoral Educator
CPE Supervisors/Educators
- Rose Clark
- Michelle Morgan
- Fran Prem
- Helen Vester
Credit for University of Divinity (UD) Awards
Credit for CPE in any UD award will only be granted if the candidate has enrolled in the relevant Unit (DP8273S CPE Level 1, or DP9273S or CPE Level 2).
Enrolment in these units is dependent on completing the UD prerequisites and a letter of offer from a CPE Centre.
Clarification of these requirements can be made through the course coordinator of the college in which you are enrolled or through contacting the University of Divinity's Clinical Pastoral Education enrolments officer.
Upcoming program and application dates
Part-time and full-time study is available.
| Unit | Unit type | Course dates | Application deadline |
| Summer 2026/27 | Full-time | 17 November 2026 to 28 January 2027 | 11 September 2026 |
| Semester 1 2027 | Part-time | 17 February 2027 to 17 June 2027 | 4 December 2026 |
| Semester 2 2027 | Part-time | 7 July 2027 to 4 November 2027 | 30 April 2027 |
| Summer 2027/28 | Full-time | 23 November 2027 to 27 January 2028 | 10 September 2027 |
Program cost
$2,300
If part of a theological qualification through the University of Divinity, normal course fees apply, subject to Fee Help.
How to apply
To apply, complete our CPE application form (PDF) and submit it to ClinicalPastoralEducation@mh.org.au.
Time requirement
A unit of CPE consists of 400 hours with a minimum of:
- 10 hours individual supervision
- 60 hours peer group supervision
- 200 hours clinical placement
- 60 hours personal written reflection
Part time extended units require:
- One full day of group education per week
- Two clinical placement days (15 hours) per week (days and times negotiable)
- Orientation, mid-term and final evaluation weeks require two days