Hybrid Field Education – Clinical Pastoral Education (FE-CPE) Program
The Hybrid Field Education – Clinical Pastoral Education (FE-CPE) Program at Union Theological Seminary provides participating M.Div. students with the opportunity to do their clinical hours in communities other than in healthcare settings. The Hybrid FE-CPE Program provides a clinical pastoral education, and prioritizes students who otherwise could not enroll in a unit of CPE during the summer for a variety of reasons – financial, family commitments, and time. This a rigorous program, accredited by ACPE and supervised by and accredited ACPE Certified Educator. This program is fully integrated into the FE courses. PS 110 is a pre-requisite for this program.
Each year, eight (8) M.Div. students enrolled in Field Education coursework are chosen to participate in the FE-CPE. At the successful completion of the program, students receive both 6 Field Education credits and one unit of CPE.
Applications for FE-CPE are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Helpful information in applying for the program:
You are encouraged to do both 1 & 2 at the same time.
- Seek a field placement that allows you consistent and regular contact with people throughout the course of your internship. This is a necessary component of your journey in spiritual care. Do not seek a placement where you work alone, or have primarily administrative duties. The placement can be any type of site – church, not-for-profit, social agency, etc., just as it would if you were seeking a placement without the Hybrid program.
- Apply to the Hybrid FE-CPE program.
- If you are accepted as one of the 8 students in the program, you will attend the Monday afternoon section of FE 103 & FE 104, along with the other students in Field Ed. The Hybrid FE-CPE program only meets on Monday afternoons. Each week, you will meet as a FE-CPE hybrid cohort with the ACPE Certified Educator. The program will require additional paperwork and occasional meetings outside of class, just as it would if you took CPE independently.
Meet the Hybrid FE-CPE Program Supervisor
Rabbi Joanna Katz is a Board-Certified Chaplain and an ACPE Educator. Her professional work has been primarily in the field of Spiritual Care. In the early days of her Rabbinate Joanna worked as a hospital, psychiatric and college chaplain. In 2001 Joanna was hired by the Department of Corrections of New York State where she served the women of Taconic Correctional for a short time and then found her community and congregation among the women of Bedford Hills Correctional Facility. In 2016 she co-founded the Prison/Reentry Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program at The Center for Pastoral Education at The Jewish Theological Seminary and was the programs founding Educator.
Since 2021 Joanna has taught the summer CPE unit at Bellevue Hospital in NYC.
She is visiting faculty at the Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she teaches in their Buddhist Chaplaincy Training Program.
Joanna teaches contemplative Jewish and Insight based practices nationally and internationally.
She lives in New York States Hudson River Valley.