Full-time internship courses take place Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and are offered during the summer for 11 weeks. Our faculty is made up of two CPE educators along with a clinical manager and eight staff chaplains who are here to support your learning.
Our internship programs
Part-time internships are offered in the fall as well in the winter/springtime for 18 weeks. This extended program meets one day per week for education time as well as an additional 8-10 of clinical time per week. The education time is a set time that the students must attend in order to earn the necessary requirements of one unit of CPE credit. The clinical hours are scheduled collaboratively around the student's own schedule and the needs of the hospital.
Contact us
Applications and further inquiries can be made to:
Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital
Pastoral Care Department
2095 Henry Tecklenburg Dr.
Charleston, SC 29414
Phone: (843) 402-2856
Email: [email protected]
CPE internship program FAQs
Minimum requirements for admission are a high school degree (or GED) and a reference from a religious body to provide a ministry of spiritual care under supervision.
To apply, applicants must complete the standard ACPE application and return it to us by email or mail (see contact details below). Once all of the materials and the application fee ($35) are received, qualified applicants will be interviewed by ACPE Educators.
Tuition for the internship program is $400 per unit and is required at the beginning of each unit.
Yes. All of our CPE programs are accredited by ACPE (The Standard for Spiritual Care & Education) which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
CPE requires a certain amount of reading. Patient visits are written up in detailed verbatim form that demands considerable reflection. Process notes about ministry and learning are also required. Students can expect to spend an additional 2-3 hours a week in reflection and preparation for class time. The curriculum is designed to engage personal, pastoral, and professional issues in a multicultural and interdisciplinary environment.
In addition to the clinical hours and education time, both the summer interns and extended unit interns participate in our on-duty call schedule. The on-duty student serves as the only chaplain on site for the hospital system through the night and will respond to a variety of requests for spiritual support.
Apply here
Download our application linked below and return it to us by email or mail. Email your completed application to [email protected] or send it by mail to Roper St. Francis Healthcare, Pastoral Care/CPE Department, 2095 Henry Tecklenburg Dr., Charleston, 29414.