Application & Admission
Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) is usually a requirement for those seeking board-certification as a chaplain. Some religious denominations require CPE as part of the ordination process, and many seminaries and divinity schools offer academic credit for units of CPE. At Cedars-Sinai, our CPE students are integrated into the Spiritual Care team, and valued for the fresh, diverse perspectives they bring.
If you wish to learn how to provide spiritual care to people in a hospital setting, CPE at Cedars-Sinai may be for you. While Cedars-Sinai is a Jewish hospital, we celebrate all faiths, beliefs and cultures—and we encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply to our multi-faith ACPE Certified CPE™ program.
Admission Requirements
To qualify for admission to Level I and Level II ACPE Certified CPE programs, you must meet these requirements:
- Faith group identification and affiliation
- Completed and signed application form, including references, essays and $30 application fee
- Admission interview
- Acceptance into a CPE program and payment of the nonrefundable deposit
- Compliance with all health and background checks and requirements
- Payment of tuition fees during the first week of the CPE program
- Completion of orientation and self-registration with ACPE
- Signature of ACPE Appendix 5 Consent Form if supervised by an ACPE Certified Educator Candidate or Associate ACPE Certified Educator
In addition to the above, these minimum criteria for each level must also be met.
Level I
- High school diploma or GED—bachelor's degree or equivalent preferred
- Final evaluations (student's and supervisor's) from any prior CPE, if applicable
Level II
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent—master’s degree or equivalent (completed or in progress) preferred
- Final evaluations (student's and supervisor's) from each prior CPE unit that show successful meeting of Level I outcomes
How to Apply
After you review the admission requirements above, download and complete the CPE standard application. Next, mail your completed application and a nonrefundable application fee of $30 (personal check, money order or cashier's check made out to "Cedars-Sinai" with "CPE Program" written on the memo line) to:
Rev. Pamela Lazor
Cedars-Sinai Spiritual Care Department
8700 Beverly Blvd., Room 2510
Los Angeles, CA 90048
You can also email your application to pamela.lazor@cshs.org. Applications received via email will be processed once the application fee is received. Applicants who are selected for the program will be contacted to schedule an on-site interview (the preferred method). Out-of-town applicants may have their interviews conducted by phone.
Have Questions or Need Help?
Call the Clinical Pastoral Education team Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time (U.S.), or send a message. You can also visit our offices, which are on the Plaza Level, between the North and South towers, next to the chapel.
Cedars-Sinai ACPE Certified CPE™ Center is accredited to offer Level I, Level II and Certified Educator CPE™ by the ACPE: acpe.edu.