Q&A for How to Become a Chaplain

There is no requirement for age, but there is for education and expertise. To be certified (which is highly preferred and often mandatory) you must complete a BA, Masters in Divinity or Religion, and at least 4 CPE units.

It is possible. Consult with jails or hospitals in your area to discover the requirements.

Yes, there is a volunteer chaplain in the community and the police station or fire station.

Yes, there are many female hospice chaplains.

If you are a Chaplain in healthcare or the military in the United States, you will typically have at least a Master's degree and additionally four units (one year) of CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education), which is training, education, experience and supervision of at least 1600 hours. Board certification requires an additional 2000 hours of experience, writing papers, and interviewing with a board of Chaplains.

Not degrees, but Clinical Pastoral Education units. Check out acpe.edu for more info, and please know there are many differences in the field of psychology and pastoral care. Of course, there is much overlap, but this training is quite different from what you received during your PhD.

If your ambition is to work in healthcare, completion of an M.Div or related degree is going to be required as well as two basic and two advanced units of Clinical Pastoral Education. This is normally done through the residency program.

You can become a chaplain anywhere!

Give him a treat and express how thankful you are to him. Also, promise to allways keep your grades up.

For most chaplain jobs, a masters in divinity of theology and a year residency is required.

As long as you're ordained, and have all the requirements in the article, you can become a chaplain.

It depends on what you mean by "certificate program." If you have becoming a board certified chaplain, here are the requirements: Bachelors, MDiv, 4 units of CPE, 2000 hours of work experience after all of that. If you hold none of those things it would be Bachelors (4 years), MDiv (3 years), Residency (1 year), 2000 hours (1 year). That's 9 years. Plus, you would have to work through your church body's process for endorsement -- that could mean ordination or some other method of recognition.

Yes, in most cases that is acceptable.

You will have to complete four units of CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) at an ACPE accredited education site (a one year, full time commitment -- residencies are paid, however). Following this, you will have to be hired and work an additional 2000 hours. While you are doing this, you can write your board certification papers, submit them and go before a board for certification.

You need at least a Master's degree in order to become a board certified chaplain in the United States.

You may become ordained and licensed through the Chaplains Office of Canada and York St Peters Evangelical Association.

You may be able to become an Associate or part time Chaplain at some hospitals in the United States. It is preferred by most hospitals and by hospitals in major cities that you have a Master's degree, preferably in theology/counseling/philosophy areas, along with four units of CPE.

Yes, for certification you need: Bachelors, MDiv, 4 units of CPE, 2000 hours of work experience after all of that. If you hold none of those things it would be Bachelors (4 years), MDiv (3 years), Residency (1 year), 2000 hours (1 year). That's 9 years. Plus, you would have to work through your church body's process for endorsement. That could mean ordination or some other method of recognition.

As long as you meet all the requirements, you are able to become a chaplain regardless of your sexual orientation. Keep in mind that becoming ordained in certain religions may be difficult, but not all. As long as you are able to meet the requirements, your sexual orientation should not even come into question.

As long as you meet the requirements (educational, etc.), you would need to apply as a chaplain in your field of interest and submit the required paperwork. So, for example, to be an army chaplain, you would talk to a recruiter. As long as you meet the citizenship, age, education and other requirements, and are able to provide the required documents, you would commission as an army officer and go to the chaplain basic course. After completion, you would start in your assigned duty location.

That would depend entirely upon the requirements of the hiring agency. It may differ in various companies.

Chaplaincy endorsement is different than ordination in most church organizations. Some chaplains are never ordained, but receive an ecclesiastical endorsement when they meet the qualifications for chaplaincy in the organization.

Yes. Some chaplains, like myself, are married. Other chaplains are single. Some chaplains get married while they are chaplains.

There is no requirement for age, but there is for education and expertise. To be certified (which is highly preferred and often mandatory) you must complete a BA, Masters in Divinity or Religion, and at least 4 CPE units.

You can expect healthcare chaplains to be required to have the equivalent of an MDIV and to have completed 4 CPE units.

Ask your healthcare organization what they require of their chaplains. You can expect them to ask for the equivalent of an MDIV as well as 4 units of CPE.

Yes, it could serve as a step toward an MDIV, Masters of Divinity, which is often the educational requirement for chaplaincy positions.

Military chaplains must start before they are 42. Healthcare chaplains don't have an age restriction, generally they are looking at competency and effectiveness regardless of age.

No, sorry, a chaplain has different qualifications. It is a good idea to look up the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education and how to obtain CPE units.

Healthcare chaplains are typically older than military chaplains or emergency services chaplains. Look at hospitals or hospice for healthcare chaplaincy.