Setting the Standard for Spiritual Care Education
The ECS Spiritual Care & Education Center is an Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) training center.
ECS offers online and in-person education opportunities.
For more than 40 years, the CPE Education Center has been located at St. Mark’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Why ECS Spiritual Care Education?
Who you learn from Matters.
Train in real clinical settings
Study on a schedule that fits your life
Graduate ready to practice
Our Educators
Who you learn from matters.
The excellence of ECS is driven by its educators—nationally recognized professionals who are currently defining the future of spiritual care.
Benefit from the expertise of ACPE Certified Educators with extensive backgrounds in clinical practice, academia, and research
Experience a curriculum where educators embed real-world complexities into every phase of instruction
Engage with faculty who bridge the gap between educational rigor and direct clinical experience
Transition beyond passive learning through active mentorship, supervision, and professional challenge
Rev. Ty Crowe
ACPE Certified EducatorACPE Certified Educator and Director of Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. With over 17 years of leadership at one of the nation’s top Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) programs, Ty joins the Center as a Certified Educator and advisor. He brings extensive expertise to our department, supporting comprehensive spiritual care for patients, families, and staff while fostering a culture of professional growth, research, and learning
ACPE Certified Educator nationally recognized authority in the fields of clinical training design, competency-based learning, and chaplaincy education. Holding a PhD in Health Sciences and possessing a background in directing accredited CPE programs within premier medical facilities, Dr. Fleenor brings a unique blend of clinical mastery, research-driven insight, and academic rigor to adult career-driven learning.
ACPE Certified EducatorRev. Dr. David Fleenor
Train in real clinical settings.
Students don’t just study spiritual care–they practice it, refine it, and grow into it.
Key Program Elements:
Immediate involvement with patients and the community from the start of the program
Learning centered on verbatims and structured reflection
Clinical practice within complex settings under professional supervision
Continuous performance-based evaluations that go beyond standard coursework
Experiential Mastery: Advanced CPE units allow students to prove their proficiency through actual performance in spiritual care, ethics, and collaboration.
Flexible by design. Rigorous by standard.
ECS removes unnecessary barriers while preserving the depth and rigor that spiritual care formation requires.
Combination of in-person and remote learning
Formats designed to fit real life—not disrupt it
Expanded access without compromising relational learning
Program structures that support stronger outcomes, not just convenience
ECS graduates leave with demonstrated competence, not just completed coursework. ECS forms chaplains through expert-led, practice-based education designed for real-world readiness.
Evaluated through real-world clinical performance.
Documented competencies aligned with board certification.
Formal evaluations and supervisor assessments.
Formation of professional identity, presence, and self-awareness.
Study on a schedule that fits your life.
Graduate ready to practice.
Graduates don’t just finish—they’re ready.
The excellence of ECS is driven by its educators—nationally recognized professionals who are currently defining the future of spiritual care.
Educational Format & Requirements
Hybrid Learning: Instructional sessions are conducted via Zoom, complemented by two mandatory in-person sessions for orientation and final evaluations.
Academic Structure: The curriculum utilizes an adult learning model featuring didactics, lectures, small group reflections, and the presentation of verbatim clinical reports with peer and supervisor feedback.
Technological Competence: Interns must possess and demonstrate proficiency with the necessary hardware, including a computer equipped with a microphone and video camera.
Certification & Clinical Practice
Unit Credit: Completion of one ACPE CPE unit requires 100 hours of education and 300 hours of clinical practice.
Clinical Placement: All 300 clinical hours must be completed at a site pre-approved by the Certified Educator.
Admissions Criteria
Prerequisites: Candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree or demonstrate a sufficient theological background.
Process: Interested individuals must submit an official ACPE application. Following an education team review, selected applicants will be invited to the interview stage; please note that interviews are not guaranteed for all applicants.
2026-2027 CPE Unit Schedule
FALL 2026 Extended Intern Unit Schedule:
A flexible schedule for those seeking to learn more about chaplaincy and the provision of spiritual care and development.
09/09/2026 – 03/22/2027 (six months with holiday and other pre-scheduled breaks)
Mondays, 2:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. plus bi-weekly individual supervision
Hybrid: online education and two required in-person sessions
Tuition: $1200 per unit; includes $250 nonrefundable deposit
ACPE Certified Educator: Rev. Ty Crowe
CPE Accelerated Training Units (Capstone Alternative)
Fall Unit Dates: 09/08/26 – 12/11/26 (14 weeks)
Winter Unit Dates: 01/06/27 – 04/16/27 (14 weeks)
Fridays, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. plus bi-weekly individual supervision
Tuition: $1200 per unit; including $250 nonrefundable deposit
ACPE Certified Educator: Rev. Dr. David Fleenor
An alternative to a traditional intern unit, the education focus is rigorous, experiential, and integrative pathways for students to demonstrate mastery of program learning outcomes while significantly strengthening professional readiness. With appropriate academic approval, this Unit may be structured to be equivalent as a Capstone Project alternative. (These are mixed-level units)
FALL 2026 Semester Intern Unit Schedule
A more intensive and structured education experience for students wishing to complete their CPE Unit in a shorter time. (These are mixed-level units)
09/08/26 – 12/11/26 (14 weeks)
Fridays; 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. plus bi-weekly individual supervision
Hybrid: online education and two required in-person sessions
Tuition: $1200 per unit; includes $250 nonrefundable deposit
ACPE: Certified Educator: Rev. Dr. David Fleenor
Residency Program Schedule: (3 units)
FALL: 09/08/26 – 12/11/26 (14 weeks)
BREAK: 12/14/26 – 1/08/27
WINTER: 1/11/27 – 4/16/27 (14 weeks)
BREAK: 4/19/27—5/21/27
SUMMER: 5/24/27—8/31/27 (14 weeks)
An exciting option for those who have already completed a single CPE unit, have an MDiv or equivalent, and who are interested in deepening their learning experience in a year-long and focused program.
Residency is a full-time position, and includes three units of CPE with a $40,000 salary, family medical benefits, guaranteed 5% plus up to 4% employer match payment to a retirement fund, and $3,500 relocation aid for students moving further than 500 miles to participate.
Tuition: $800 per unit; nonrefundable
Includes three (3) CPE Units
12 month program with education breaks between Units
ACPE Certified Educator: Rev. Dr. David Fleenor
Clinical placement is at St. Mark’s Hospital in Salt Lake City; other ECS partnering hospitals may be considered
Clinical Placement Options
Placement Process and Fees
ECS provides a range of clinical placement opportunities for students. There is NO FEE for onboarding and placement at ECS partnering hospitals and other locations, which are listed below. Regardless of the chosen location, all placements must be pre-approved by the Certified Education and Center leadership team.
Partnering Hospitals and Locations
HCA Clinical Partners in Utah: Placement at these locations comes with no placement fee and includes free onboarding, which covers immunizations. The hospitals available for placement are as follows:
St. Mark’s Hospital – Salt Lake City
Lakeview Hospital – Bountiful
Ogden Regional Medical Center – Ogden
Timpanogos Regional Hospital – Orem
Mountain View Hospital – Payson
St. Mark’s Towers Senior Living Community – Salt Lake City
St. Mark’s Millcreek Senior Living Community – Salt Lake City
Other Clinical Placement Locations
For clinical placement at locations other than ECS partnering hospitals or other approved clinical partners, a fee of $1,000 applies. This is a one-time fee and will not be charged for multiple units at the same location. All such placements must be pre-approved by the Certified Educator. Students or their placement locations are responsible for any onboarding costs, including immunizations.
Eligible locations for placement may include hospitals, hospice and long-term care facilities, prison and youth correction facilities, religious and community programs, corporations, and other organizations.
