Field Education

As an MDiv student, Field Education will be an important component of your MDiv degree program. You must complete one internship or one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education to meet your minimum field education requirement. However, you may wish to pursue a more robust field education plan, combining multiple field education experiences. The Field Education program at SFTS is coordinated through the Office of the Dean. Two plans are available for completing your field education requirement.

Designing Your Field Education Plan

Below are the steps to follow to design your unique field education plan:

Complete at least 24 units of course work including Orientation to Theological Education, at least two semesters of Interdisciplinary Lectures, and any coursework that will be especially relevant for your desired field education setting, such as preaching, worship, or pastoral care.
Make an appointment with the Dean for an initial conference.
If you are seeking ordination, consult with your ordaining body on their internship and/or CPE requirements.
Successfully complete the GTU Sexual Harassment Prevention Quiz and provide confirmation to the Office of Vocations.
After consulting with the Dean, make an appointment with potential supervisors to discuss possible placement.
Once a site looks like a good fit, check back in with the Dean to verify that site will meet the requirements for SFTS.
Reach an agreement with the supervisor at a particular site. This will include clarifying position description, finalizing Learning Service Agreement and signing any financial agreement if the internship site offers any stipend. (Be sure to get the approval of the site from your ordaining body before agreeing to the position.)
Make sure your final Learning Service Agreement (LSA) includes:
- Completed learning service agreement with SFTS habits & skills incorporated
- Position description
- Shepherding committee names
- Signature of supervisor
Verify that you have registered for the internship with the Registrar. You cannot be registered until the Dean has reviewed and signed your Learning Service Agreement.
Turn in your completed Learning Service Agreement to the Office of Vocations.

Internship Site Guidelines

Any accredited Clinical Pastoral Education program, including the SFTS curriculum-based CPE program, is eligible to be considered an approved field education site for an SFTS intern. If you are considering a church, nonprofit, or other alternative ministry setting, you will want to look for the following qualities:

A mission in line with your long-term vocational and career goals. A stable setting where you are confident you’ll be able to complete your requirement (in most cases, 9 months of part-time internship).
 Access to a supportive, well-rounded mentor who will serve as your supervisor. This supervisor must be an ordained minister as laid out in the Field Education Handbook.
Offers a variety of ministry experiences, such as preaching and worship leadership, pastoral care, teaching and group facilitation, administrative duties, volunteer organizing, program promotion, and outreach.
Some component of public leadership that can be evaluated by members in the community served (i.e. preaching, teaching, organizing and chairing public meetings) .
Time for reflection with both the supervisor and a Shepherding Committee (persons to whom the intern can turn for advice and counsel throughout the internship).

Those in the ordination process with a denomination would be wise to gain the approval of a site from the governing body overseeing the process before agreeing to an internship there. Failure to do so will not disqualify the site as a possibility for the SFTS program but may result in extra work for the student.

Field Education Handbook 2019–20

First Internship Evaluation Form
Mid-Internship Evaluation Form
Final Internship Evaluation Form
Post-Internship Evaluation Form

Assessment of Intern Supervisor Form
Facilitating Intern Entry Form
Learning Service Agreement Form
Ongoing Theological Education Form
Sermon Evaluation Form
Service of Recognition Form
Sexual Harassment Training Form
Shepherding Committee Form
Supervised Practice Ministry Agreement Form
Worksheet for Requirements