The landscape for chaplaincy is complex, dynamic, and sector-specific. While an MDiv degree alone may open some doors for employment in spiritual care fields, for the majority of our students, the MDiv degree satisfies one important requirement for employment or certification, but there may be additional requirements for which students must plan and we support.

The Maitripa College Master of Divinity (MDiv) is recognized by the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) as fulfilling the graduate theological education requirements for those seeking Board Certification. Maitripa College is an APC-approved Endorsing body as well. We currently accept applications from alumni who wish to be Endorsed for professional chaplaincy by the President of Maitripa College. These two credentials – graduate theological education and Endorsement – are two of the four requirements for becoming a Board Certified Chaplain in healthcare. They may or may not be sufficient qualifications for employment as a chaplain depending upon the sector in which you are interested in working.

Chaplains work in a wide variety of institutions and contexts, and employment criteria vary greatly. Some organizations and individuals provide spiritual care which is offered by volunteers, such as community clergy members; this service role may be open to you as a graduate, but most will not consider this ‘professional chaplaincy’.  Some employers require only a theological degree such as an MDiv, and then provide their own sector-specific training. This is common for the military, as well as some corporate, campus, and other chaplain employers, without any requirements for clinical training or certification. Some of these – particularly chaplains seeking employment with the Federal government (Department of Justice, Armed Forces, Federal prisons, and the Veterans Affairs) may require a nationally accredited MDiv degree. (See below for more about Maitripa College’s accreditation status.) A graduate degree alone is not sufficient for Professional Chaplaincy in most cases, however. Students must seek sector and employer-specific criteria for employment qualifications.

Professional chaplaincy in many sectors requires an MDiv or comparable graduate theological degree plus one or more unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). Some recognize the value of specialized certificates, such as in social justice, community, environmental, mental/behavioral health, or palliative chaplaincy. Some Hospice and hospitals will hire chaplains at the Associate’s level with the graduate degree and one or two units of CPE.

The most rigorous employment requirements, found in all hospitals and common in Hospice and prisons, is Board Certification from the Association of Professional Chaplains’ (APC) certification office (BCCI). There are four requirements for Board Certification: Graduate theological education of 72 credits (Maitripa’s MDiv qualifies); Endorsement from a Faith-based Community (Maitripa is an Endorser); Four units of CPE; and minimum hours of provisional employment as a chaplain. The Maitripa College MDiv degree and Endorsement meet these highest standards for healthcare chaplaincy and Board Certification with APC/BCCI, Inc.