What Training is Required to Become a Chaplain?

Chaplains play a significant role in many institutions of American society. Learn the credentials and training needed to become a chaplain.

A chaplain provides ministry and spiritual support in a secular place such as a healthcare facility, university campus, business workplace, prison, law enforcement offices, military, and many other locations.

As such, chaplains work outside of and beyond religious institutions or places of worship, taking their roles as faith leaders into people's everyday lives in institutions or facilities.

Chaplains may be ordained clerics such as pastors, ministers, priests, rabbis, imams, swamis, or bhikkhus, or they may be lay leaders representing any religious or spiritual tradition.

The chaplain's role is to provide spiritual support to individuals and families through faith-based techniques or by providing counseling, services, or material resources.

All board-certified chaplains in the United States share a common code of professional ethics.

Professional Standards and Board-Certifying Bodies for Chaplaincy in the United States

The Council on Spiritual Care Collaborative (COMISS Network) is an organization that unites five distinct pastoral care and counseling communities:

professional accreditation and certification organizations
religious endorsing bodies
professional pastoral care organizations
chaplain and pastoral counselor employing organizations
academic and educational institutions

In 2004, the COMISS Network created the Common Standards for Professional Chaplaincy and the qualifications required to apply for certification.

To achieve the highest standard in chaplaincy, you would need to become a board-certified chaplain. Essential requirements for national board certification include:

endorsement from the authorizing body of your faith tradition
a master's degree from an accredited theological school or its equivalent
at least four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE)
post-training clinical pastoral experience
preparation of clinical materials
a face-to-face interview with a certification committee

Three national chaplaincy organizations uphold the Common Standards and issue board certification:

The Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) certifies chaplains from all faith traditions.
The National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC) certifies chaplains from the Roman Catholic tradition.
The Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC) certifies chaplains from the Jewish tradition.

Faith Organization Requirements

While many chaplains are ordained ministers or faith leaders in their respective religious faith organizations, ordination is not always required.

However, you would need an official endorsement or commission from your faith organization in order to receive board certification.

Be sure to consult the authorizing body of your particular faith group, as you would need to fulfill its requirements in terms of education, training, and experience.

Catholic Chaplains (Christian)

According to the National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC), 'chaplaincy is open to anyone who feels called to support people with their spiritual and emotional wellbeing.'

Members of the Catholic Church who are eligible for board certification from the NACC include those who:

have earned a bachelor's degree from a college, university, or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
have earned a graduate degree in theology, divinity, religious studies, pastoral studies, or spirituality from an accredited institution, or its equivalent
have completed four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE)

Protestant Chaplains (Christian)

Since dozens of Protestant Christian religious denominations exist, they lack one overall religious authority. Therefore, the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) certifies Protestant chaplains and all other faiths.

The APC requires a candidate for board certification to satisfy the 'Common Qualifications and Competencies for Professional Chaplains' from the Board of Chaplaincy Certification, Inc., which states that a candidate must:

provide documentation of current endorsement of his/her own faith/spiritual tradition
be a current member of one's professional association
have completed an undergraduate degree from a CHEA-accredited college, university, or theological school
have completed a graduate-level theological degree from an accredited college, university, or theological school accredited by a member of the CHEA
provide documentation of at least four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)
demonstrate competencies in the integration of theory and practice, professional identity and conduct, professional practice skills, and organizational leadership

Jewish Chaplains

Neshama: Association for Jewish Chaplains establishes and publishes standards in its NAJC Certification Handbook. Prerequisites for certification as a Jewish chaplain include:

being of the Jewish faith, and if partnered, having a partner who is either Jewish by birth or by conversion
completion of a bachelor's degree and a graduate-level theological degree from an accredited college, university, or theological school
documentation of at least four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)
completion of 2,000 hours of post-CPE professional chaplaincy work or the equivalent

Buddhist Chaplains

Buddhists desiring to become chaplains can meet the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) board certification requirements. A good resource is the International Buddhist Chaplains Foundation.

They might wish to receive their graduate education from an accredited institution offering Buddhist studies.

The chaplaincy program offered by the Graduate Theological Union and Institute of Buddhist Studies fulfills the APC's educational requirements in one of two ways.

A joint program consists of a Master of Arts combined with a certificate in Buddhist chaplaincy. The IBS also has a Masters of Divinity program.

Candidates for chaplaincy as Buddhists will also need the endorsement of a Buddhist sangha or temple.

Muslim Chaplains

With the rising Muslim population in the United States, the need for Muslim chaplains has increased greatly. Muslims may earn certification through the Association of Professional Chaplains (see above for criteria).

The Association of Muslim Chaplains recommends graduate-level religious studies that include traditional Islamic sciences education.

The master's program may be a Master of Divinity in Islamic chaplaincy, a Master of Divinity in Islamic studies with a concentration in Islamic chaplaincy, or a Master of Islamic Religious Leadership, for example.

Hindu Chaplains

If you're interested in becoming a Hindu chaplain, you may earn certification through the Association of Professional Chaplains (see above for criteria).

The North American Hindu Chaplains Association provides a code of ethics specifically for Hindu chaplains.

To receive graduate education that includes Hindu spiritual traditions and practices, you might want to explore programs such as the Graduate Theological Union's Interreligious Chaplaincy Program (ICP), which offers a Hindu Chaplaincy Fellowship.

Role of Military Chaplains

Military chaplains not only need credentials for civilian chaplaincy, but they also need to qualify for the rigors of the military. They serve as non-combatant, protected personnel who do not use weapons.

Military chaplains in the U.S. armed services are ordained clergy who serve as commissioned military officers in their particular branch (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard).

Like other commissioned officers, military chaplains need to meet the criteria for service in terms of age, education, and physical fitness. They also receive training to support their role, such as the Chaplain Basic Officer Leader Course (CHBOLC).

Military chaplains work to support the free exercise of religion in all military settings, and they work in an interfaith structure, serving under the command of a senior officer and showing no preference for a specific religion.

Providing support and professional guidance to all military personnel, from commanders to privates on issues of spirituality, chaplains have an important role in upholding ethics and morality in the military.

Learn More About Becoming a Chaplain

To learn more about accredited colleges and universities that offer degree programs that will support your desire to become a chaplain, reach out to our team at Best Accredited Colleges.