DESCRIPTION: This course (offered pass/fail for 2 units) is the required
nine-month church internship designed to give students supervised and evaluated
experience in pastoral ministry in the local church.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will (1) grow in their ability to engage in
theological reflection by having regular opportunities to think critically
about ministry in light of the Christian tradition; (2) deepen their
understanding of the cultural context of ministry by immersing themselves in a
specific context and regularly reflecting with their supervisor on the
connection between context and ministry; (3) develop toward becoming
spiritually mature and accountable practitioners by reflecting with their peers
in a theological reflection group and with their supervisor in their internship
on the connection between their faith and their ministry; (4) become better
Christian leaders by having many opportunities to practice the responsibilities
of ministry throughout their internship.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: This course is designed to provide a means for
students to increase their skills and experience in a particular area of
pastoral ministry, as well as to meet the requirements that many denominations
have for a candidate's ministry preparation.
COURSE FORMAT: The course has three primary components: practical ministry,
supervision, and theological reflection. The student spends at least ten hours
each week for three academic quarters (nine months) in the local church
involved in specific ministry assignments agreed upon by the supervisor and
student, and approved by the Office of Field Education. One hour each week is
to be spent with the approved on-site supervisor. The agenda should address (a)
professional direction, evaluation, and oversight of the student's ministry;
(b) theological reflection and discussion of topics related to ministry as
identified by the student and supervisor; (c) support and prayer. Students will
meet during the second quarter (FE501B) in a Reflection Group, led by a faculty
member or experienced pastor. These groups ordinarily meet three to four times,
for two hours each time. Each student participating will write and present one
case study from their internship experience.
ASSIGNMENTS: (1) Participation in a Field Education Orientation--"Introduction
to Theological Reflection"--during week one of the first quarter in which the
student is registered for FE501. (2) Completion of a Learning Agreement by the
supervisor and intern, to be turned in to the Office of Field Education by the
end of the second week of FE501A (the first quarter of the internship). (3)
Meeting during the first quarter (FE501A) and third quarter (FE501C) with the
Director of Field Education, or other Field Education staff as selected, for a
progress report on the internship. (4) Completion of Quarterly Evaluations by
the student and the supervisor, to be turned in by the end of the tenth week of
EACH quarter. (5) Participation in a Theological Reflection Group during the
second quarter (FE501B), including completion of a written case study to be
submitted to the Office of Field Education the tenth week of the first quarter
(FE501A). (6) Participation in two Ministry Enrichment Seminars during the
course of the internship.
PREREGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS: Before the student may register for this
course, several steps must be completed, a process that may take up to a
month, since the student is responsible to make arrangements for an internship
site. The first step is to read the preregistration materials available at www.fuller.edu/sot/fielded. After the student has submitted internship
and supervisor applications, he or she must schedule an enrollment interview
with the Office of Field Education. If the internship is approved, the student
and his/her Academic Advisor will receive a Course Approval Notification. The
student must then contact the Academic Advisor to receive a Course Reference
Number (CRN) in order to register for FE501A online. Each quarter of FE501A, B,
and C has a different CRN. The student must register for each of the subsequent
quarters online.
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: The three-quarter sequence, FE501A, B, and C, is
required to meet the FE1 MDiv core requirement in Field Education (MIN 7). It
is offered pass/fail for 2 units. It meets the requirements for the MA in
Pastoral Ministry degree program, and is an elective for the MA in Theology
(General Format).
FINAL EXAMINATION: None. Evaluation is based on completion of the nine-month
internship as specified in the individual learning agreement and on-time
completion of assignments as listed above.
This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (11/08)