DESCRIPTION: This course (offered pass/fail for 2 units) is designed to
provide an experience of pastoral care in the general or psychiatric hospital
setting under the direct supervision of a certified Hospital Chaplain. Students
will (1) explore attitudes about disease, pain, suffering, psychic dysfunction,
separation from family, and death and dying; (2) develop skills in the
visitation of patients and in relating to hospital staff; (3) sharpen abilities
to reflect theologically in connection with personal encounters in the hospital
setting; and (4) participate in leading of worship or devotional programs as
scheduled.
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 offers an introduction to the tasks and
skills of ministry as a hospital chaplain in a general-medical and/or
psychiatric institution.
COURSE FORMAT: The student will spend a minimum of 100 hours in the hospital
setting in one 10-week period. During this time, the student will be given
visitation assignments, meet regularly with the chaplain and other hospital
staff for integrative and didactic sessions, and participate in worship or
devotional services as assigned. The chaplain will provide training and lead
discussions on topics relevant to hospital ministry. Students are required to
attend all sessions.
ASSIGNMENTS: Regular and punctual attendance, completion of all visitation
assignments, attendance at all scheduled seminars, participation in at least
one chapel service, completion of at least four written (typed) verbatims, one
book review, and one personal evaluation report to be submitted the tenth week
of the quarter by the student to the Office of Field Education, along with the
supervising Chaplain's evaluation. NOTE: Substitute assignments may be given by
the chaplain, but equivalent material must be submitted.
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 in the process is to read the preregistration materials
available on the Internet at www.fuller.edu/sot/fielded. Apply to a
recognized hospital chaplaincy site. Contact the Field Education Office for a
list of recognized sites. After acceptance, submit an internship application,
and 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
FE546 online. The student must also complete an orientation with the assigned
chaplain at the beginning of the internship.
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets FE2 Field Education requirement for the MDiv
(MIN 7); meets part of the internship requirements for the MA in Family Life
Education, the MA in Recovery Ministry, and the Recovery Ministry concentration
in the MDiv. This internship is offered pass/fail for two units.
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.
This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (8/09)