What type of Degree Do Chaplain's Need?

by Helen
(Birmingham, Alabama)

If you are not a Pastor can you still become a chaplain? I am not a pastor but just became a licensed Exhorter in my faith group this year.

What type of degree do you need to become a chaplain?

Just A Chaplain Sharing Information About Chaplaincy

Congratulations on becoming an Exhorter for your faith group.

Again I must say that when I answer questions about chaplaincy, I do so not as an official voice for professional chaplaincy but simply as one whose career change journey took him to a fulfilling chaplain career as a hospice chaplain.

In addition, I often say that I also became what I call an Internet Chaplain. I was challenged to base a website business on a topic I knew and was passionate about.

What is interesting is that I am fulfilling everything I hoped to do through a chaplain career, actually providing ministry through ministry focused websites to readers around the world.

Click on Sharing About Becoming A Chaplain helped me launch my Internet Chaplaincy Career.

Chaplain Educational Requirements:

Here is a list of chaplain educational expectations I found on a chaplain job board. The expectation for chaplains to meet these educational requirements is common for most hospitals hiring chaplains.

• Chaplain candidates must have earned a Masters level theological degree from an institution accredited by the Association of Theological Schools.


• Four units of Clinical Pastoral Education that is certified by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education.


• The chaplain must be board certified by the one of the Professional Chaplain Associations or be certification eligible.