HDS - Ministry Studies - For Prospective Field Education Supervisors and Sites

Ministry Studies

For Prospective Field Education Supervisors and Sites

An Invitation

Harvard Divinity School's master of divinity candidates, for whom field education is a requirement, and master of theological studies candidates, for whom field education is a choice, count their experience in field education as one of the most important elements of their education experience.

The field education program at Harvard Divinity School is enriched not only by the number, but by the diversity of its field education sites. More than 200 accredited supervisors, and more than 150 accredited sites are the cornerstone of Harvard Divinity School's field education program. These supervisors and sites are listed in our Field Education Handbook.

If you are in a situation that can enhance our ability to provide diverse and meaningful experiences of field education to our students, we encourage you to contact the Office of Ministry Studies to pursue the possibility of becoming a field education supervisor and/or of having your setting becoming a field education site.

How to Begin

The Field Education Handbook provides comprehensive information about the field education program. The policies and procedures section of the Handbook provides all the information about how the program is organized, and details the students', supervisors', and the Office of Ministry Studies' contributions to the partnership that makes the field education program at Harvard Divinity School a premier program in the world of theological education.

Site Accreditation

If a parish, institution, or agency is interested in becoming an accredited HDS field education site, it must complete the following process:

The site, through its decision-making structure, decides to apply for accreditation.
We suggest that the site select a small committee to complete the application and one person (usually the proposed supervisor) to serve as the site contact.
The Site Accreditation Application (PDF; Adobe Reader required) is submitted to the Office of Ministry Studies, usually by June 15 for listing the following fall.
The Office of Ministry Studies reviews the application to determine the appropriateness of the site for field education and our students at the present time.
The application may be approved, approved with conditions, disapproved, or returned for additional material.
If approved, arrangements are confirmed for supervision on site and for the certification of the supervisor (see section below).
The approved site is listed in the Field Education Handbook.

If you would like to become an accredited site in our field education program, of if you have questions, please contact us.

Supervisor Accreditation

The Office of Ministry Studies certifies those persons who supervise Harvard Divinity School students in accredited field education settings. An application for Supervisor Certification (PDF) must be submitted. A supervisor must be at the site for one year before becoming eligible to be certified or to supervise students there. The supervisor should take the supervisory course the first year s/he has a field education student to supervise. The schedule (PDF) of class meetings is similar every year, and is updated in August of each year.

A field education supervisor-at-large is an individual having specialized ministry training and skills who has agreed to be available to supervise students with particular interests in the supervisor's field(s) of expertise. Such supervisors may or may not have connection to a specific field education site. They may be ministering in situations not customarily eligible for site status—i.e., interim ministry situations, post-misconduct situations, consultation situations, and highly conflicted situations. Supervisors-at-large may also be available to provide theological reflection supervision with students in self-initiated field education placements in secular settings where no theologically trained supervisor is available. Since this category has considerable fluidity in its definition, applicants for certification in it would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

The Office of Ministry Studies recognizes that it requires substantial effort and responsibility from its supervisors. We believe these are necessary for the intended partnership in ministry education to occur, and for our students to receive the supervised training that ministry demands. In acknowledgment of and appreciation for the important work our supervisors do, they receive a package of benefits which includes:

Appointment to the University and receipt of a Harvard I.D. card which entitles them to:

Use of the Faculty Club
Use of the Harvard University Libraries, including our own Andover-Harvard Theological Library
Use of the Harvard facilities that are available to officers on a fee-for-service basis. (Some facilities may be limited to officers on the payroll.)
Listing in the online Harvard University Directory.
The opportunity, without payment of tuition, to take one half-course for credit each semester at the Divinity School or at one of the other schools of Harvard University (with the exception of the Extension School).

If you would like to become an accredited supervisor in our field education program, or if you have questions, please contact us.