All students at The School for Deacons must complete four semesters of field education with a minimum number of 120 hours per semester (or an average of 8 hours per week), and four semesters of Field Education Seminar. While field placement may be at either an agency or a congregation, two semesters of parish work are usual. Some students may participate in a cultural intensive program in Latin America that can comprise some or all of Field Education I & II. All placements must be approved by the Field Education Coordinator and a learning contract must be completed by the student and the prospective site mentor before the semester begins. Field Education is usually taken during the second and third years of the program but can be done during the summer months with the consent of the Dean. All student beginning Field Education must attend an orientation offered early in the Spring semester. Before beginning Field Education students must complete the canonically required training in adult sexual abuse prevention, “Safe-guarding Our Children,” and Anit-racism.
