Field education and internships involve supervised work in a field-based ministry. All are designed to (1) integrate classroom studies with field-based ministry, (2) aid in acquiring, reinforcing, and refining ministry knowledge and skills, and (3) assist in the assessment and development of Christian character, spirituality, and ministerial call and identity.

Field education and internship experiences are guided by a field supervisor who serves as a mentor and equipper. Opportunities for Trinity students in the Chicago metropolitan area are abundant and diverse. Field education and internship courses may be taken in any semester and anywhere in the world. Students enrolled at extension sites and at the Florida Regional Center are required to meet the same field education requirements as students at the Deerfield Campus.

Field education is a program requirement in all programs and a prerequisite for internship in the MDiv program. Before beginning any field education, all students must attend or complete the field education orientation. New students (Deerfield Campus only) enrolling in their first field education or internship must attend this orientation session at the beginning of the semester while Extension or Florida Regional Center students can do so online. Field education courses require a thirteen-week commitment with a minimum of three to five hours per week; internship experiences vary, requiring a minimum of 15 hours per week for part-time internships and 30 hours per week for full-time. 

Students with extensive ministry experience (two to four years or more full time) prior to enrolling in Trinity who desire to obtain a waiver of Field Education or receive advance substitution of Internship requirements are encouraged to contact the Office of Supervised Ministries. For MDiv students, application deadlines for Fall admissions are August 1 of the following year and for Spring admissions January 1 of the following year. For MA students, application deadlines are January 1 (for Fall admissions) and August 1 (for Spring admissions).

If you have questions about Field Education and Supervised Ministries, please contact the Field Education Office.