Child Life M.S.

Program Chairperson: Leslie Anne Young

This program prepares individuals for careers working with children, from birth through adolescence, who are hospitalized or placed in medical facilities because of illness, injury, or disabling handicaps. While working with other health care professionals charged with childrenŐs care, the child life specialist helps children minimize anxiety, maintain relationships with their families, and retain their independence and self-esteem. The child life specialist is a clinical educator who provides interventions to help patients and families understand and cope with hospitalization.

Total Program: 36 semester hours

Core Courses: 24 semester hours
EDUC 530 Child Life Administration and Program Development (3)
EDUC 530H Effects of Disease and Injury on the Hospitalized Child, Part A (3)
EDUC 530I Effects of Disease and Injury on the Hospitalized Child, Part B (3)
EDUC 530M Helping Children Cope in the Health Care and Medical Setting (3)
EDUC 530S Developmental Process of Grieving (3)
EDUC 530T Pediatric Educational and Therapeutic Interventions (3)
EDUC 553F Child Life Internship I (3)
EDUC 553P Child Life Internship II (3)

Electives: 6 semester hours of courses selected
on the advice of the program chairperson.
EDUC 503 Educational Psychology (3)
EDUC 530A Parenting the Medically Fragile Child (3)
EDUC 530C Technology for Child Life Educators (3)
EDUC 550 Human Development (3)
EDUC 551 Studies in Attachment (3)
EDUC 558 Cognition and Brain Development (3)
EDUC 559 Developmental Curriculum (3)
SPED 457 Introduction to Exceptional
Individuals and Their Families (3)

Culminating Activity: 6 semester hours
EDUC 504 Methods of Research (3)
EDUC 596 Graduate Seminar (3)