Master of Science in Child Life Studies

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The master of science degree in child life studies is designed to prepare candidates for a career as a child life specialist, helping children and their families cope with, and integrate, challenging and traumatic health and life events. The degree is designed for:

A person with an appropriate baccalaureate degree who is interested in pursuing a master’s degree and certification as a child life specialist.
An experienced child life specialist interested in pursuing graduate work in child life studies.

Requirements:

Candidates for the master of science degree in child life studies must meet the following requirements:

Satisfactory completion of 33 semester hours of credit (as outlined below) while maintaining a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale;
Successful completion of a minimum of 450 hours (until 2022; 600 hours after 2022) of a child life clinical internship or fellowship under the direct supervision of a certified child life specialist in a hospital setting, and in accordance with the policies and procedures of the master of science degree in child life studies program in the School of Education.

Required Courses

Thirty-three semester hours, comprised of:

Additional Requirements

Preparatory Coursework

NSC 137 - Basic Human Biology and BIOL 120 - Medical Terminology (or equivalent coursework from another institution) should be completed prior to starting the program.

Child Life Testing System Requirements

Candidates seeking certification in child life must pass the Child Life Professional Certification Exam. The candidate must establish academic and clinical experience eligibility before taking the examination. The candidate will initiate the Eligibility Assessment Service from the Child Life Council, which entails the submission of transcripts, verification of the successful completion of clinical practice, and a fee. The Child Life Council reviews the materials and makes an eligibility determination. Once eligibility is granted, the candidate can register for the Child Life Professional Certification Exam. Those who achieve a passing score on the exam become certified child life specialists for a 5-year period. The certification is renewable at the end of each certification period.