The master’s degree in child life is designed to prepare graduates to successfully complete credentialing as child life specialists, who are allied health care professionals with expertise in helping children and their families navigate traumatic and challenging experiences, particularly health crises.

In addition to rigorous coursework, this program includes experiential learning opportunities that support students in applying and integrating child life knowledge, skills, and professional behaviors into practice—students are required to complete a 120-hour child life practicum as part of the program, directly working with children, youth, and their families in a healthcare setting. The practicum is followed by a 600-hour hospital internship, which involves a competitive application and selection process. The program supports students in preparing for and pursuing these experiential learning opportunities as part of the certification pathway. The program comprises 43 units and can be completed in 18 months, with available start times in spring and fall. Courses take place primarily in the evenings. There is also online synchronous learning for our master’s degree in child life and the Advanced Standing option.

Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Units
PCLS 501	Advanced Child Development	3
PCLS 502	Medical Terminology and Developmental Preparation	3
PCLS 511	Family Systems Theory and Applications	3
PCLS 512	Theories and Practices of Grief and Loss	3
PCLS 521	Introduction to Child Life	3
PCLS 522	Therapeutic Interventions and Play-Based Techniques	3
PCLS 523	Adaptive Coping Strategies	3
PCLS 524	Adolescent Development and Interventions	3
PCLS 525	Assessment and Documentation	3
PCLS 531	Ethics, Cultural Humility, and Professional Practice	3
PCLS 541	Prepracticum in Child Life	1
PCLS 542	Practicum in Child Life	3
PCLS 551	Research Methods and Statistical Analysis	3
PCLS 552	Capstone in Child Life	6
or PCLS 543	Internship in Child Life
Optional Electives 1
PCLS 595	Special Topics
PCLS 527	Supporting Children with Special Needs in the Healthcare System
PCLS 520	Infants and Toddlers: Development and Interventions
Total Units		43

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These courses may serve as electives for the MS in Child Life program, or be used as substitutes for required courses by students who enter the program with previous completed coursework that meets the student learning outcomes for a required course. Departmental permission is required for such a substitution.

Admission

University graduate admission and program-specific requirements must be met before an application is complete (see Admissions Information). Program-specific application requirements are available online.

International students should contact Graduate and Professional Admissions for application procedures.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this program shall be able to:

1. Disciplinary Knowledge – Demonstrates theoretical and conceptual knowledge to apply Child Life practices.
2. Critical Thinking, Scientific Inquiry, and Effective Communication – Able to examine and engage in scholarly inquiry and critical thinking, including evaluation and application of evidence based research relevant to child life practices and healthcare delivery system, as a basis to develop, implement and communicate effective interventions.
3. Values and Ethics – Apply knowledge of child life operating principles, code of ethical responsibilities, standards of practice, respect and value for diversity, and factors impacting infants, children, youth and families.
4. Application to Vocation – Develop professional identity demonstrating the ability to integrate and apply Child Life competencies learned in professional settings of practicum and internship.
5. Faith integration – Articulate the intersection of Christian traditions with the Child Life profession using a Christian worldview to integrate faith, beliefs, values, ethics, and service in personal and professional life.

Faculty

Department Chair

Charity James, PhD, CCLS

Assistant Professors

Carissa Howard, MS, CCLS

Elena Le, MS, CCLS