Please note that acceptance into this concentration is on a competitive, space-available basis. See below for more detailed information.
The child life curriculum consists of a comprehensive foundation of courses related to the growth and development of the healthy child as well as the hospitalized child. Students participate in many laboratory and practicum experiences with children. These experiences, along with theoretical information, provide a foundation necessary for working with hospitalized children and their families. This curriculum leads to child life certification by qualifying students to sit for the Child Life Professional Certification Examination upon graduation.
Students must make application to the Child Life Program usually during the second semester of their junior year. Acceptance and retention into the program is determined by: (1) satisfactory recommendation of HDFS faculty committee, (2) an overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.5 and a GPA of 2.5 in the major core courses, and (3) satisfactory completion of required courses (see UA Undergraduate Catalog). Please note that intern placements are competitive and are determined by the hospitals. Students who have below a B average will have limited options for hospital placements. Application for the internship (HD 496) also should be made during the first semester of the junior year. Additional volunteer hours in the pediatric unit of a hospital under the supervision of a Certified Child Life Specialist are needed to be competitive in the internship application process.
I. UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE, AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY STUDIES CORE REQUIREMENTS (See appropriate catalog)
II. REQUIRED COURSES FOR THE HDFS MAJOR WITH A CONCENTRATION IN CHILD LIFE
III. RECOMMENDED ELECTIVES TO ENHANCE THE CONCENTRATION IN CHILD LIFE (see catalog for prerequisites)
Students must make application to the Child Life Program usually during the second semester of their junior year. Acceptance and retention into the program is determined by: (1) satisfactory recommendation of HDFS faculty committee, (2) an overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.5 and a GPA of 2.5 in the major core courses, and (3) satisfactory completion of required courses (see UA Undergraduate Catalog). Please note that intern placements are competitive and are determined by the hospitals. Students who have below a B average will have limited options for hospital placements. Application for the internship (HD 496) also should be made during the first semester of the junior year. Additional volunteer hours in the pediatric unit of a hospital under the supervision of a Certified Child Life Specialist are needed to be competitive in the internship application process.
I. UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE, AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY STUDIES CORE REQUIREMENTS (See appropriate catalog)
- University Core
- HES Core (HES 310)
II. REQUIRED COURSES FOR THE HDFS MAJOR WITH A CONCENTRATION IN CHILD LIFE
- HD 202 Child Development: Infancy and Toddlerhood
- HD 203 Medical Terminology
- HD 205 Child Development: Preschool
- HD 302 Child Development: Adolescence
- HD 321 Conceptual and Creative Experiences for Young Children – I
- HD 322 Conceptual and Creative Experiences for Young Children – II
- HD 382 Parent and Family Development
- HD 422 Administering Children′s Centers and Programs (W)
- HD 426 Hospitalized Children and Youth
- HD 451 Loss and Bereavement
- HD 472 Program Evaluation
- HD 496 Human Development and Family Studies (Child Life) Internship
- BSC 114/115 Principles of Biology (N) or BSC 109
- BSC 215 Human Biology
- BSC 216 Human Biology
- PHL 223 Medical Ethics
III. RECOMMENDED ELECTIVES TO ENHANCE THE CONCENTRATION IN CHILD LIFE (see catalog for prerequisites)
- HD 226 Introduction to Child Life
- HD 401 Cultural Influences on Children, Youth, and Families (W)
- HD 480 Children and Divorce
- HD 426 Interpersonal Relationships
- ATR 272 First Aid, Safety, and CPR
- HHE 440 Understanding Stress Management
- SPE 493 Introduction to Severe Disabilities
- PY 207 Psychology of Adjustment
- PY 358 Abnormal Psychology
- NHM 101 Introduction to Human Nutrition
- SPE 300 Accommodation Strategies in Special Education
- BER 345 Educational Statistics
- PY 211 Elementary Statistical Methods
Process of Applying to UA′s Child Life Program
Application to the Child Life Concentration should be submitted once students have completed 60 overall credit hours and at least 12 hours of HD major courses. Students must be formally accepted into the program before they can take HD 426 Hospitalized Children and Youth and before they can be scheduled for an internship. Internships require formal application to the desired hospital or health care setting, and they typically need to be arranged one semester ahead of time.
Admission and retention in the Child Life Concentration is based upon (a) satisfactory recommendation by HDFS faculty committee, (b) overall GPA of 2.5 and 2.5 GPA in the major, and (c) satisfactory completion of required courses (see UA Undergraduate Catalog). It is the student’s responsibility to make application for admission to the concentration and to provide the faculty committee with information that will help them to make a favorable recommendation on your behalf.
Applications will be reviewed once a semester. In the fall, the applications will be due the first Wednesday of October. In the spring semester, the applications will be due the first Wednesday of February. In the summer, the applications will be due the third Wednesday of May. Students will receive information regarding the committee’s decision on their application the month following each application deadline.
In addition to academic achievement and courses completed, the faculty committee will judge applications on the basis of “Standards for Academic and Clinical Preparation for Programs in Child Life” published by the Association of Child Life Professionals, which is the governing board for the profession. These standards include:
In addition to the completed application form, the following are required:
Please provide any other information that you think would be useful to the committee in evaluating you on the above–listed standards. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Sherwood Burns-Nader at sburns@ches.ua.edu.
Admission and retention in the Child Life Concentration is based upon (a) satisfactory recommendation by HDFS faculty committee, (b) overall GPA of 2.5 and 2.5 GPA in the major, and (c) satisfactory completion of required courses (see UA Undergraduate Catalog). It is the student’s responsibility to make application for admission to the concentration and to provide the faculty committee with information that will help them to make a favorable recommendation on your behalf.
Applications will be reviewed once a semester. In the fall, the applications will be due the first Wednesday of October. In the spring semester, the applications will be due the first Wednesday of February. In the summer, the applications will be due the third Wednesday of May. Students will receive information regarding the committee’s decision on their application the month following each application deadline.
In addition to academic achievement and courses completed, the faculty committee will judge applications on the basis of “Standards for Academic and Clinical Preparation for Programs in Child Life” published by the Association of Child Life Professionals, which is the governing board for the profession. These standards include:
- strong personal qualities appropriate for relating to children, families, peers, supervisors, and others
- good to excellent evaluations in practicum experiences
- facility in writing and speaking
- skills in observation and documentation
- team communication and relationship skills
In addition to the completed application form, the following are required:
- a typed one-page statement of purpose regarding your interest in child life
- two to three letters of recommendation
- a curriculum vitae or resume
- a transcript of undergraduate work
- selected examples of writing assignments
- documentation of volunteer and/or practicum hours
Please provide any other information that you think would be useful to the committee in evaluating you on the above–listed standards. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Sherwood Burns-Nader at sburns@ches.ua.edu.