Child Life Concentration
The child life concentration is designed for students interested in pursuing certification as a Child Life Specialist through the Association for Child Life Professionals in order to pursue certification. Students in the Child Life concentration are encouraged to check with the Child and Family Studies division director related to non-academic requirement for becoming a certified Child Life Specialist.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | ||
| Minimum Requirement | (124) | |
| Residence Requirement | (60) | |
| Grade point average – minimum of 2.75 (“B-”) overall. | ||
| Basic Requirements | ||
| Chapel | ||
| Complete two semesters of Chapel | 0 | |
| ENG 2310 | American Literary Cultures | 3 |
| HIS 1300 | The United States in Global Perspective | 3 |
| PSC 1387 | The U.S. Constitution, Its Interpretation, and the American Political Experience | 3 |
| Religion | ||
| REL 1310 | The Christian Scriptures | 3 |
| REL 1350 | The Christian Heritage | 3 |
| Communication and Media Literacy | ||
| CFS 3354 | Family Life Education and Ethics | 3 |
| Contemporary and Social Issues | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| The Family: A Global Perspective | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
| Psychological Science: Understanding Human Behavior | ||
| Christian Ethics | ||
| Introduction to Global Health | ||
| Fine Arts and Performing Arts | ||
| HSD 1231 | Design and Creative Technologies | 2 |
| Foreign Languages & Cultures | ||
| Select 6-8 hours from the Foreign Language and Cultures Distribution List | 6-8 | |
| Formal Reasoning | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Ideas in Mathematics | ||
| Logic | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| Research, Writing & Literature | ||
| ENG 1310 | Writing and Academic Inquiry Seminars | 3 |
| PWR 3300 | Technical Writing | 3 |
| Scientific Method I | ||
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
| Modern Concepts of Bioscience and Modern Concepts of Bioscience Laboratory | ||
| Modern Concepts of Bioscience, continued and Modern Concepts of Bioscience Laboratory | ||
| Current Issues in Human Biology | ||
| Introduction to Neuroscience and Introduction to Neuroscience Laboratory | ||
| Introductory Chemistry and Introductory Chemistry Laboratory | ||
| Basic Principles of Modern Chemistry I and General Chemistry Laboratory I | ||
| Scientific Method II | ||
| NUTR 2351 | Nutrition | 3 |
| or NUTR 3314 | Consumer Nutrition | |
| Lifetime Fitness | ||
| Select three semester hours | 3 | |
| Major | ||
| Child and Family Studies Courses: Child Life Concentration | ||
| CFS 1315 | Development of Individual and Family Relationships | 3 |
| CFS 2355 | Child Development | 3 |
| CFS 2357 | Adult Development | 3 |
| CFS 3304 | Introduction to Research | 3 |
| CFS 3350 | Individual and Family Financial Management | 3 |
| CFS 3356 | Theories of Family Development | 3 |
| CFS 3357 | The Preschool Child | 3 |
| CFS 3358 | Infant and Toddler Development | 3 |
| CFS 3362 | Child Life Theory and Practice | 3 |
| CFS 4191 | Professional Practices in Child and Family Studies | 1 |
| CFS 4358 | Planning and Administration of Child and Family Programs | 3 |
| CFS 4359 | Parenting Theory and Approaches | 3 |
| CFS 4363 | Adolescent Development | 3 |
| CFS 4390 | Child and Family Studies Practicum 1 | 3 |
| Required Courses in Other Fields | ||
| Select 12 semester hours from the following: | 12 | |
| Medical Terminology | ||
| Stress Management/Mental-Emotional Health | ||
| Maternal and Infant Health | ||
or PUBH 4321 | Human Sexuality | |
| Dying and Death Education | ||
or SWO 4316 | Trauma, Loss, and Mourning | |
| Professional Electives | ||
| Select one of the following options: | 15 | |
| Option 1 | ||
Completed minor in a supporting area, such as Communication Sciences & Disorders, Educational Psychology, International Studies, Leadership Studies, Medical Humanities, Nutrition Sciences, Poverty Studies and Social Justice, Religion, and Women’s and Gender Studies. No more than one course in the minor can count for any other area in the major or degree requirements. See individual minors for course and grade requirements. General electives hours may be required to complete some minors. | ||
| Option 2 | ||
Select 15 hours in addition to any courses selected in (B) above from the following: | ||
Any additional CFS 3000 or 4000 course | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology of Motion and Innervation | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology of Metabolism and Processing | ||
| Conflict and Communication | ||
| Communication and the Family | ||
| Developmental Disabilities | ||
| Children's Literature | ||
| Young People's Literature | ||
| Human Sexuality | ||
| Dying and Death Education | ||
| Cross-Cultural Ministry | ||
| Christian Ethics | ||
| Bioethics | ||
| The Sociology of Race and Ethnicity | ||
| Introduction to the Economics of Poverty and Discrimination | ||
| Juvenile Delinquency | ||
| Sociology of Medicine | ||
| Trauma, Loss, and Mourning | ||
| Option 3 2 | ||
| The Family: A Global Perspective | ||
| Family Transitions, Stress, and Resilience | ||
| Child and Family Policy and Advocacy | ||
or SWO 4322 | Social Policy for Social Work Practice | |
| Human Sexuality | ||
| Three additional hours of upper-level elective from Option 2 | ||
| HSD Core 3 | ||
| HSD 1104 | New Student Seminar in Human Sciences and Design | 1 |
| Electives | ||
| Dependent on the foreign languages and professional electives option selected. 4 | 8-10 | |
| A grade of “C” or better in Human Sciences and Design Courses (ADM, CFS, HSD, ID, or NUTR), required courses in other fields (section B above), and all professional electives used for the major. | ||
| An approved, on-site internship is required following the completion of prerequisite courses. 1 | ||
| Students will need 50 – 100 volunteer hours of clinical experience, a Child Life practicum, a Child Life Internship, and a passing grade on the Child Life Certification exam to become a Child Life Specialist. | ||
| Total Hours | 124-128 | |
- 1
The required, for-credit course, CFS 4390 Child and Family Studies Practicum (listed above), provides credit for the internship experience.
- 2
If this option is selected, CFS 4356 The Family: A Global Perspective cannot count as the Contemporary Social Issues course for basic studies.
- 3
HSD 1231 Design and Creative Technologies, NUTR 2351 Nutrition/NUTR 3314 Consumer Nutrition are included in basic studies courses above.
- 4
Students may complete CFS 4695 Internship in Child Life to satisfy some of these hours.