Child Life Specialist Certificate
The Child Life Certificate includes the coursework required by the Association of Child Life Professionals for eligibility to complete official child life internships and take the Child Life Professional Certification Exam.
Completing the Child Life Certificate does not constitute certification by the Association of Child Life Professionals.
Certified Child Life Specialists often work in pediatric hospitals but may also work in other spaces (e.g., courtrooms, funeral homes or bereavement services) where children may experience trauma. The field of Child Life is evidence-based, providing interventions (e.g., therapeutic play, education, self-care, stress reduction, distraction, etc) with children and families that are developmentally appropriate. As members of a child’s care team, Child Life Specialists serve an important role in improving the illness-related experiences of both patients and their families.
Students may not declare the Child Life Specialist Certificate and either the Child Studies and Youth Development or Family Relationships minor.
Students must complete an application in order to be admitted to the certificate. The application is available at: https://miamioh.edu/ehs/academics/departments/fsw/academics/majors/family-science/child-life/undergraduate/index.html
Program Requirements
(33-35 credit hours)
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required courses: | ||
| FSW 245 | Children and Families: Ages Conception - 12 | 3 |
| FSW 261 | Diverse Family Systems Across the Life Cycle | 3 |
| FSW 295 | Research and Evaluation Methods | 3 |
| FSW 318 | Child Life Theory and Practice | 3 |
| FSW 435 | Death Studies | 3 |
| FSW 445 | Therapeutic Play for Child Life Specialists | 3 |
| FSW 481 | Adolescent Development in Diverse Families: Ages 13-25 | 3 |
| FSW 340 | Internship | 3 |
| Choose 3 of the following: | 9-11 | |
| Perspectives on Child Maltreatment and Child Advocacy | ||
| Global Child Advocacy Issues | ||
| Culturally-Informed Practice | ||
| Interpersonal Violence | ||
| Child Abuse & Neglect: Assessment & Child Safety | ||
| Family Theories | ||
| Principles of Human Physiology | ||
| Medical Terminology for Health Professionals | ||
| Issues of Health & Wellness for the Young Child | ||
| Public Health Disparities Past and Current | ||
| Medical Ethics | ||
| Introduction to Psychology | ||
| Abnormal Psychology | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 33-35 | |