Child Life Certificate
Overview
The requirements of the undergraduate certificate in Child Life are consistent with requirements stipulated by the Association of Child Life Professionals to establish eligibility for the Child Life Professional Certification Exam.
Students who complete the undergraduate certificate complete all required courses and a pre-internship experience in a relevant community setting, but do not receive any clinical training at Golisano Children's Hospital at UK. After completing the undergraduate certificate, students need to secure and complete a Child Life internship in order to become a Child Life Specialist. Due to the highly competitive nature of these internships and typically needing to be enrolled in a university while interning, most students complete this requirement as part of a Master's program.
The Accelerated Master's Pathways B.S./M.S. Child Life Specialty emphasis program in the Department of Family Sciences is a rigorous option that includes the internship on-campus.
Child life professionals strive to reduce the negative impact of stressful or traumatic life events and situations that affect the development, health, and well-being of infants, children, youth, and families. They often find employment in hospitals – especially children's hospitals.