Student to Certification in 5 Steps

Step 1

Prerequisites for admission to the Child Life Certificate program (9 credit hours):

• HDF 252: Introduction to Relationships, Marriages & Families
  • OR HDF 352: Issues in Family Sciences
• HDF 357: Adolescent Development
• HDF 390: Research Methods in Family Sciences

Note: Each prerequisite must be completed with a B grade or better.

Step 2

Apply for admission to the Child Life Certificate.

Step 3

Curriculum requirements for the Child Life Certificate (22 credit hours): 

• IEC 255: Child Development
• HDF 301: Supporting Hospitalized Children
• HDF 302: Learning & Healing through Play
• PHI 380: Death, Dying & Quality of Life
• HDF 500: Child Life Practicum (or FAM 499 with Emily Bollinger as the instructor)

Also, complete at least two (6 credit hours) of the following courses:

• HDF 254: Life Span Human Development
• HDF 354: Contemporary Family Diversity
• HDF 360: Introduction to Family Intervention
• HDF 473: Family Life Education
• HDF 502: Families & Children Under Stress

Note: All certificate courses must be completed with a B grade or better.

Step 4

Complete a child life internship after graduation from UK with the Child Life Undergraduate Certificate. Many apply for child life internships using the Association of Child Life Professionals' Internship Readiness Common Application.

Step 5

Become certified as a Child Life Specialist by meeting the requirements and following the steps described by the Association of Child Life Professionals.

Note: UK's Child Life Certificate provides the academic requirements and practicum experience needed for certification. However, after completing this undergraduate certificate program and graduating from UK, an internship must be completed (Step 4 above) and a certification exam must be passed to become certified by the Association of Child Life Professionals as a Child Life Specialist.