63 hours

Applicants are required to provide a resume/CV, transcript demonstrating achievement in their coursework, three signed recommendation letters, and a statement of purpose,. Applicants whose native language is not English are also required to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores. Note: For more information on application requirements, visit https://www.fcs.uga.edu/hdfs/graduate-apply#MSChildLife

The Child Life program combines courses in Human Development and Family Science with classes specific to issues in child life. Coursework also includes opportunities to apply theory and research in a hospital or other health care setting. Courses are sequenced to provide students with adequate preparation for the Child Life internship and the Child Life certification exam. Coursework is typically completed in six semesters across two academic years (including summers).

HDFS 4080/6080

Contemporary Topics in Child Development: Risk and Resilience

3

HDFS 4140E/6140E

Medical Terminology for Healthcare Professionals

3

HDFS 4810/6810

Hospitalized Child and the Family

3

HDFS 4820/6820

Child Life Theory and Practice

3

HDFS 4830S/6830S

Grief, Loss, and Bereavement

3

HDFS 4900/6900

Seminar in Human Development and Family Science

1-3

HDFS 4910/6910

Early and Middle Childhood Development

3

HDFS 5130/7130

Therapeutic Benefits of Play

3

HDFS 6100

Theories of Human Development

3

HDFS 6640

Issues in Family Relationships

3

HDFS 6800

Masters-Level Research Methods in Human Development and Family Science

3

HDFS 7170

Introduction to Applied Statistics in Human Development and Family Science

3

HDFS 7210  (6 hours)

Practicum in Child Life

3-12

HDFS 7930  (12 hours)

Hospital Internship in Child Life

1-12

Note: Only graduate-level courses will satisfy the program requirements.

Choose 1 course(s) from the following:

HDFS 4890S/6890S

More than a Four-Legged Friend: The Benefits of Animal-Assisted Interventions

3

Elective course

Choose a minimum of 6 credit hour(s) from the following:

HDFS 7020

Non-Thesis Clinical Project in Child Life

1-9

HDFS 7300

Master's Thesis

1-9

GRSC 7001

GradFIRST: First-year Research and Scholarship Training Seminar

1

HDFS 8910  (4 hours)

Current Research and Issues in Human Development and Family Science

1-2

Select additional courses, as needed, in consultation with an advisor to meet the minimum number of required credit hours for this program.

Graduates of this program have obtained positions within various hospitals, pediatric hospice settings, and other child or family support organizations. Positions held by some of the previous graduates include: Child life specialist, Community-physician liaison, National outreach coordinator for local hospitals, Extension agent, Program coordinator of Children’s Miracle Network, Hospice specialist,Director of marketing, Public relations at the Georgia Transplant Foundation, Head Start/Early Head Start home-based program supervisor. This program provides coursework and practicum experiences to meet the Association for Child Life Professionals (ACLP) requirements for becoming a certified Child Life Specialist. Upon completion of coursework and the Child Life internship, graduates will be qualified to sit for the Child Life certification exam. For more information on becoming a Child Life Specialist, visit https://www.childlife.org/home

Information on scholarships available in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences can be found at https://www.fcs.uga.edu/ssac/scholarship-list

After coursework is completed, a Child Life internship is a requirement of the program. An internship allows students to work with Certified Child Life Specialists in health care settings and participate in: Preparation for procedures Developmental assessments Support groups Procedural support Normalization activities Bereavement activities Documentation Students will have an opportunity to work directly with patients and learn how theory is applied to their work. The internship experience provides hands-on clinical training and the ability to develop professionalism and knowledge of Child Life practice. Students will apply and interview at hospitals of their choice. Once an internship offer is made and accepted, formal paperwork is completed between UGA and the specific hospital. Our students typically apply to and interview at many different hospitals to secure an internship.

Graduate Student Organization (GSO) is the primary group that organizes and represents graduate students in the Department of Human Development and Family Science More information at: www.fcs.uga.edu/hdfs/graduate-student-organization

Other graduate programs in the department of Human Development and Family Science, include: Couple and Family Therapy (M.S.) Human Development and Family Science (M.S.) Human Development and Family Science (Ph.D.) Human Development and Family Science (Ph.D.), Area of Emphasis in Couple and Family Therapy Graduate Certificate in Quantitative Methods in Family and Social Sciences