Child Life Specialist Certificate

Certificate Requirements

• To become a Certified Child Life Specialist, you must obtain certification from the national organization, the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP).  

Academic Requirements

• The University of Utah and Weber State University are the only schools in Utah that offer all the required courses. While USU offers some of the courses, you will need to take others at another institution.

• 10 college courses in the following content areas:
• • 1 Child life course taught by a Certified Child Life Specialist (Not available at USU)
  • 2 child development courses:
    • HDFS 3500 - Infancy and Childhood, and
    • HDFS 3570 - Youth and Adolescence
  • 1 Family systems course:
    • HDFS 2400 - Couple and Family Relationships (BSS)
    • HDFS 2660 - Parenting and Child Guidance
    • HDFS 4220 - Family Crisis Intervention
  • 1 Play course (Not available at USU)
  • 1 Loss/bereavement or death/dying course (Not available at USU)
  • 1 Research course:
    • HDFS 3130 - Research Methods (QI)
  • 3 additional courses in related areas (examples below)
    
    • Anatomy/Physiology (BIOL 2320/2420)
    • Ethics (PHIL 2400)
    • Medical Terminology (NDFS 1600)
    • Developmental Psychology (PSY 2100)
    • Health Psychology (PSY 3110), etc

Pre-Internship(practicum)*    

• As part of the certification, you are required to complete a 600-hour clinical internship. *Many hospitals are now requiring the completion of a Child Life practicum before you are eligible to apply for an internship. The universities do not provide practicum or internship placement assistance, so be sure to research practicums and internships as part of your exploring of the certificate.
  

Clinical Internship

• As a requirement to sit for the Child Life Certification Exam, students must complete a (minimum) 600 hour clinical internship in child life under the direct supervision of a Certified Child Life Specialist. Most internships are unpaid; however, there are a few child life programs that do offer paid internships.

FAQs

Are practicums required for the clinical internship application?

• ACLP recognizes that practicums have become a barrier within the pathway to the child life profession. None of the pre-internship experiences are required by the Child Life Certification Commission, and ACLP does not endorse practicums or other pre-internship programs.

How do I secure a clinical internship?

• Individuals must apply to specific internship programs to secure an internship. Internships are competitive and applicants are not always offered placements the first time they apply.
  
  It is common for applicants to apply for more than one application cycle before receiving an offer. Asking for feedback, incorporating that feedback, and applying again are all typical parts of the professional development of future child life specialists.