Pathway to Child Life
Child Life is the intersection of child development and health.
Child Life Specialists work in healthcare settings with children and their families to help navigate and cope with hospitalizations, illness, and disability.
Child Life Specialists are certified through the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP). The College of Education, Health, and Human Services provides academic preparation for students interested in pursuing this external certification. The ACLP requires that students earn and undergraduate degree in any field from an accredited institution and that course work includes 10 specific classes (outlined below).
The College of Education, Health, and Human Services recommends that students interested in pursuing Child Life Specialist certification major in either the B.S. in Health and Human Services with Human Services concentration or the B.A. in Children and Families. These two majors have the most overlap with the 10 required courses.
Course Requirements
| ACLP Requirements | Course # | Course title | Cr. | DDC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child Life Course Taught by CLS | HHS 425 | Working w/Children in HC Settings | 3 | |
| Child Development Course | EDC 240 & 241 | Psych of Child Development: Birth-18yrs w/Practicum | 4 | GESB |
| Child Development Course | EDC 440 | The Developing Child: Birth to Three | 3 | |
| Family Systems Course | SOC 445 | The Family | 3 | GESB |
| Play Course | HHS 305 | Intro to Therapeutic Play | ||
| Loss/Bereavement or Death/Dying Course | HHS 325 | Death, Dying, & Bereavement | 3 | |
| Research Course | HHS 410 | Quantitative Research & Statistics | 4 |
Choose 3 Additional Courses:
| Course # | Course title | Cr. | DDC |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL 103 | Anatomy & Physiology I | 4 | |
| BIOL 105 | Anatomy & Physiology II | 4 | |
| EDC 414 | Early Childhood Special Needs | 3 | |
| EDC 439 | Child Maltreatment & Trauma | 3 | GEIN |
| EDC 446 | Cognitive/Memory Development in Children | 3 | |
| EDC 460 | Educating the Exceptional Child | 3 | GEIN |
| HHS 312 | Family Preservation & Recovery | 3 | |
| HHS 380 | Religion, Medicine, and Health | 3 | |
| PSYC 455 | Health Psychology | 3 |
Taking Courses as a Non-Degree Student
Are you attending another university/institution and would like to take classes at UM-Dearborn?
Please use the Guest Application.
Have you completed a degree at another university and interested in taking these specific courses?
Please use the Personal Enrichment Application.
If you have any questions regarding admission, please contact our Admissions Office.
Contact Information
CEHHS Office for Student Success
262 Fairlane Center South (FCS)
cehhs-oss@umich.edu
313-593-5090