Professional Studies, Child Life Specialist (B.P.S.)

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These guidelines for a Bachelor of Professional Studies with a concentration in Child Life Specialist are designed for persons seeking careers as child life specialists. Child life specialists are professionals who work closely with children and their families in hospitals and other settings to help them cope with the challenges of hospitalization, illness, and disability. Child life specialists provide children with age-appropriate preparation for medical procedures, pain management and coping strategies through a variety of different activities. Students must complete the application process as the field is highly selective.

This program DOES NOT lead to teacher licensure. Students interested in gaining a teaching license should contact the College of Education at 678-2728 or visit their website at: http://www.memphis.edu/tep/.

General Education (35-41 hours)

See University General Education Program for the University General Education Program requirements. Students who have completed one year of American History in high school are exempted from the six credit-hour History General Education Program requirement; otherwise, students will have to meet the History requirement.

Coordinated Study

Many upper-division (3000/4000-level) courses have prerequisites that must be met prior to being permitted to register for those courses. You are responsible for knowing and satisfying all course prerequisites. Some (not all) prerequisites are listed below. For specific information about courses and the prerequisites they may have, please view course descriptions at: Course Descriptions

Many courses also require permits from the department that teaches the course. For example, SWRK and CJUS courses will always need permits from those respective departments. College of Professional & Liberal Studies staff cannot issue permits for courses taught in other departments. ALL 3000/4000 level classes taught by the College of Business (ACCT, ECON, FIR, MGMT, MKTG) require a permit; students must request a permit online at https://fcbeacad.memphis.edu/permits/

Prior to enrolling in any upper-division Child Life Specialist Concentration Courses, students must complete the following 6 hours of general education as required by the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP):

PSYC 1030 - General Psychology** Credit Hours: (3)
SOCI 1010 - Introduction to Sociology ** Credit Hours: (3)

Child Development & Family Studies Core (21 hours)

CDFS 2100 - Intro Fld of Chld Dev & Fam St Credit Hours: (3)
CDFS 2101 - Family/Global Perspective ** Credit Hours: (3)
CDFS 3401 - Parent Child Relations Credit Hours: (3)
CDFS 4220 - Understand Chldn/Behv/Guide Credit Hours: (3)
CDFS 4223 - Home/School/Comm Engage Credit Hours: (3)
CDFS 4910 - Ethics in Early Care and Learning Credit Hours: (3)
EDPR 2111 - Development Across Lifespan Credit Hours: (3)

Declaring a concentration in Child Life Specialist

In order to pursue the Child Life Specialist concentration, students will review and sign a contract identifying the BPS requirements and the highly competitive expectations of a career in Child Life upon graduation.

Students applying for the Child Life Specialist program must have successfully completed or currently be enrolled in the courses below for consideration:

CDFS 2100 - Intro Fld of Chld Dev & Fam St Credit Hours: (3)
CDFS 2101 - Family/Global Perspective ** Credit Hours: (3)
EDPR 2111 - Development Across Lifespan Credit Hours: (3)
PSYC 1030 - General Psychology** Credit Hours: (3)
SOCI 1010 - Introduction to Sociology ** Credit Hours: (3)

Child Life Specialist Concentration (22 hours)

CDFS 2110 - Infant/Toddler Development Credit Hours: (3)
CDFS 4240 - Hospitalized Children and Their Families Credit Hours: (3)
CDFS 4260 - Child Life: Theory and Practice Credit Hours: (3)
CDFS 4300 - Play/Therapeutic Interventions Credit Hours: (4) w/Lab
CLAS 3021 - Medical Terminology Credit Hours: (3)
EDPR 3302 - Child/Adolescent Development Credit Hours: (3)
PSYC 4513 - Psychology of Grief/Loss Credit Hours: (3)

Guided Electives & Practicum (19 hours)

Group A: Family Dynamics - (3 hours)
ANTH 3511 - Culture/Kin/Family Credit Hours: (3)
SOCI 3831 - Sociology of the Family** Credit Hours: (3)
UNIV 3535 - Family Communication** Credit Hours: (3)
Group B: Diverse Interactions - (3 hours)
COUN 4621 - Human Interactions Credit Hours: (3)
SOCI 3422 - Racial/Ethnc Minorities ** Credit Hours: (3)
SPED 2000 - Foundation/Exceptional Learn Credit Hours: (3)
Group C: Early Childhood & Educational Context - (6 hours)
ART 3411 - Art for Children Credit Hours: (3)
CDFS 2110 - Infant/Toddler Development Credit Hours: (3)
CDFS 3410 - Facilitating Soc Emotion Development for Young Children Credit Hours: (3)
CDFS 3420 - Play-Based Assessment for Young Children (0-4) Credit Hours: (3)
CDFS 3430 - Child Language for Early Learning Professional Credit Hours: (3)
CDFS 4101 - Int Curr for Early Learners Credit Hours: (3)
CDFS 4230 - Math/Science Early Learning Credit Hours: (3)
ENGL 3401 - Children’s Literature Credit Hours: (3)
Group D: Research and Statistics (3 hours)
Choose one of the following:
EDPR 4541 - Fundmntl/Applied Stat Method Credit Hours: (3)
HCL 4010 - Healthcare Stats/Research ** Credit Hours: (3)
SOCI 3311 - Social Statistics ** Credit Hours: (3)
Group E: Field Experience (6-9 hours)
UNIV 2110 - Field Experience Credit Hours: (1-6) Child Life Practicum Note: It is highly recommended that you take a 1-3 hour UNIV 2110 Child Life Practicum to ensure your competitiveness for a future 600 hour unpaid internship below.
UNIV 4110 - Internship** Credit Hours: (3-6)
You must complete a 600-hour unpaid internship under direct supervision of a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS). These Clinical Internships are highly competitive and can be completed outside of the city of Memphis at appropriate facilities. http://www.childlife.org/certification/students/requirements-after-2019. Apply early to guarantee an internship location.

If you are unable to complete this specific internship in your final two semesters, please contact your advisor to discuss an alternative plan for graduation outlined by the department.

College Requirements (9 hours)

Thematic Studies (6 hours)

College of Professional & Liberal Studies thematic studies course(s) are designed to broaden a student’s knowledge of significant themes in social, political, and religious history. Review a complete list of courses: https://www.memphis.edu/cpls/resources/thematic_studies.php

Senior Project (3 hours)

The senior project is a student’s culminating experience or capstone designed to synthesize and integrate the content of a student’s program of study. The senior project is intended to fuse the two or more academic areas that comprise the student’s coordinated study (major) into an academically-relevant example of scholarship. Students will complete a thesis, task-based, or artistic project on a topic of their choice with approval of their senior project instructor. The senior project is completed during a student’s final semester. Students will be assigned to a specific section based on their concentration.

UNIV 4995 - Senior Project** Credit Hours: (3) (completed during the final semester)

General Electives (31-37 hours)

Electives will be chosen to bring the total number of hours to 120 with a minimum of 42 upper-division hours.