The Master of Science in Child Life equips graduates to make a difference in the lives of medically fragile and hospitalized children. A Certified Child Life Specialist, part of the medical team, strives to educate and help children and their families cope with health care issues, thereby minimizing potential stress and anxiety.
Working with other healthcare professionals, the Child Life Specialist helps children and adolescents minimize anxiety, maintain relationships with their families, and retain their independence and self- esteem. The Child Life Specialist is a clinical educator who provides developmental interventions to help patients and families understand and cope with traumatic experiences, always respecting and honoring diversity and the family system. The Master’s in Child Life program welcomes diverse students from local, national, and international locations. The program is certificated by the Association of Child Life Professionals, and all courses are taught by a Certified Child Life Specialist.
Careers in Child Life
Certified Child Life Specialists help infants, children, adolescents, and their families cope with the stress and uncertainty of acute and chronic illness, injury, trauma, disability, loss, and bereavement. They provide evidence-based interventions catered to each patient’s unique age and situation. Interventions include therapeutic play, preparation for medical procedures, and education and counseling with the aim of reducing fear, anxiety, and pain.
September 2025
University of La Verne
1950 Third Street,
LA VERNE,
California,
91750, United States
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.