Child life track
Online applied child and adolescent development MA
Child Life Specialists are trained professionals who help children cope with the stress and uncertainty of illness, injury, disability, and hospitalization. Drawing on child development theory, Child Life Specialists promote coping through play and therapeutic activities, and provide developmentally-appropriate preparation and education for children in health care settings. Child Life Specialists partner with medical teams to meet the cultural, emotional, and developmental needs of each child and family. The Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) establishes and maintains professional standards for the child life field. We developed our program to be in line with ACLP’s best practice recommendations.
2025 application update
We are not currently accepting applications to the Child Life program for the 2025-2026 academic year. Applications will reopen in September 2025 for the 2026-2027 academic year.
Find what drives you - join us!
Gain a strong education in child development, applied research methods, and child life practice.
Participate in a graduate program endorsed by the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP).
Prepare to work as a child life specialist in a variety of health care settings.
Already a practicing child life specialist? Pursue a flexible, individualized program option.
We're driven to make a difference
Quote from Cala Hefferan
Pursuing this program has equipped me with the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to the broader field of child life, along with communication skills and strategies to support patients and families through traumatic and stressful experiences in a variety of settings.
About this program
Core coursework
Take foundational courses in child and adolescent development:
- CPSY 5301: Advanced Developmental Psychology
- CPSY 5302: Cognitive and Biological Development
- CPSY 5303: Social and Emotional Development
- CPSY 5304: Research Methods in Applied Child and Adolescent Development
- CPSY 5306: Ethics and Professionalism in Applied Child and Adolescent Development
Practicing child life specialists
If you’re already a Certified Child Life Specialist, you won’t be required to complete an internship. You’ll work with an adviser to develop an individual academic focus and capstone project in a specialized area of child life, such as leadership, program development, or palliative care.
Careers
With your degree in applied child and adolescent development with a concentration in child life, you’ll be prepared to pursue a career as a Certified Child Life Specialist. If you’re already a practicing child life specialist, you’ll get the training you need to take the next step in your career.
The ACLP maintains professional standards for child life specialists. Visit ACLP's child life profession page to learn more about the field.
Track coursework
In addition to the program’s core courses, you'll take:
- CPSY 5601: Child Life Theory, Practice and Program Development
- CPSY 5602: Developmental Perspectives on Illness and Injury in Healthcare
- CPSY 5603: Therapeutic Play in Child Life Practice
- CPSY 5604: Therapeutic Relationships: Supporting Children in Healthcare
- CPSY 5605: Childhood Death and Bereavement
Child life internship
To graduate, you must complete a 600-hour clinical internship within two years of finishing coursework. The internship is integrated into our program as academic coursework (CPSY 5996), so you'll continue to receive support from our academic and student services team as you fulfill the internship requirements.
- Students living in the Twin Cities may qualify for a clinical internship position at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital, a partner of the Institute of Child Development M.A. program.
- Students studying outside of the Twin Cities metropolitan area will work with our child life coordinator to identify and apply for internships that are accessible to them.
Salary outlook
A Certified Child Life Specialist's salary may vary based on region, medical environment, and number of years as a child life specialist. There is often a pay raise that comes with having a master's degree.
Salary information: Association of Child Life Professionals 2020 Salary Survey
Questions?
Email our admissions staff at icdapply@umn.edu.
Are you interested in taking a graduate course but aren't a student at the University of Minnesota? Visit OneStop Student Services to learn more about how to register.