CHILD LIFE at the UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH

About Child Life The Child Life Council (CLC) is a professional organization of child life specialists and others involved in the child life field. CLC has established a web site which includes: the Child-Life Position Statement, membership information, requirements for certification, available publications, and information on joining a child life listserve. This site provides current, accurate information and can support your exploration of child life as a career. To clarify your interest in child life consider a volunteer experience in a pediatric health care setting, in a child life department if possible. Experience in work with typical as well as special needs/ at risk children in non-medical environments is also useful in preparing for a career in Child Life. Child life can be a rewarding career. Job opportunities are, however, limited and often competitive. Relocation may be necessary for employment in the field.

Faculty and Advising The faculty of the Program in CD/CC offer diverse backgrounds and a broad array of both academic and practice interests. All program faculty have current information about child life practice and education and are prepared to support class work and projects appropriate to preparation for child life work. Examples of such projects are: - Pain Begets Pain - it's OK to Say Ouch (a program for pediatric pain management), - Children Coping with the Death of Parent, Children with Chronic Heart Disease: A Case Study of Risk and Resilience - Meeting the Emotional Needs of Children in the Pre-Hospital Setting ( (an educational program for EMT's), - A Parent Dies: Psychosocial Care for School Age Trauma Patients -Living with Crohn's Disease (a book for children and a book for parents) In addition, the program also provides a child life advisor . Each student develops a plan of studies which coordinates previous academic work, requirements of the curriculum, preparation for child life certification, and consideration of related career opportunities.

Program Strengths The University of Pittsburgh provides a particularly rich environment for studies related to children, youth and families. Over 500 faculty whose interests include child and youth development, education, social work, psychology, creative arts, medicine, nursing, and law focus their teaching and research/creative interests on topics related to children, youth, and families. In this diverse environment the student may participate in course work and academic enrichment from many perspectives both to prepare for child life work and to cultivate individual interests. In the context of this rich university setting, the child life focus at both the undergraduate and graduate levels is embedded in a strong applied developmental curriculum, with an emphasis on qualitative research methods and an integration of theory, research, and practice in a broad array of settings. This provides a solid foundation for child life practice and expands career choices.

The Master of Science The graduate student with a specialization in child life completes the 36 cr. M.S. curriculum. One of the planned elective courses will be CHLDDV 2032 Psycho-social Aspects of Pediatric Illness. A child life focused unit is included in CHLDDV 2019Counseling Skills. The remaining planned elective credits can focus on child life related content selected from a broad array of courses such as : death and dying, anatomy and physiology, assessment of young children with disabilities, medical and physical aspects of disabilities, resources for children (children's literature), family violence, emotional disorders in children, supervision/ administration in programs for children and youth, adolescent development, theory and meaning of play, play therapy, advanced counseling skills, working with families. Additional Graduate Program Strengths - Specialized advising designed to integrated previous academic work, preparation for child life, preparation for child life certification, and - Faculty prepared to support child life related course work and projects across the curriculum - Support for internship arrangements - Association with students, faculty and alumnae/i with a broad array of applied interests.

The Bachelor of Science The undergraduate student focusing on child life begins study at the junior level and completes the B.S. curriculum. An additional required course is CHLDDV 1032 Psychosocial Aspects of Pediatric Illness. The remaining elective credits are planned to support preparation for child life certification. Courses of interest include: anatomy, physiology, death and dying, human sexuality, health psychology, drugs and behavior. Advanced undergraduate students may take up to 6 graduate credits as part of the undergraduate degree. Additional Undergraduate Program Strengths - Advising supportive of preparation for child life and expanded career options - Faculty prepared to support child life related course work projects across the curriculum - Curriculum which supports the further clarification of career goals - Emphasis on study of children and youth within the contexts of the family , community and the cultures - Curriculum which includes family dynamics, cultural distinction, psychopathology, curriculum planning and activities, practice skills and an introduction to management. - Association with faculty, students, and alumnae/i with a broad array of interests

Child Life Internships An internship which meets the requirements of the Child Life Certifying Committee is required for certification. The required child-life internship may be completed as part of the curriculum or after degree completion. Students, in consultation with the program's specialized child life advisor, are responsible for arranging an appropriate internship. Students may apply to the child life internship program at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh (CHP). Internships at CHP are limited; interns are selected from a competitive national pool. Students may also seek internships at other sites. A list of child life internship sites can be found in the Directory of Child Life Programs, a publication of the Child Life Council. Acceptance to an internship program is controlled by the institution sponsoring the internship. At this time, requirements for child life internships vary. The student needs to review these requirements carefully and in advance of application. The coordination of internship requirements with other curricular requirements also requires careful planning with the support of the program's child life advisor. The Program in Child Development and Child Care will assist the student in internship arrangement in so far as possible.

Internships (non-Child Life) and Volunteer experiences The Program can facilitate both internships and volunteer experiences in a broad array of field sites which include typical and/or special needs/ at risk children and youth, family work, and experience related to the health care environment.

Admissions Information Contact the Program secretary E-mail: narr+@pitt.edu Phone: (412) 624-2909 FAX: (412) 624-6361