Arizona Christian University

Phoenix, AZ
Website: https://arizonachristian.edu/academics/programs/family-studies/
Department: Family Studies
Contact: Andee Murphy
Phone: 602-489-5300
Email: andee.murphy@arizonachristian.edu
Degree: Undergraduate - BA in Family Studies, Emphasis in Child Life
Distance Learning Opportunities: Yes
Class available to non-matriculating students: Yes
Courses Pre-Approved: None

Arizona State University

Arizona State University

Website: https://thesanfordschool.asu.edu/child-life

Contact: Kelly Ramella

Email: kelly.ramella@asu.edu

Degree: Certificate with a Child Life Focus

Distance Learning Opportunities: Yes

Classes available to non-matriculating students: Yes

Courses Pre- Approved: Yes

Play: RTH 455/CRD 551: Recreational Therapy and Play with Children, Youth and Families

 

Metropolitan State University of Denver (Jan 2024 - Dec 2025)

• Website: https://www.msudenver.edu/psychology/
• Contact: Dr. Lisa Hagen
• Email: lkindleb@msudenver.edu
• Phone: (303) 615-0496
• Distance Learning Opportunities: All courses are offered online
• Classes available to non-matriculating students: n/a
• Courses Pre-Approved: Yes
• Child Life Course: PSY 3490 Child Life Theory and Practice
• Child Development: PSY 3250 Child Psychology, PSY 3260 Psychology of Adolescence 
• Family Systems: PSY 3580 Development in the Family Context
• Play: PSY 3460 Psychology of Play
• Death and Dying: PSY 2270 Death and Dying
• Research: PSY 4700 Senior Experience in Human Development and Family Studies
• Additional 3: PSY 2210 Psychology of Human Development, PSY 3340 Cognitive Development and Learning, PSY 2400 Child Psychopathology

Nova Southeastern University (Jan 2024 - Dec 2025)

Department: Fischler College of Education
Contact: Tara Sheehan Ph.D., BCBA
Email: tarashee@nova.edu
Phone: 954-262-8467

Distance Learning Opportunities: Yes
Class available to non-matriculating students: Yes
Courses Pre-Approved: Yes

Undergraduate Courses

Child Life Course: ECDP 3510 - Foundations in Child Life and Family Centered Care Child Development Courses: All 3 need to be taken ECDP 3321 - Infant and Toddler Development ECDP 3334 - Preschool, Primary and Middle Development EECP 3351 - Adolescent Development Family Systems Course: ECDP 4518 Family Systems Play Course: ECDP 4367 Play and Children Curricular Applications Death/Dying Course: HUMN 4100 Death Dying Research Couse: ECDP 4510 Research Methods and Program Evaluation Additional 3 Courses: At least 3 of these courses HS 3300 Ethical and Professional Issues in Human Services EDEC 4320 Cultural Perspectives in Working with Children and Families ECDP 3341 Child and Adolescent Mental Health EDEC 2405 Supporting Children and Adolescents with Special Needs

Graduate Courses

Child Life Course: HSDD 5510 - Foundations in Child Life and Family Centered Care Child Development Courses: Both courses have to be taken HSDD 5522 - Theories of Child Growth and Development HSDD 5523 - Theories of Adolescent Growth and Development Family Systems Course: HSDD 5518 – Family Systems and the Hospitalized Child Play Course: HSDD 5532 – Therapeutic Benefits of Play Death/Dying Course: HSDD 5534 – Death and Dying Research Couse: HSDD 5100 - Program Design & Evaluation Additional 3 Courses: All 3 need to be taken HSDD 5515 - Ethics in Child Life HSDD 5525 - Medical Terminology for the Child Life Professional HSDD 5530 - Interventions in Child Life

University of Central Florida

University of Central Florida

College of Education and human Performance
PO Box 61250
Orlando, FL 32816-1250
Phone: 407-415-4588

 

Undergraduate: Approved Summer 2025 – Summer 2027
Child Life Course: EEC 4744 Child Life: Psychosocial Care
Child Development: EEC 3214 Child Development; EEC 2130 Child Adolescent Development for Educators
Family Systems: EEC 4402 – Cultural and Family Systems
Play: EEC 4303 – Planning Creative Activities for Young Children
Research: HAS 4702 – Health Science Research Methods (Hight Intensive Course-Research)
Additional Courses: EEC 3613 Observation and Assessment of Young Children; EEX 3450 – Young Children with Special Needs; EEC 3700 – Social
& Emotional Development of Young Children

 

Graduate: Approved Summer 2025 – Summer 2027
Child Life Course: EEC 5745 – Child Life: Psychosocial Care
Family Systems: EEC 6405 – Home-School-Community Interactions in Early Childhood
Play: EEC 6269 – Play Development Intervention, and Assessment
Research: EDF 6481 – Fundamentals of Graduate Research in Education
Additional Courses: EEC 6606 – Global Issues in Early Childhood; EEC 5205 – Programs and Trends in Early Childhood Education; EEX 6222 – Observation and Assessment of Young Children

Georgia Southern University

Statesboro, GA
Website: www.georgiasouthern.edu
Department: Family and Consumer Sciences
Contact: Jerri Kropp, Ph.D.
Email: jkropp@georgiasouthern.edu
Phone: (912) 681-5537 or (912) 681-5809
Degree: Undergraduate - Child & Family Development
Date of Origin: 1993

Distance Learning Opportunities: No
Class available to non-matriculating students: No
Courses Pre-Approved: None

Minnesota State University - Mankato

109 Wigley Administration Ctr
Mankato, MN 56001-6066

Web:https://www.mnsu.edu/

 

Child Life - FCS 202: Introduction to Child Life Specialist – Approved Fall 2024 – Fall 2026Play Course – FCSD 402: The Role of Play in Child Development

 

St. Mary's University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, MN

Department: Human Development
Contact: Paula Justich, Program Director of Human Development; Colleen Lacey, MA, CCLS, LMFT, Faculty Advisor and Instructor
Phone: (612)728-5165 (Paula Justich) 
Email: pjustich@smumn.edu or cmlace03@smumn.edu
Degree: Graduate - Human Development with a child life focus
Courses Pre-Approved: None

Missouri State University (Jan 2024 - Dec 2025)

• Website: http://education.missouristate.edu/childlifestudies/ 
• Department: Childhood Education and Family Studies
• Contact: Dr. Lindsey Murphy, PhD, CCLS
• Email: LindsayMurphy@MissouriState.edu
• Phone: (417) 836-4492
• Distance Learning Opportunities: Yes (100% Online)
• Class available to non-matriculating students: No
• Degree: Graduate – M.S. in Child Life Studies, and Undergraduate – B.S. in Child and Family Development with Child Life Option 
• Date of Origin: Graduate – 2016, Undergraduate – 2006

• Courses Pre-Approved
• Undergraduate: 

  Child Life Course	CFD 354 Working with the Hospitalized Child
  Child Development	CFD 160A Principles of Development in Early Childhood
  Child Development	CFD 557 Growth & Development Middle Childhood to Adolescence
  Family Systems	CFD 163-001 Relationships in Today’s Families
  Play	CFD 454 Therapeutic Play for the Hospitalized Child
  Loss/Bereavement or Death/Dying	CLS 306-897-SP23 Death, Separation, and Loss
  Research	CFD 580 Introduction to Research in Chil & Family Development
  Additional Courses (ACEE)	CFD 301 Play as Development
  Additional Courses (ACEE)	CFD 510 Child Life Theory and Practice
  Additional Courses (ACEE)	LLT 102 Scientific and Medical Terminology
  Additional Courses (ACEE)	CFD 353 Childhood Illnesses, Diseases, & Disorders
  Additional Courses (ACEE)	CFD 305 Multicultural Studies in Child and Family Development

• Graduate:

• Child Life Course	CFD 610 Child Life Theory and Practice
  Child Development	CFD 705 Growth & Development: Infancy through Early Childhood
  Child Development	CFD 657 Growth & Development Middle Childhood to Adolescence
  Family Systems	CFD 761 Advanced Family Studies
  Play	CLS 715 Play and Therapeutic Intervention
  Loss/Bereavement or Death/Dying	CFD 710 Childhood Death & Bereavement
  Research	CFD 680 Introduction to Research in Child & Family Development
  Research	SFR 780 Educational Research Methodology
  Additional Courses (ACEE)	CLS 705 Aspects of Childhood Illness and Disease
  Additional Courses (ACEE)	CLS 730 Cultivating a Trauma-Informed Lens
  Additional Courses (ACEE)	ECE 675 Working with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Children and Families
  Additional Courses (ACEE)	CLS 720 Trends & Issues in Child Life

Molloy University

Website: https://www.molloy.edu/academics/schools/arts-sciences/undergraduate/psychology/#accordion1

Contact: Kimberly Johnson
Email:  kjohnson4@molloy.edu
Phone: (516) 323-3845
Degree: Undergraduate BS Psychology, Child Life Minor
Date of Origin: 2023-2025

Courses Pre-Approved: Yes

• SOC 1520: Sociology of the Family
• PSY 3810: Theories of Play and Creative Art Therapies
• PSY 2620: Death, Dying and Bereavement
• PSY 3110: Research Methods2: Experimental Design
• SOC/PSY 3000-01: Basics of Social and Behavioral Research
• PSY 3280: Health Psychology
• ETH 2880: Introduction to Bioethics
• BIO 1100 04: Basic Human Biology
• Child Life Course: PSY 3800 Introduction to Child Life

• Play Course: PSY 3810: Theories of Play and Creative Art Therapies
• Child Development Courses:
  • PSY 2050-01 Child Development I: Pre-natal through Middle Childhood;
  • PSY 2060-01 Child Development II: Middle Childhood Through Adolescence

University of Akron

Akron, OH
Website: http://www.uakron.edu/childlife/index.dot
Contact: Shannon R. Zentall, PhD
Email: szentall@uakron.edu
Phone: 330-972-8158
Distance Learning Opportunities: For non-local students, WebEx (real time participation only), no OOS tuition cost
Class available to non-matriculating students: No

Degree: MA in Child Life
Date of Origin: 1979
Courses Pre-Approved: undergraduate certificate program and online

Approved for Winter 2025-Fall 2026 Semesters

• CHFD 496/596-Working with Children in Health Care 
• CHFD 265-Child Development
• CHFD 265 and one of the other courses (CHFD 365 or CHFD 404)
• CHFD 365- Infant Development
• CHFD 404 – Middle Childhood & Adolescence
• CHFD 440-501 Family Crisis
• CHFD 380 - Play and Human Development
• SOWK 344 – Death & Dying
• SOWK 345 - Death Dying for Health Care Professionals
• SOWK 442 – Social Work Research

University of Dayton

Dayton, OH
Website: https://catalog.udayton.edu/undergraduate/schoolofeducationandhealthsciences/programsofstudy/
Contact: Sabrina Neeley
Email: sneeley1@udayton.edu
Phone: (937) 229-3572
Distance Learning Opportunities: Yes
Class available to non-matriculating students: Yes
Programs: Education & Allied Studies
Courses Pre-Approved: Yes
Child Development (2 courses must be taken to meet the requirement): EDT 211 Child Development Birth to Age 8, EDT 222 Middle Childhood to Young Adult Development, PSY 351 Child Psychology
Research: HSS 428 Research in Sport & Health Sciences
Family Systems: SOC 331 Marriage and Family
Death and Dying: SWK 331 Death and Dying
Additional 3: HSS 201 Medical Terminology, HSS 206 Anatomy & Physiology, PHL 315 Medical Ethics Section 1

Bloomsburg University (Fall 2023 - Fall 2025)

Website: https://www.bloomu.edu/academics/programs/child-life-specialist

Contact: Michael Patte, Ph.D.

Email: mpatte@bloomu.edu

Phone: 570-389-4026

Courses Pre-Approved: Yes

• Child Life Course: CHLS 340 Children and Families in Medical Settings
• Child Development Courses: ECED 110 Child Development: Birth to Early Adolescence; PSYC 210 Child Development; PSYC 211 Adolescent Development
• Family Systems Course: CLS 345 Child, Family, and Community Engagement
• Play Course: CLS 344 Play, Creativity, and Expressive Arts
• Loss/Bereavement or Death/Dying: CHLS 341 Death, Dying and Loss – Child and Family Perspectives
• Research: CHLS 342 Applied Research Methods
• Additional Courses: BIOL 180 Anatomy and Physiology 1; BIOL 181 Anatomy and Physiology 2; BIOL 108 Medical Terminology; COMM 315 Health Communication; COMM 411 Family Communication; COMM 495 Advanced Health Communication Seminar; PHI 205 Medical Ethics and PSYC 212 Lifespan Development

Holy Family University

Directory Link: https://online.childlife.org/clcssa/rflcustomdisplay.detail_page?p_search_serno=1047514&p_vendor_serno=102680&p_cust_id=

Child Life Course: PSYC 348 Child Life Theory and Practice

Child Development Courses: PSYC 204: Infant and Child Development; PSYC 213 Adolescence

Family Systems Course: SOCO 206: Marriage and Family

Play Course: PSYC 319: Psychology of Play 

Loss/Bereavement or Death/Dying Course: PSYC 342: Loss and Grief

Research Course: PSYC 322: Research Methods in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Additional 3 Courses (Any 3): SOCO 212: Race, Class, and Gender; PHIL 205: Bioethics; BIOL 307: Medical Terminology; BIOL 334: Applied Neurodevelopment; PSYC 357-A Developmental Psychopathology; PSYC 354-A Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorder; PSYC 355 Behavioral Applications in Autism Spectrum Disorder; PSYC 341: Family Violence

Concordia University Texas

SOC 3331 - Sociology of Children and Childhood

SOC 3305 - Introduction to Social Work

PSY 331 - Introduction to Counceling

BIO 2411 - Human Anatomy & Physiology for Health Care I

Tarleton State University (2024-2026)

Stephenville, TX

Contact: Dr. Deborah Anne Banker
Email: banker@tarleton.edu
Phone: 254.968.9941
Distance Learning Opportunities: Yes, program is entirely online
Class available to non-matriculating students: Yes
Courses Pre-Approved: Yes
Research: CHFS 4356: Online Research Methods in Human Sciences
Child Life: CHFS 4345: Child Life Theory and Practice
Child Development: CHFS 3300: Child Development Theory, Research and Practice, CHFS 1304: Infant and Toddler Development-both courses must be taken in order to meet the requirement.
Family Systems: CHFS 4309 Parenting
Play: CHFS 4340: Play Theory and Research
Loss/Bereavement or Death/Dying: CHFS 4355 Grief, Loss, and Bereavement
Additional 3 Courses: TECA 1318 Wellness of the Young Child, CHFS 4320 Early Intervention Services, CHFS 4350 Policies and Ethical Standards

Texas State University- San Marcos

San Marcos, TX
Website: http://www.txstate.edu/
Department: School of Family and Consumer Sciences 
Contact: Farya Phillips, Ph.D., CCLS
Email: F_p30@txstate.edu
Phone: (512) 245-2401

Distance Learning Opportunities: No
Class available to non-matriculating students: No
Degree: Graduate - Family and Child Studies with Graduate Child Life Track
Courses Pre-Approved: None

George Mason University (Fall 2023 - Fall 2025)

Fairfax, VA
Website: www.gmu.edu
Contact: HDFS Program Coordinator
Email: HDFS@gmu.edu
Phone: (703) 993-5856
Distance Learning Opportunities: Yes
Class available to non-matriculating students: Yes
Courses Pre-Approved: Yes

• Child Life Course: HDFS 301/Psyc 461.DLA and INTS 375.DL1 - The Hospitalized Child and Family
• Play: HDFS 302, INTS 375, PSYC 461 - Therapeutic Benefits of Play
• Family Systems: HDFS 400 - Advanced Family Processes

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point (Winter 2024 - Fall 2025)

• Stevens Point, WI
• Website:http://www.uwsp.edu/fcs
• Contact: Becky Konietzki, Academic and Career Advisor
• Email:Becky.Konietzki@uwsp.edu
• Phone: (715) 346-3233
• Distance Learning Opportunities: Yes
• Class available to non-matriculating students: Yes
• Degree: Undergraduate - Child Life and Family Studies
• Date of Origin: 2018
• Courses Pre-Approved: Yes
• Child Life Course: HD 350/550 Child Life Principles and Perspectives
• Child Development: HD 361/561 Development & Guidance of Children, HD 466/666 Development & Guidance of Adolescents
• Family Systems: HD 367/567 Intentional Intimacy and Family Systems 
• Play: HD 455/655: Child Life and Therapeutic Play
• Research: HS 360 Evidence-Based Research Methods
• Additional 3 Courses: HS 295 Ethics & Professional Development in Human Services, HSW 104: Medical Terminology, BIOL 287 Essentials of Human Anatomy