Child Life Studies, MS

Program Description

The Master of Science in Child Life Studies prepares students to excel as Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS) in healthcare and other settings by fully developing and enhancing the professional knowledge and skills necessary to provide effective child life services with children and their families who are experiencing stressful or traumatic situations.

The standard track prepares students to become practicing Certified Child Life Specialists who work to minimize the psychological stress and trauma that children and their families experience during stressful events. The coursework in the standard track incorporates the theoretical foundations of the child life profession and allows students to apply this theoretical knowledge into their practicum and child life internship students. Students learn developmentally appropriate techniques to minimize stress and anxiety, and enhance the coping skills of children and their families, including the benefits of therapeutic play, preparation and education, advocacy for patient- and family-centered care, and legacy building and bereavement support, and positive diversion during medical procedures.

The advanced track prepares students for greater professional responsibility as Certified Child Life Specialists, including the application of research into clinical practice, the role of mentor to colleagues, the attainment of healthcare leadership positions or the pursuit of doctoral studies. The coursework in the advanced track is designed to enhance students’ understanding of the research that supports child life practice and to facilitate students’ development of their own research initiatives within their practice as Certified Child Life Specialists.

Admission Requirements

All candidates must meet the requirements for admission as a graduate student to Missouri State University and the child life studies graduate program.

Application Deadlines

All application materials must be received by the following dates.

Summer/Fall semester = Feb. 15^th

Spring semester = Oct. 1^st

Advanced Track Admission Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree with an emphasis or minor in child life or a bachelor’s degree and currently hold certification as a Child Life Specialist
• Cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.00 or higher
• Applicants for whom English is not their primary language are required to demonstrate graduate-level proficiency in English by either having achieved a score of 550 on the paper-based, or a comparable score of 79 on the IBT or internet- based TOEFL, or by other equivalent means.

Standard Track Admission Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree with no emphasis or minor in child life studies
• Cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.00 or higher
• Applicants for whom English is not their primary language are required to demonstrate graduate-level proficiency in English by either having achieved a score of 550 on the paper-based, or a comparable score of 79 on the IBT or internet- based TOEFL, or by other equivalent means.
• Minimum of 100 documented volunteer hours working with children or youth in a health care facility

Advanced Track Application Materials

In addition to the university graduate admission materials, the following application materials must also be submitted.

• Child life studies graduate program application
• Letter of intent, including background information about professional/volunteer experiences, professional goals and future plans, with 1,000 words or less
• Résumé
• Two confidential letters of recommendation: One from the academic setting (or someone that can speak to your ability to succeed in a graduate program) and one from the clinical setting (or someone that can speak to your ability with children and families). Confidential letters of recommendation must be submitted within the Grad CAS application system.
• Copy of the certified child life specialist, a.k.a. CCLS, certificate, if applicable

Standard Track Application Materials

In addition to the university graduate admission materials, the following application materials must also be submitted.

• Child life studies graduate program application Letter of intent, including background information about professional/volunteer experiences, professional goals, and future plans, with 1,000 words or less
• Signed documentation of a minimum of 100 volunteer hours in a pediatric health care facility.
• Résumé
• Two confidential letters of recommendation: One from the academic setting (or someone that can speak to your ability to succeed in a graduate program) and one from the clinical setting (or someone that can speak to your ability with children and families). Confidential letters of recommendation must be submitted within the Grad CAS application system.

Accelerated Graduate Program

The Master of Science in Child Life Studies accelerated graduate program provides exceptional Missouri State University undergraduate students with the opportunity to enroll in a combined baccalaureate and master’s degree program.

Eligible child and family development, a.k.a. CFD, child life option majors may apply for preliminary acceptance into the child life studies graduate program. Once accepted, students will have the opportunity to take 12 hours of graduate-level child and family development coursework that could apply to both their undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Note: Only CFD 610  fulfills a required course for the accelerated graduate program. The three additional courses - CFD 657 , CFD 662 , CFD 663 , CFD 680   - can fulfill support electives for the accelerated graduate program.

Accelerated Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission, the following requirements must be fulfilled:

• Officially admitted into the Bachelor of Science child and family development, child life option, program
• Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.00 or higher
• Completed or currently enrolled in CFD 354 Working with the Hospitalized Child with achievement of a B or higher

Accelerated Admission Procedure

Students are encouraged to apply to the Child Life Studies accelerated graduate program the semester prior to taking CFD 510, 557, 562, 563 and 580. Before enrolling in courses to be counted for both undergraduate and graduate credit (i.e. mixed), an undergraduate student must be admitted into the accelerated graduate program and receive prior approval from the Graduate Program Director of Child Life Studies, the School Director of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences, and the Dean of the Graduate College through the use of a mixed credit form.

A student will be fully admitted to the Graduate College upon the completion of the requirements for the baccalaureate degree, provided the student meets all other requirements for admission to the Graduate College. Acceptance into the program and all approvals must be completed prior to the end of the change of schedule period for the courses. See the Graduate College for further information.

Accelerated Application Materials

The following application materials must be submitted to the Graduate Program Director of Child Life Studies:

1. Child life studies graduate program application
2. Letter of intent, including background information about professional/volunteer experiences, professional goals, and future plans, with 1,000 words or less
3. Résumé

Accelerated Degree Requirements

Students admitted into the accelerated graduate program will follow the Master of Science in child life studies advanced track degree plan. The following criteria must be successfully completed by the candidate before a degree will be granted.

• Satisfactory completion of a minimum of 35 approved graduate hours with a minimum overall GPA of 3.00
• Completion of 26-29 hours of required coursework