Suggested Pre-Internship Course Work

Interns should have a solid background in child development, which includes study of the infant, preschool, school-age and adolescent age groups. Interns will also find it extremely helpful to have completed coursework covering the following areas:

• Human Development
• Family Relations
• Psychology—with an emphasis on child and adolescent issues
• Children and Stress
• Family Crisis
• Special Needs Children
• Hospitalized Children
• Parenting
• Supportive Interventions/Counseling

Also beneficial are:


• Medical Terminology
• Computer Programming
• Anatomy
• Spanish
• Sign Language
• Death, Dying and Grief

We strongly recommend that potential Child Life interns acquire experience through fieldwork or volunteer positions in child and family related programs. It can also be advantageous to acquire volunteer experience in a hospital setting before pursuing a Child Life internship.