Schools That Offer a Bachelor's Degree in Child Life Counseling

A degree in Child Services or Child Life Counseling prepares you for a career working with children, be it as an early childhood teacher or a social services worker. These degrees focus on understanding how children learn and grow. Depending on the focus of a particular academic program, coursework can vary greatly from school to school, and the university you choose depends largely on the type of Child Services you wish to study.

Azusa Pacific University

Located in California, Azusa Pacific University offers a Psychology major with an available concentration in becoming a Child Life Specialist. Students receive inter-disciplinary instruction that prepares them for a variety of careers, including work in special education and child development centers.

Students gain a wide range of knowledge regarding childhood development, with coursework that includes Children's Literature, Counseling, Psychology of the Family and Child Welfare. This mix of academic and experiential studies prepares students for whichever career or academic path they wish to pursue.

Azusa Pacific University
901 E. Alosta Ave., PO Box 7000
Azusa, CA 91702-7000
[phone]
apu.edu/clas/psychology/psychology/childlife

University of La Verne

A Bachelor of Science degree in Child Development from the University of Laverne is a four-year program in Child Life Counseling. This program--which requires, among other things, having your fingerprints taken--offers a comprehensive focus on how children operate in family, social and community settings.

Community college credits, particularly those in Early Childhood Education, are fully transferable to this program, which includes, in addition to traditional academics, child observation and a senior project.

University of La Verne
1950 Third Street
La Verne, CA 91750
[phone]
laverne.edu/catalog/current/bs-child-development

Towson University

This Maryland university offers a Bachelor's degree in Family Studies, with a track in Services to Children and Youth and another one in Child Life.

The first track focuses on children in communities and society--it is the preferred option for students who don't necessarily wish to teach children. It is an inter-disciplinary program that enables students to observe and study children. It requires 120 hours of internship experience.

The Child Life track trains students interested in becoming Certified Child Life Specialists. These specialists are most commonly employed by hospital pediatric units and other health care providers that administer treatment to children--the specialist's job is the help children and their families cope with the stresses of undergoing procedures and treatments.

Towson University
8000 York Road
Towson, Maryland 21252-0001
[phone]
towson.edu/fmst/major/index.asp

References

• Azusa Pacific University: Psychology - Child Life Specialist
• University of La Verne: Child Development, B.S.
• Towson University: Family Studies Major

Resources

• Child Life Council Academic Program Directory: Child Life Academic Programs