Child Life Practicum

The Child Life department at Children's Hospital Los Angeles offers a 10-week 160-hour practicum experience for undergraduate and graduate students. Practicum students must be willing to be on site for two 8-hour shifts a week for 10 weeks.

This pre-internship experience is intended to prepare students for the Child Life Internship. Our practicum is a primarily observational opportunity that provides a hands-on pre-internship experience, and is built in accordance with the ACLP’s Pre-Internship Modules.

Prerequisites

• Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) child life practicum students may be affiliated with a university at the undergraduate and graduate level, but this is not required.
• International applicants must be actively affiliated with a U.S. University.
• Per CHLA policy, all students must comply with CHLA required health clearance and background check.
• Practicum candidates must have:
  • Completion of one child life focused course taught by a Certified Child Life Specialist prior to start date.
  • Three of the following courses must be in progress at time of application or completed, based off the ACLP Eligibility Requirements for Internship
    • 2 child development courses
    • Family Systems Course
    • Play Course
    • Loss/Bereavement or Death/Dying Course
    • Research Course
• Applicants with volunteer or work experience with well or hospitalized children/families preferred.

Submitting Your Application

• Please email CHLA Child Life Practicum Application to: ChildLifePracticum@chla.usc.edu with unofficial transcripts and resume.
• All application materials must be present to be considered. All applicants that submit their completed application will receive a courtesy notice of receipt.

Application Considerations

• Stipends, housing, and/or relocation fees are not provided.
• Interviews will be conducted virtually.
• If chosen, the practicum student(s) will be required to:
  • Complete weekly assignments that consist of: Reflective Journals, Self-Care Assessments, Play Interventions, Personal Behavior Self-Assessments of Anti-Bias Behavior, and Self-Care Reflections.
  • Observe and debrief child life interventions, both clinical and therapeutic.
  • Plan and implement developmentally appropriate play opportunities independently.

Application Deadlines

Spring Term

Application deadline: October 18
Practicum begins (approximately): Last week of January

Summer Term

Application deadline: February 21
Practicum begins (approximately): 1st week of June

Fall Term

Application deadline: May 15
Practicum begins (approximately): Last week of August