Dear Prospective Child Life Graduate Student,
Thank you for your interest in the Child Life Graduate Program at Illinois State University. The faculty in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences are pleased to know of your interest in our program. This web site will provide you with information that will answer many of your questions about child life as a profession and opportunities to study at ISU. You can find more information about the Illinois State University Graduate School and you can peruse information about the Department of Family & Consumer Sciences.
Our graduate program provides the integration of theory, research and practice necessary for students to pursue excellence in scholarship and professional application. Graduate students in Child Life engage in a variety of learning activities to prepare them as scholar/practitioners. Child Life courses provide an in-depth examination of child life philosophy and practices, and discuss critical issues related to the profession. Practicum experiences and applied coursework allows students to interact with children and their families in a variety of medical settings. These courses and experiences will provide you with the opportunity to gain an understanding of the child in the context of the family and the family in the context of the community. Specifically, you will develop an understanding of the stress and coping associated with illness and injury and the impact on children and their families. You will become able to utilize appropriate interventions to prepare children, to support their families, and to advocate for both. You will learn to use play, therapeutic activities, and structuring of the social and physical environment to respond to each patient in developmentally appropriate ways.
Illinois State University is located in the Heartland of America. Bloomington/Normal is a thriving community about half way between St Louis and Chicago. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me by phone (309/438-2648) or e-mail ( ). We look forward to hearing from you so you can learn more about becoming a graduate student in Child Life at Illinois State University.
Sincerely,
Julie Maschhoff
Professor & Child Life Program Director
Department of Family & Consumer Sciences
Illinois State University , Campus Box 5060
Normal , Illinois 61790-5060
