Prepare to excel in serving the complex needs of children and their families.
OMSCD OVERVIEW
This online program is designed for Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS) with three to five years of experience. As a CCLS, you know the importance of advocating for psychosocial needs of children and families. With this degree, you will develop an exceptional knowledge of child development, leadership and advocacy skills that can be applied within both hospital and non-hospital settings.
Start this Fall and earn your MSCD Child Life degree.
WHY ERIKSON
Become the advocate that children and families need with this Master in Child Development program designed for Certified Child Life Specialists.
Attend part-time or full-time based on your needs with this online degree.
Be seen and heard working closely with your professors and peers.
Learn from our nationally-recognized faculty and build a network of colleagues.
Our online program delivers an exceptional range of child development knowledge.
Learn resilience and healthy professional practices from experienced practitioners.
The capstone project is the culminating project for your Online Master of Child Development degree that demonstrates what you have learned from your coursework as well as your professional experiences. Students will take the tenets of leadership and advocacy, and couple it with their drive for improvement, creativity in finding system-wide solutions, and vision for the field of child life, to design and implement a final Capstone Project.
With the support of a faculty adviser, you’ll fine-tune and decide on the nature of your project.
Financial Services
Your Child Life Leadership degree shouldn’t break the bank.
With dozens of scholarships and financial aid opportunities, we’re here to help you achieve your professional goals.
Applications received before March 15th receive priority consideration for scholarship awards, so get started today.
Erikson Institute Supports You at Every Step of Your Journey
Erikson Institute Supports You at Every Step of Your Journey.
With hundreds of partnerships and robust networks of alumni and field experts, the Career Services team is here to help you put your education into practice.
Want to know what you’ll uncover while embarking on your Online MSCD degree? Check out a few examples of the courses you’ll take in our program.
Gain expert perspectives working closely with leaders in the field.
Erikson’s Child Life Leadership program faculty are nationally recognized. With specific research interests and decades of experience, each of our faculty enriches your academic experience, connecting you to new networks and the latest data.
FAQS
Here are answers to frequently asked questions.
The principal difference between the two programs is that the online program does not lead to child life specialist licensure. If you are interested in becoming certified as a child life specialist, you should seek admission to the on-campus MS in Childhood Development program with the child life concentration.
The other key difference is in the culminating experience requirement for the programs: the on-campus program requires a two-semester internship while the online program requires a two-semester action research project conducted in the field.
The program is designed and delivered as a fully online program, and there are no in-person residency requirements.
For each course, you will need access to a computer with internet access an average of five out of seven days a week, for a total of 10 or more hours per week. You can log in to Erikson Online anytime and anywhere, from any computer connected to the internet (home, work, computer lab, public wi-fi location, etc.). High-speed internet access is required.
Hardware requirements:
Software requirements:
We award over $2 million in need-based grants and scholarships to students enrolled in our degree and certificate programs. Erikson also participates in the federal Direct Loan programs and assuming you meet all eligibility requirements, you will have access to both Unsubsidized and Graduate PLUS loans to help finance your Erikson education.
Many of our students also receive scholarship funding from the State of Illinois through the Gateways to Opportunity Scholarship program. Learn more about Gateways scholarships.
Yes. Almost all of our online students work either part-time or full-time as they are pursuing their Erikson degree. The program was designed specifically with working professionals in mind — the cohort model allows you to balance your work and Erikson course schedules.
While enrolled at Erikson and upon graduating from the program. You’ll receive feedback on your resume and cover letters, and we also maintain a job board on our campus portal where employers list part-time and full-time positions for which they’re hiring.
The Career Services team also plans an annual social work, early education and child development job fair for Erikson students and alumni. In concert with the job fair, you can submit your resume to be included in an annual Resume Book that we distribute to hundreds of organizations and managers who are interested in hiring Erikson students and alumni.
You’ll have access to a wide range of both informal and formal student support services. These include:
Erikson’s Online Master of Early Childhood Education will prepare you to develop the vision and strategic planning of a child life department. Ready to get started?