BA in Applied Behavioral Science with concentration in Child Life Specialty

Below is a sample 4-year plan for students pursuing the BA in Applied Behavioral Science with a concentration in Child Life Specialty. To view the list of courses approved to fulfill Core 34 Goals, please visit the KU Core 34 page.

Freshman
FallHoursSpringHours
Core 34: Math and Statistics (SGE)0303Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours3
Core 34: English (SGE)0103Core 34: English (SGE)0103
1st Semester Language (BA Second Language)52nd Semester Language (BA Second Language)5
ABSC 100 or 101 (Major Requirement; Core 34: Social and Behavior Science (SGE))050**3ABSC 160 (Concentration Requirement)3
Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours53Core 34: Communications (SGE)0203
 17 17
Sophomore
FallHoursSpringHours
3rd Semester Language (BA Second Language)34th Semester Language, or 1st semester of Another Language, unless req for mjr (BA Second Language)13
Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)0603Core 34: Natural and Physical Sciences (SGE)0404-5
Core 34: US Culture (SGE)0703BA Laboratory/Field Experience (LFE)1
ABSC 304 (Major Requirement)3ABSC 308 (Major Requirement)4
Core 34: Social and Behavioral Science (SGE)0503ABSC 309 (Concentration Requirement)3
 15 15-16
Junior
FallHoursSpringHours
Core 34: Global Culture (SGE)0703Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)0603
ABSC 529 (Concentration Requirement)3ABSC 509 (Major Requirement; Capstone Course)3
ABSC Concentration Elective33ABSC 626 (Concentration Requirement)3
Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours53Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours53
Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours53Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours53
 15 15
Senior
FallHoursSpringHours
ABSC 683 (Practicum Requirement; Capstone Course)43ABSC 675 (Practicum Requirement; Capstone Course)43-4
ABSC Concentration Elective33Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours53
Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours53Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours53
Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours53Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours53
Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours52 
 14 12-13
Total Hours 120-122
1

For students completing the language requirement via the 3+1 language option, note that many first semester languages are 5 credit hours

2

Visit this page for a list of courses that fulfill the BA Quantitative Reasoning requirement

3

6 hours of ABSC Concentration Area elective courses are required. Visit the degree requirements tab for a list of approved courses.

4

6 hours of practicum are required, taken across two semesters.  These hours must include three hours (minimum) of ABSC 683; the remaining three hours may include ABSC 683, ABSC 675, and ABSC 677.

5

Hour requirements (incl. 45 jr/sr hrs) are typically met through Core 34, degree, major, second area of study and/or elective hours.  Students completing the BGS with a major must choose a secondary area of study.  Individual degree mapping is done in partnership with your advisor.

Please note:

All students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are required to complete 120 total hours of which 45 hours must be at the Jr/Sr (300+) level.

Students who wish to sit for the Child Life Specialty Certification Exam administered by the Association for Child Life Professionals (ACLP) are encouraged to consult the ACLP’s eligibility requirements webpage, and plan their electives to meet these requirements.  Students may elect to take other courses (instead of those required by ACLP) to complete the concentration/major.  However, doing so may render the student ineligible to sit for the Certification Exam. In addition, the ACLP requires a 600-hour internship supervised by a Certified Child Life Specialist. The student must arrange for this internship outside of the degree requirements. 

Notes:

*  - This course is a Required major course and is also part of Core 34: Systemwide General Education.  If this course is not taken to fulfill the Core 34:SGE requirement, it must be taken in place of elective hours.

**  - This course is a Recommended Core 34: Systemwide General Education course.  This specific course is not required but is recommended by the program’s faculty.

***  - This course is a Required Core 34: Systemwide General Education course.  This program is approved by the Kansas Board of Regents to require this specific Core 34:Systemwide General Education course.  If a student did not take this course it must be taken in addition to other degree requirements.