Child Life & Creative Arts Therapies Training Program

NYU Langone Health, which includes Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone, offers fieldwork, practicum, and internship training for students enrolled in clinical degree programs in child life, music therapy, and art therapy.

Student Placement Opportunities

Positions are available at various times throughout the year for child life, music therapy, and art therapy. We do not currently have recreation therapy training programs.

Child Life Training

We offer 100- to 250-hour practicum placements and 600-hour internships in inpatient and outpatient pediatric settings. For a child life practicum, please refer to the letter from the department and the application. When available, internship opportunities follow the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) application process. See below for additional information.

Music Therapy Training

We offer music therapy fieldwork, practicum, and internship placement opportunities at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital.

Art Therapy Training

We offer art therapy fieldwork, practicum, and internship placement opportunities at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital.

Application Requirements

Placement in one of our training programs is limited to certain disciplines, units, and times of the year. Please contact us to find out about available applications for fieldwork, practicums, or internships in your discipline for a particular semester. You must be enrolled in a clinical degree program at an affiliated school for the duration of the placement and confirm that there is an agreement on file between your school and NYU Langone Health in order to be eligible.

Below is a list of our current child life and creative arts therapies affiliations. We are not currently pursuing additional ones at this time:

• Azuza Pacific University
• Bank Street College of Education
• City University of New York
• Eastern Washington University
• Erikson Institute
• Missouri State University
• Molloy College
• Montclair State University
• NYU on behalf of Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
• Pennsylvania Western University
• Pratt Institute
• Texas Woman’s University
• University of Alabama
• University of California, Santa Barbara
• University of New Hampshire
• University of Pittsburgh

Applicants for a child life internship must complete the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) Common Application. Please submit your application at least three months before your desired start date. Child life applicants should follow posted application deadlines from the ACLP. After we receive completed applications and resumes, we begin to prescreen applications. If placement opportunities exist, we review application and determine who will be invited to interview.

Creative arts therapies applicants must include a cover letter, resume, and discipline-specific materials demonstrating appropriate skills. Applications should be submitted at least 60 days before the projected start date. Our creative arts therapists schedule and conduct interviews with applicants that include tours of the unit. Internship supervisors notify applicants within a week of their decision, after discussion with the respective department managers. Prospective interns and practicum students can reach out directly to prospective supervisors or email them at [email protected].

For music therapy, applicants meet with the other music therapists in the department for an interview and audition, during which they will be expected to perform two to three pieces of music on their main and secondary instruments.

For art therapy, applicants have a one-on-one interviews with the clinician. The interviews include a review of the applicant’s art portfolio.

For drama therapy, applicants have a one-on-one interviews with the clinician.

Selection is highly competitive, and a limited number of positions are available. Application does not guarantee placement. We advise all interested students to apply to other institutions in addition to NYU Langone.