Erikson Institute

Erikson Institute, a private graduate school and research center, was established in 1966 in response to the critical need for early childhood professionals to staff the nation's expanding programs for young children. Today, Erikson Institute is one of the nation's leading graduate schools in child development and early childhood education. The Institute works to improve the care and education of young children (birth through age eight) nationwide in three ways: comprehensive graduate degree and professional development programs, research that can be directly applied to programs and policies, and community service and engagement.

The vision set forth by the Institute's founders was to create a highly skilled and diverse group of child development leaders committed to delivering the very best care and early education to young children and their families. That vision is realized today through Erikson graduates who work with and on behalf of young children and their families. Erikson's focused graduate curriculum grounds students in the fundamentals of child development across all dimensions—physical/motor, social/emotional, cognitive, communicative/language, and learning. Institute graduates work with and for children and families as child development specialists, family therapists, social workers, administrators, healthcare professionals, teachers, program officers, college faculty, researchers, and policymakers.

Experience the Erikson Approach

The method Erikson's founders proposed for preparing these leaders was unique, and it remains so today: relationship-based, theory-driven, self-reflective practice. Simply put, Erikson students must develop more than a knowledge base or skill set. In addition, they must develop professional self-awareness and the ability to reflect on their practice, use their theoretical training and implement practical solutions to short- and long-term problems.

Focus on Applied Research

Erikson's applied research programs address community needs and focus on systems change. Faculty and researchers established a literacy initiative to explore the preschool origins of reading and writing; tested in day care and public school settings, the project is now used as a model for training teachers to enhance early literacy skills in young children. Erikson has examined the efficacy of early childhood intervention programs; researched the impact of violence on children and developed prevention programs to help children cope with violence; and measured the unmet need for mental health services among infants.

Work With Nationally Renowned Faculty

Erikson faculty are nationally recognized experts in their fields. They are committed to expanding students' understanding of child development and generating research that improves the way children and their families are served. Equally important, they are committed to sharing their knowledge with both the academic community and the general public. Erikson faculty members serve in national leadership positions, speak at professional meetings and to the media, publish articles and books for their academic peers and the public, and serve as consultants to child care organizations and community programs.

Enjoy an Extensive and Supportive Professional Network

As an Erikson student, you will benefit from a large network of well-placed and highly respected contacts in the early childhood, public education and social service communities nationwide. A bountiful source of job leads and professional advice, this network includes fellow students, alumni and faculty, as well as individuals associated with the Four College Consortium (which includes leading graduate programs in child development on both coasts) and the Institute's community partners.

Gain the Knowledge, and Courage, to Lead

Whether they spend their career in a second-grade classroom or an executive director's suite, a remarkable percentage of Erikson graduates are leaders. Independent, self-directed and life-long learners, they inspire children, parents and colleagues alike to develop their strengths and achieve success.

Master of Science in Child Development

Erikson's Master of Science in Child Development curriculum gives you the most comprehensive, interdisciplinary understanding of child development of any program in the country. The core curriculum includes 10 courses and a methods seminar, a year-long internship and a biweekly tutorial.

Students may also choose to further deepen their experience by specializing in infancy, child life, or administration. For those pursuing a specialization, the internship experience will be carefully tailored to support students' interests in infancy, administration or child life.

The program provides excellent preparation for professional or leadership roles in the full range of disciplines and systems that serve children and their families: education, social service, mental health, policy and health care. Graduates have had notable success in fields as different as museum education and public policy analysis.

Master of Science in Child Development/Master of Clinical Social Work (MSW)

If you are looking for a better way to serve the complex needs of vulnerable children and families, consider this program offering master's degrees in child development and clinical social work from Erikson Institute and Loyola University Chicago.

Designed for a new type of human services professional, this program was the first in the country to combine intensive study of child development from birth through age eight with clinical social work.

The dual degree program offers a combination of theoretical, clinical and practical training in child development, as well as knowledge of the structure and function of social service systems. As a graduate, you will be prepared to provide clinical services to children and families in infant or child mental health, school, child welfare, child development, family support, pediatric/medical and early intervention settings.

PhD in Applied Child Development

If you are interested in exploring the dynamics of human development as well as the social factors that influence it, consider the doctoral program at Erikson. Offered in association with Loyola University Chicago, the program includes course work at both institutions and leads to a doctoral degree in applied child development conferred by Loyola University.

Erikson Institute's doctoral program in applied child development research examines the dynamics of and sociocultural influences on human development from infancy through early and middle childhood. The program emphasizes the impact of culture, social class and social relationships on young children's learning and development. Applied research includes studying the effects of educational institutions, intervention programs, policies and other contextual factors (such as poverty and maltreatment) on children's development, achievement and well-being.

Information

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