Erikson Institute is a

graduate school Postgraduate or graduate education refers to academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate ( bachelor's) degree. The organization and ...

child development Child development involves the Human development (biology), biological, developmental psychology, psychological and emotional changes that occur in human beings between birth and the conclusion of adolescence. Childhood is divided into 3 stages o ...

in downtown

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rock ...

. It is named for the noted psychoanalyst and developmental psychologist,

Erik Erikson Erik Homburger Erikson (born Erik Salomonsen; 15 June 1902 – 12 May 1994) was a German-American developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst known for his theory on psychological development of human beings. He coined the phrase identity ...

History and mission

The Institute was founded in 1966 by four child advocates:

child psychologist Developmental psychology is the scientific study of how and why humans grow, change, and adapt across the course of their lives. Originally concerned with infants and children, the field has expanded to include adolescence, adult development ...

Maria Piers; educator and activist Barbara Taylor Bowman; social worker Lorraine Wallach; and businessman and philanthropist

Irving B. Harris Irving B. Harris (August 4, 1910 – September 25, 2004) was an American businessman and philanthropist. With his brother Neison, he co-founded the Toni Home Permanent Company, which was sold to the Gillette Safety Razor Co. in January 1948 for $ ...

. The Institute was established to provide training for people working in the recently created Head Start program. Its original mission was to provide early childhood teachers and caregivers with a comprehensive education in child development and a clear understanding of the role of family and culture in a child’s life. The mission has expanded to the education of ''anyone'' who works with or on behalf of young children. The Institute’s academic programs, applied research, and community work focus on children from birth through age eight, particularly those at risk for academic failure. Erikson is led by Geoffrey A. Nagle, who has been president since 2014. He succeeded Samuel J. Meisels, who left Erikson to become founding executive director of the

University of Nebraska A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United State ...

's Buffett Early Childhood Institute. Erikson Institute is accredited by the

Higher Learning Commission The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an institutional accreditor in the United States. It has historically accredited post-secondary education institutions in the central United States: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Io ...

and a member of the

North Central Association The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), also known as the North Central Association, was a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states engaged in educational accreditation. It w ...

Academic programs

Forty full- and part-time faculty teach approximately 260 masters, 12 doctoral, and 60 certificate students enrolled in the institute’s academic programs: * Master of science in child development * Master of science in early childhood education * Master of science in child development/master of social work (in collaboration with Loyola University Chicago) * Master of social work (beginning fall 2014) * Doctorate in child development (in collaboration with Loyola University Chicago) * Irving B. Harris Infant Specialist Certificate Programs * Irving B. Harris Infant Mental Health Program * Bilingual/ESL/Multicultural Certificate Program Master of science degree programs offer opportunities for specialization in areas that include administration, infancy, bilingual/ESL, and child life.

Professional development programs

Courses are offered in four categories: early intervention, teaching and learning, supervision and leadership, and infant studies.

Research initiatives

Current applied research projects focus on after-school programs, assessment in early childhood classrooms, caregivers of substance-exposed infants, early literacy instruction with culturally and linguistically diverse children,

Early Head Start Early Head Start is a federally funded community-based program for low-income families with pregnant women, infants, and toddlers up to age 3. It is a program that came out of Head Start.

, Early Reading First, infant mental health, social-emotional evaluation of children in foster care, early mathematics education, and vocabulary acquisition among ESL preschoolers.

Herr Research Center for Children and Social Policy

Established in 2005, the center conducts policy research on early childhood issues in the Great Lakes region, including infant mental health and social emotional support services, services and support for immigrant children and their families, and prekindergarten early education initiatives.

Center for Children and Families

Opened in January 2019, the Center offers assessment and treatment services for children from birth to age eight "inflicted by gun violence, poverty, and other pressing issues." The Center's interdisciplinary team, which includes developmental pediatricians, psychologists, occupational therapists, and social workers, specializes in social and developmental concerns, depression and anxiety, regulatory concerns (including attention, hyperactivity, sleep, and eating problems), behavior challenges, parent-child relationship/attachment concerns, sibling rivalry, grief and other trauma, academic concerns, and developmental delays.

References

External links

* {{authority control 1966 establishments in Illinois Early childhood education in the United States Educational institutions established in 1966 Schools of education in Illinois Universities and colleges in Chicago Private universities and colleges in Illinois