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Erikson Institute
Graduate School in Chicago, Illinois, United States From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Erikson Institute is a graduate school in child development in downtown Chicago, Illinois. It is named for the noted psychoanalyst and developmental psychologist, Erik Erikson.
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History and mission
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The Institute was founded in 1966 by four child advocates: child psychologist Maria Piers; educator and activist Barbara Taylor Bowman; social worker Lorraine Wallach; and businessman and philanthropist Irving B. Harris.[2]
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.[2]
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 its fifth president, Mariana Souto-Manning, PhD, who assumed the role on September 1, 2021.[3] She succeeded Geoffrey Nagle, who ended his term as president and CEO in February of that year. Previous presidents include Samuel J. Meisels, who left Erikson to become founding executive director of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln's Buffett Early Childhood Institute.[4]
Erikson Institute is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.
Academic programs
Erikson offers master's degrees in: Child Development, Early Childhood Education, and Social Work.
The institute also offers certificate programs and professional development opportunities.
After partnering with Loyola University as the conferrer of a Doctorate in Child Development for many years, Erikson is now seeking to become an independent PhD-granting institution.
For up-to-date information about all of Erikson's academic programs, visit: Child-Focused Academic and Graduate Programs | Erikson Institute
Professional development programs
Erikson offers a broad array of professional development options. Learn more at: Professional Development | Erikson Institute
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 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
After more than 15 years of providing comprehensive assessments and mental health counseling for very young children and their families, Erikson Institute’s Center for Children and Families (CCF) closed all its locations effective June 30, 2025. The Center is not accepting new clients or inquiries about services.
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External links
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