Child Development & Early Education Degrees
Graduate Programs in Early Childhood Development
Pursue a graduate-level certificate, PhD, or Master’s degree in child development, early childhood education, or social work at Erikson Institute, a Chicago-based graduate school specializing in early childhood development.
Graduate and Professional Learning
Go Further Child Development and Early Childhood Education Graduate Programs
Erikson Institute is Chicago’s premier graduate school with a 100% focus on early childhood.
Join us at the forefront of the field, utilizing knowledge, research, and policy to inspire leaders and professionals and promote positive outcomes — all in the service of children and families.
Social Emotional Learning Programs
Explore Our Early Childhood Development Degree Programs
Find the graduate pathway that matches your professional goals. Erikson offers specialized master’s degrees, a PhD, and graduate certificates focused on early childhood development with flexible in-person, hybrid, and online early childhood programs.
Choose one of our hybrid or fully virtual Master’s degree programs in early child development, early childhood education, or social work.
Erikson’s new child and family studies doctoral program is a fully in-person program that prepares graduates to assume positions as higher education faculty, researchers, or program directors in child and family-focused organizations.
Dive deep into early childhood programs and social emotional skills to earn new credentials that both improve your career prospects and enrich the lives of children with whom you work.
Why Early Childhood Leaders Choose Erikson Institute
Advance your career and inspire positive action with a graduate-level early childhood development degree.
Erikson alumni go on to be educators and leaders in early research, fieldwork, and policy across the U.S.
Flexible Programs
In-person, hybrid, and online graduate programs. Part-time. Full-time. At Erikson, our programs are designed to accommodate your life and schedule.
Specialized Early Childhood Expertise
Study early childhood development through perspectives from developmental psychology, education, social work, neurobiology, sociology, and health.
Close-Knit Culture
Attend an institution where faculty, staff, and peers know your name and your story. When you attend Erikson, you join a global network of early childhood leaders.
Work closely with Erikson faculty, nationally recognized for their knowledge, scholarship, and expertise. Erikson’s collaborative learning environment encourages close relationships with faculty and peers who share a commitment to improving children’s lives.
Field Experience
Apply your learning in real-time with up to 900 hours of supervised field work, providing opportunities to apply theory, develop practical skills, and reflect on professional experiences.
Reflective & Relational Practices
Reflective practice is an important part of Erikson’s educational approach, helping professionals examine their experiences, understand relationships, and make more informed decisions in their work.
Our Students…
Hear from Our Alums
More than 90% of Erikson Students Receive Financial Aid
As a premier graduate school for early childhood development degree programs, Erikson offers financial aid resources and scholarship opportunities to help eligible graduate students plan for the cost of their education.
Erikson participates in several federal and state financial aid programs and awards over $2 million in scholarships each year.
Upcoming Early Childhood Graduate Program Events
Early Childhood Development Careers
Where Can an Erikson Graduate Degree Take You?
92% of our master’s degree students who graduated in 2023 found a job in their field within 6 months of graduation.
Erikson graduates bring specialized child development knowledge to classrooms, hospitals, community organizations, research institutions, and other settings supporting children and families.
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Early Childhood Graduate Program Faculty
Early Childhood Leaders Teach at Erikson
Learn from the field’s experts.
At Erikson Institute, graduate students learn from faculty whose expertise spans child development, early childhood education, social work, research, and related disciplines.
Through collaborative learning and close faculty relationships, students have opportunities to deepen their understanding, challenge assumptions, and develop new perspectives on their work.
Erikson Graduate Programs FAQ
Erikson offers online and hybrid learning options for child development degrees. Specific delivery formats and in-person requirements vary by program. Learn more about your Child Development MS options.
A master’s in child development emphasizes understanding how children grow, learn, and develop within the context of relationships, families, and communities.
A master’s in early childhood education focuses more directly on applying developmental knowledge to educational practices and early learning environments.
Both areas draw on child development research, but their coursework and professional pathways differ. Explore individual Erikson programs to understand their curriculum and career preparation.
Erikson offers an early childhood education master’s pathway with licensure preparation. Requirements and professional eligibility depend on the program and applicable state rules.
Erikson offers flexible graduate learning opportunities, with online, hybrid, and in-person formats and part-time or full-time enrollment available in select programs.
Depending on your background, specialization, and professional credentials, graduate study in child development may support work in early childhood programs, family services, community organizations, child welfare, early intervention, child life, research, and related fields.
Create a Better Future For Children While Building Yours
Embark on your early childhood graduate program path at Erikson Institute and start changing lives.