Graduate Certificate Programs in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Infant Mental Health, and More
Enhance your expertise and earn additional credentials.
Make a Bigger Impact with a Child and Family Studies Graduate Certificate
Deepen your expertise to better support children and families.
Teachers, educators, clinicians like you believe like we do that all children deserve to reach their full potential – no matter their circumstances. As a premier graduate school in childhood development we prepare teachers, social workers, and other practitioners to understand and support the early experiences which determine a child’s future.
Explore key ideas from a variety of early child development disciplines, including Developmental psychology, Neurobiology, Anthropology, Education, Sociology and more.
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Certificate Program
In this graduate level certificate program, you will learn to support parent-child relationships through promotion, prevention, intervention, or consultation services.
Learn More About Financial Aid and Scholarships
Certificate students can earn up to 25% off their total program tuition by stacking our Leadership and Affordability scholarships. Erikson also participates in several federal and state financial aid programs.
Early Childhood Graduate Program Faculty
Early Childhood Leaders Teach at Erikson
Learn from the field’s experts.
At Erikson Institute, our nationally recognized faculty share knowledge, research, and experiences to guide tomorrow’s leaders.
Develop close and collaborative relationships with Erikson’s professors — respected voices for children doing the critical work and research to further our practices — and become a leader in your field.
How to Apply
Get Started with Your Online Application Today
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Get the Support and Knowledge You Need to Go Further
Online Learning
Take advantage of the convenience and flexibility of online learning.
Fast & Flexible
Set your own pace take one or two courses per semester.
Networking
Connect with professional colleagues in an environment of shared purpose and passion.
Research and Evidence-Based Learning
Learn about new research, technique, and strategies.
Industry Expertise
Benefit from Erikson’s 55+ years of pioneering work with young children and families.
Graduate Certificate Frequently Asked Questions
Depending on the certificate program in which you’re enrolled and the master’s degree in which you are interested, six to 15 credits from your certificate program courses can transfer to any of Erikson’s four master’s degree programs. The only exception at this time is the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health certificate program, which is a post-master’s certificate program and a total of four credits from the program can be transferred to the Master of Social Work program. Talk to our admissions team for more detail.
Post-baccalaureate certificate programs generally offer course work at the upper undergraduate level, while courses in graduate certificate programs are at the graduate level. There are always exceptions depending on the individual institute of higher education, but Erikson Institute’s certificate program courses are all taught at the graduate level.
Erikson’s certificates are for academic credit. You may have the option of enrolling in graduate certificate program courses for professional development credit rather than academic credit. This is contingent on approval from the program director and the admission committee.
Courses taken for professional development credit are not eligible for federal or Erikson financial aid. Additionally, if taken as professional credits they are generally not eligible to be transferred to another degree program, either at Erikson or at another institution of higher education.
If you are enrolled in a certificate program to earn a professional credential or license, courses taken for professional development credit may not fulfill the requirements for the respective credential. Always check with the correct professional body that awards the credential you are seeking to make sure your professional development credit will be accepted.
Earn your graduate certificate and improve your practice with young children
Build your career with a research and evidence-based certificate program and join a community committed to improving the lives of children and families.