Prepare to work with children aged birth to 5 in early intervention systems with this non-licensure program.
EARLY INTERVENTION DEGREE OVERVIEW
Erikson Institute’s Online Master of Science in Early Childhood Education Early Intervention is an infant mental health informed program designed for professionals seeking a deeper understanding of how children aged birth to 5 develop and learn in the context of relationships with their parents and caregivers in publicly funded Part C Early Intervention systems and other systems serving infants, young children, and their families.
You’ll gain the necessary knowledge and qualifications that will allow you to intervene to address early developmental challenges early and set children, particularly infants, up for a better chance at reaching their full potential. In successfully completing this degree, you will be eligible for credentialing as a Developmental Therapist in Illinois and other credentials/endorsements related to infancy and Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECHMH). This degree does not lead to teacher licensure.
Join our first cohort of the new online program this Spring (January 2025). Take courses with both asynchronous and synchronous content developed with an infant mental health lens.
Why Erikson
Gain a deeper understanding of young children and families with an online MSECE degree designed for working professionals.
Study part-time or full-time with this 100% online MSECE program so you can better balance life, work, and your studies.
Lean into Erikson’s comprehensive career advancement support.
Collaborate with our nationally recognized faculty, build a respected network of field experts, and learn from the field’s leading voices.
Our online program delivers an exceptional range of child development knowledge in small, personal classes.
Gain a professional toolkit so you can be your most effective. Learn resilience and healthy professional practices alongside experienced practitioners.
Put theory into practice.
Learning can never be confined to a classroom — nor should it. Field work is a critical component of your Master’s in Early Childhood Education Early Intervention degree work. First, you’ll have one term of a practicum working with one child/family for 2 hours per week.
Next, you’ll will be working during the day at custom-selected internship locations for 10-12 hours per week for 2 terms. When you graduate, you’ll be ready to take your learning and lead in your career path.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT & SCHOLARSHIP OPTIONS
Your Online MSECE degree shouldn’t break the bank.
With dozens of scholarships and financial aid opportunities, we’re here to help you achieve your professional goals.
Applications received before March 15th (for Fall) and November 15th (for Spring) are given priority consideration for scholarship awards.
Erikson Institute Supports You Every Step of the Way
Our Career Services team is there for you in both the preparation and search for a job.
With hundreds of partnerships and robust networks of alumni and field experts, the Career Services team is here to help you put your education into practice.
Career Paths
Once you graduate, you’ll be able to put your MSECE degree to work right away. Here are a few of the roles Erikson graduates take on after graduation.
Add to your degree program with both embedded and optional external credentials. In some instances, graduates of this program will be eligible for additional training and or certification at an additional cost to the student. Students may need to pass additional tests or requirements.
The training on the first developmentally based system for diagnosing mental health and developmental disorders in infants and toddlers is free and completed during your graduate studies.
With this degree you will be prepared to become a developmental therapist. You can join this association at a discounted price and take advantage of their training to add to your resume.
Developed by Erikson Institute and internationally recognized, you will complete a course on FAN as part of your degree.
Upon completion of your degree, you will be qualified for Level 201 certification from the International Council on Development and Learning, after paying their registration fee.
Gain expert perspectives working closely with leaders in the field.
Erikson’s Early Childhood Education and Infancy program faculty are nationally recognized. With specific research interests and decades of experience, each of our faculty enriches your academic experience, connecting you to new networks and the latest data.
Find answers to questions students ask about the Online Master’s in Early Childhood Education Early Intervention program.
Each state has its own requirements for working in early intervention. Students should review their state’s requirements in preparation for this career. Erikson Institute has created a program based on requirements for Illinois. You can find out more about your state or territory’s early intervention program here.
Erikson’s program potentially meet credentialling requirements in Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Texas.
Students need to confirm their state’s requirements as they may change and are outside of the purview of Erikson.
No but Erikson Institute is an approved educational program with the Alliance, meaning our program coursework will be cross walked with their competencies in the near future. The Endorsement through the Alliance is only available to people who live in Alliance states. Illinois is not an Alliance state.
The coursework in this degree program meets the criteria for educational requirements for this credential. Upon completion of this degree, graduates in Illinois can choose to pursue this credential at their cost upon meeting the requirement of three years of post-master’s degree experience in the field.
Over 90% of our students work either part-time or full-time as they are pursuing their Erikson degree.
The ability to balance the demands of the Early Intervention program, work responsibilities, and your personal/family commitments will depend on many factors. Key among these will be your own organizational and time-management skills, the intensity of the demands on your time, and your personal support system.
The other factor to consider as you think about your work schedule is whether you want to pursue your master’s degree program in two (or 28 months, depending on term start) or three years.
The program length for part-time programs is dependent upon your term start. Students staring in Spring will have a 28-month length while those starting in Fall will have a 3-year program.
The full-time program is available in Fall term only and is 2 years in length.
You will be responsible for identifying potential internship locations. Erikson will support you in securing an internship with mentoring and coaching.
We award over $2 million in scholarships to students enrolled in our degree and certificate programs. Erikson also participates in the federal Direct Loan programs, and assuming you meet all eligibility requirements, you will have access to both Unsubsidized and Graduate PLUS loans to help finance your Erikson education.
The staff in our Field Education and Career Services Office will work with you to prepare you for seeking positions while you’re enrolled at Erikson and upon graduating from the program. You’ll receive feedback on your resume and cover letters, and we also maintain a job board on our campus portal where employers list part-time and full-time positions for which they’re hiring.
The Career Services team also plans an annual social work, early education, and child development job fair for Erikson students and alumni. In concert with the job fair, you can submit your resume to be included in an annual Resume Book that we distribute to organizations and managers who are interested in hiring Erikson students and alumni.
For each course, you will need access to a computer with internet access an average of five out of seven days a week, for a total of 10 or more hours per week. You can log in to Erikson Online anytime and anywhere, from any computer connected to the internet (home, work, computer lab, public wi-fi location, etc.). High-speed internet access is required (minimum speed of 512kbps is strongly recommended).
Hardware requirements:
Software requirements:
Because of Erikson’s small size, you’ll have access to a wide range of both informal and formal student support services. These include:
Erikson’s Master of Early Childhood Education Early Intervention will prepare you to work with children with disabilities and developmental delays. Get started today.