Welcome! The Fielding PhD in Infant and Early Childhood Development (IECD) with emphasis in mental health and developmental disorders is a degree serving multiple disciplines as they apply their work using the lens of infant mental health (IMH) and development. The program was initiated by Stanley Greenspan, MD and Serena Weider, PhD, to promote research supporting relationships, individual differences, and development (DIR®) in working with infants, children, and their families. The field of Infant and Early Childhood Development is exciting and highly rewarding. The first years of life lay the foundation for all domains of human development, including the basic relationship building blocks needed for the capacities to feel, love, adapt, and develop a sense of self. The program is interprofessional in structure, including psychology, OT, PT, SLP, medical professionals (MD, RN), social services professionals as well as educators and policy makers. Through Fielding’s progressive doctoral program, professionals expand their content knowledge through research, leading the field with evidence-based practice. Students study interprofessional perspectives about concepts associated with an infant’s and family’s well-being, to include culture, policy, and advocacy as well as neurodevelopmental, biological, social-emotional, sensorimotor, language, cognitive, and family systems. Graduates from this research-focused PhD program will be prepared for several careers in research, policy and advocacy, and clinical/educational settings. Thank you for your interest in IECD. I hope you find this book helpful. However, if your questions are not addressed in these pages, please contact our admissions advisors directly (805-898-4026).
Jenene W. Craig, PhD, MBA, OTR/L, CNT Program Director Infant & Early Childhood Development with an emphasis in mental health and developmental disorders School of Psychology, Fielding Graduate University
Mother of six grown children, (and a relatively recent “empty-nester,”) Dr. Craig credits her expertise to her experience of bearing and raising children and her longtime work within the NICU world. Since 1985, she has worked with multiple groups and hospitals advancing NICU work in Developmentally Supportive and Neuroprotective Caregiving. Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health
Fielding.edu/IECD
