for PhD in Infant and Early Childhood Development

The Fielding Ph.D. in Infant and Early Childhood Development (IECD) with an 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, Ph.D., 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 mental health professionals (Clinical and counseling psychologists, MFT, SW), OT, PT, SLP, medical professionals (MD, RN), social services professionals as well as educators and policymakers.

With a core emphasis in IMH, the underpinnings of the program currently include an integrative relationship-based model focused on the development and individual differences. 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, including culture, policy, and advocacy as well as neurodevelopmental, biological, social-emotional, sensorimotor, language, cognitive, and family systems. Course work fosters evidence-based perspectives of healthy relationships in infancy, early childhood, and families across disciplines as well as treatment models.

The program is focused on applied research in IMH and development, including how intervention programs, policies, and issues, such as culture and social relationships, influence development, and families.  The program is designed for professionals already working in related fields including psychology, occupational therapy, social work, counseling, mental health, education, early intervention, speech-language pathology, nursing, physicians, physical therapy, and others.  Research initiatives address a wide range of developmental challenges and disorders, including autism spectrum, sensory integration, ADHD, and mood disorders.

Graduates from this research-focused Ph.D. program will be prepared for several careers in research, policy and advocacy, and clinical/educational settings.

Thank you for your interest in IECD.

Dr. Craig earned her undergraduate degree in Occupational Therapy from the Medical College of Georgia and her MBA from the University of Alaska-Fairbanks.  She was one of the first students to earn her Ph.D. in IECD from Fielding. Dr. Craig returned to Fielding Graduate University in 2019 as Program Director over the IECD program.

Mother of six grown children, (and a relatively recent “empty-nester,”) she credits her own experience bearing and raising children for the initial spark and her longtime work within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) world. Since 1985, she has worked with multiple hospitals and groups in leadership, and on Boards of Directors advancing NICU work in Developmentally Supportive and Trauma-Informed Neuroprotective Caregiving.

Citing the importance of self-nurturance, Dr. Craig pursues her love of music, playing and performing jazz saxophone and classical oboe.

Engage in Interprofessional Scholarship

The IECD PhD program with an emphasis in Mental Health and Developmental Disorders was originally founded in 2009 by Stanley Greenspan, MD, and Serena Weider, PhD under the Interdisciplinary Council on Development and Learning (ICDL), a non-profit organization.  On January 22, 2015, this nationally recognized doctoral program was acquired by Fielding Graduate University, became accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WSCUC), and currently resides within the School of Psychology (SOP). ICDL remains the official home of DIR® and DIRFloortime®, providing training courses for professionals and parents for now over 30+ years.

The IECD program is a partner with the Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health (Alliance). The Alliance is a global organization of those states and countries whose infant mental health associations have licensed the use of the Competency Guidelines® and/or the Endorsement for Culturally Sensitive, Relationship-Focused Practice Promoting Infant Mental Health® (Endorsement®) under their associations’ names.

Fielding and Profectum™ – Articulation Agreement.

Two organizations offering education and advanced training, Fielding Graduate University and Profectum, have an articulation agreement to collaborate and expand the outreach of both clinical practice as well as research. Fielding’s IECD doctoral program and Profectum™ entered into this academic agreement to provide students expanded opportunities for both increased academic study and research, and certification, respectively.

Dr. Jenene Craig’s Doctoral Journey

Jenene Craig, PhD, discusses her doctoral journey. Dr. Craig is the program director for the Infant and Early Childhood and Development (IECD) program at #FieldingGraduateUniversity. IECD offers both a doctorate and master’s degree program. Find out more at Fielding.edu/IECD.

The latest news, special events, and announcements from the IECD program.