Erikson Institute Reviews

"The core child development classes were the most valuable classes that I took, even as a social work student. Most of the good professors are no longer at Erikson, and there are a lot of issues with administration. Overall, it seems like the quality of the social worker education has declined over the last few years. The school talks the talk but does not walk the walk. I do not recommend this MSW program and would suggest considering other programs instead."

"Erikson is a place that as many current students note, has many good things--some excellent classes, some truly dedicated teachers, and a really wonderful student body. The professors and staff that care really care, and demonstrate it through their actions, their teaching, their caring and mutual relationships with students. However, there has been a huge shift in the past several years at Erikson, and it is impacting students in terms of the quality of our education, the quality of instruction, the value of the degree, the quality of field placements--Erikson is no longer a sound investment. Longtime, talented staff and faculty are leaving left and right, which is disconcerting to many students--these are dedicated faculty and staff that can no longer take the toxic environment. It is impacting students in that we have classes being taught be less and less experienced faculty who do not represent Erikson's relationship-based focus or quality of instruction. Two longtime staff members abruptly resigned, and scores of faculty. My first year of instruction was excellent, then staff left and some of the new professors are terrible. My entire cohort asked that one faculty be fired, and they have not been--it was for our clinical class and we all suffered through a (very expensive) year of learning nothing at a very expensive graduate school. Erikson's alumni and tutors will tell you, Erikson used to be great, but at least in the social work department as it is currently run, no longer so. For the amount Erikson charges, they must improve their quality of instructors, retain talented faculty and staff, put together an actual field department, and stop bilking students who have invested so much time, money, and energy with a vision of a school that does not currently exist. I hope very much Erikson improves, but until then, those interested in an MSW should go to Loyola or another graduate school, or wait until significant changes are made at Erikson."

"Each step of my progress through Eriksons Masters of Social Work program has been excellent. Their staff and faculty both support and challenge me, sometimes within the same sentence. From my first phone call requesting information to my current, most challenging classes, Erikson team members continuously work to connect with me personally, meeting me where I am and illuminating the path ahead of me, both with their teaching and their example. I am an actor who is getting a social work degree, so my route to Erikson was not an obvious one. However, my advisor, each of my professors, the person who interviewed me, even other students, have worked diligently to understand where I come from and where I hope to go, and used every resource at their disposal to help me draw connections between my current work and my theatrical background. They support my entire person, not only my academic goals. Erikson faculty and staff make themselves available whenever students need help or guidance, and often reach out to support each student professionally and emotionally. The classes are designed to engage critical thinking, and professors challenge students to absorb the material while constantly questioning it. As many students are also professionals in social work-related fields, we are always asked to apply each lesson, theory, or conclusion to our own experience, asking if what we are learning matches what we know to be true. In this way, multiple sources of knowledge are honored, and we learn how to think for ourselves, have a voice in our process, and rely on each other as respected colleagues. While I am not yet in the field, I can see how this thoughtful approach is preparing us to be professionals whose goal is not to get the answer right, but to work on long-term personalized solutions that fit the needs of our clients. They are supporting us in the same ways that we will support our clients. To me, this is excellence at work."

"I am currently attending Erikson. It is a great school to attend. The teachers are very nice and will explain anything you don't understand. They really want you to succeed and there is always someone to ask for help. There is a lot of reading but it is very interesting. The classes are not too big and you will know most of your classmates because they are in your cohort. The classes are very focused on child development and once you finish your first year you get more individualized into the different programs you are there for. It is definitely a great experience to attend graduate school here."