Interdisciplinary Disability Studies

Minor in Disability Studies

Disability Studies teaches about disability, not as an individual deficit, but in terms of physical and social barriers that constrain people.

• Learn how disability has been defined and viewed over time
• Value perspectives of people with disabilities
• Understand disability in contemporary culture
• Appreciate disability related to the arts, literature & media
• Experience Community Engaged Learning

Graduate Certificate in Disability Studies

Educating students on how disability is defined and represented in societyThe Disability Studies Graduate Certificate prepares students from various disciplines to create change in their work and social lives by:

• Studying the perspective of the individual with disability in a social and cultural context
• Enhancing students' knowledge of public policies that affect people with disabilities
• Exposing students to real-world circumstances and concerns through service learning

With a solid foundation from an interdisciplinary core course in Disability Studies and a community engaged learning experience, students will be able to select from a range of other courses related to disability studies in humanities, health, education, nursing, public policy, engineering, social work, law, business, and other disciplines. Stude

manager, co-worker, teacher, lawyer, business owner, service provider, community member, and neighbor.nts graduating with the certificate will be able to apply their knowledge and skills in multiple roles, including, but not limited to,

News & Events

• Study shows voters with disabilities face access barriers

  As many as 3.2 million Americans with disabilities are "sidelined" on Election Day.

• Disabled and Disenfranchised

  Since the beginning of 2011, legislators in 41 state governments have introduced at least 180 bills that would make it harder to register or to vote. At least 25 laws and two executive actions have been enacted, affecting 19 states.

• Sidelined or Mainstreamed?

  We examine whether people with disabilities are part of the political mainstream, or remain outsiders in important respects, by studying political participation and the under-explored topic of how disability relates to attitudes toward politics.