Disability Studies (Minor)

The Disability Studies Minor is administered through the Feminist Institute of Social Transformation as of July 2018 (formerly housed in the Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies). The Disability Studies Minor offers students an opportunity to study disability as a category of analysis from an interdisciplinary approach. Students will be exposed to cutting edge theories, methodologies, and debates that explore disability from historical, cultural, political, economic, and social perspectives. Examples of areas of research interests will include disability and the law, disability and theories of sexuality, disability and policy, disability activism, disability movements (local and transnational), disability and race, and disability in literature and art, to name only a few. Disability Studies is an exciting and growing field with endless possibilities for learning.

The Minor consists of two required 0.5 credits in Disability Studies (DBST), 1.0 credit in predetermined courses in Social Work, Human Rights, and Sexuality Studies, and 2.0 credits from approved electives found in the calendar. This program will appeal to those interested in Disability Studies in general and/or to those who plan to work the area of human rights, social work, education, youth health, public policy, and counseling. Students should also use this minor as a specialization to enhance their undergraduate training in the Bachelor of Arts.

ANNOUNCEMENT:

Beginning in July 2018, the program will be growing to include additional core requirements and more elective choices.  Currently enrolled students will not be required to fulfill the new requirements unless they choose to update to the new calendar requirements.
Please note that the old Program Requirements – for students who had enrolled in the Minor in Disability Studies in 2017/2018 and prior – can be found here. The PDF file of the old Program Requirements can be found here.
*Please note that DSBT 4001 is no longer offered and will be replaced by DBST 3001.

For all students who declare the minor in 2018/2019 or later, the new requirements are listed below.

Program Requirements 

Minor in Disability Studies (4.0 credits)

Open to all undergraduate degree students.

Notes

1. Courses used to fulfill Items 2 and 3 above must be from more than one discipline.
2. Other courses may be substituted for the credits specified in Items 2 and 3, when material on disability is central to the course. Such substitutions must be individually approved by the Pauline Jewett Institute of Women’s and Gender Studies. Students are encouraged to consult course descriptions of Special Topics courses.