Disability Studies, Certificate

About This Program

Disability studies is an exciting and diverse field that looks at disability in the context of the wider world. Instead of seeing disability only as a medical issue, this field studies it as something shaped by society and culture. It also sees people with disabilities as an important and protected group. This program combines ideas from many disciplines --- including history, sociology, law, politics, economics, geography, religion, gender studies, media and art --- to understand the lives and experiences of people with disabilities around the world. You are encouraged to think critically and challenge the idea that disability just means something is "wrong" or needs to be cured or fixed. Instead, you learn how disability can be part of someone's identity and how society's rules, attitudes, and systems often make life more complex for people with disabilities. The program also focuses on creating new ideas and strategies through education, law, policy and advocacy that break down the physical and social barriers that keep people with disabilities from fully participating in everyday life.

Degree Requirements