The Undergraduate Minor in Disability Studies
Disability Studies has been offered as a multidisciplinary undergraduate minor in the Colleges of the Arts and Sciences since 2003. There are currently over 30 students enrolled in Disability Studies and we are growing rapidly. Find out more by reading the original proposal for the undergraduate minor, or read about the minor program and requirements below.
Undergraduate Minor Requirements
The disability studies minor consists of 21-25 credit hours of course work. Three courses must be at the 300 level or above. Once the disability studies coordinator has approved the Minor Program Form, you should file the form with your college or school counselor.
To view courses by quarter offered please see the courses page.
Required core 10 credit hours:
- English 277--Introduction to Disability Studies (5)
- Speech and Hearing 510--Disability Studies in Context (5)
Additional course work, 11-15 credit hours:
Select at least three courses from the following list, one of which must be five credit hours. All prerequisites must be satisfied for the courses selected. No more than one course can be taken from the student's chosen major area. If a 100-level course is selected, the minimum credit hours total for the minor is 25. Selections from this group must be made in consultation with one of the disability studies coordinators, as some courses have variable topics courses, which only occasionally focus on disability studies.
- Allied Medicine 721--Practicum in Universal Design and Home Modifications (5)
- Anthropology 630*--Language and Culture in Education (5)
- Education: Teaching and Learning 670--Remedial and Clinical Reading Instruction (4)
- Education: Physical Activity and Education Services 650--Introduction to Exceptional Children (3)
- Education: Physical Activity and Educational Services 657--Sport and Disability (3)
- Education: Physical Activity and Educational Services 716--Assistive Technologies for People with Disabilities (3)
- Education: Physical Activity and Educational Services 796--Designing Accessible Internet Content for Persons with Disabilities (3)
- English 562C*--Special Topics in Drama [Disability and Illness in Drama and Performance Arts] (5)
- English 575*--Special Topics in Literary Forms and Themes [Images of (Dis)Ability in Literature and Film; Representations of Deafness] (5)
- English 579*--Special Topics in Nonfiction [Contemporary American Memoir] (5)
- English 597*--The Disability Experience in the Contemporary World. [Topical by section "Deaf World: Global, National, Local Issues." "Critical Issues: Disability in Films and Literature."] (5)
- Law 636*--The Law of Disability Discrimination (4)
- Nisonger Center's cross-listed courses in Allied Medicine, Nursing,
Psychology, Social Work, Speech and Hearing
- 717.01--Family Systems: An Interdisciplinary approach to Families of Handicapped Children (3)
- 717.03--Developmental Disabilities (3)
- Psychology 331--Psychopathology and Psychotherapy (5)
- Psychology 571--Psychology of Developmental Disabilities (4)
- Psychology 681--Development and Psychopathology (5)
- Social Work 695.15—Integrative Seminar: Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (3)
- Sociology 450—Illness and Social Behavior (5)
- Sociology 629--Sociology of Health: Mental and Physical Dimensions (5)
- Speech and Hearing Science 230—Introduction to Communication and Its Disorders (5)
- Speech and Hearing Science 605—Multicultural Aspects of Communication and its Disorders (5)
- Women’s Studies 110*—Women, Culture, and Society (5)
- Women's Studies 326--Women and Addiction (5)
- Women's Studies 620*--Gender and Disability (5)
*Courses marked with an asterisk have variable topics. To ensure that the course content during any given quarter will focus on disability studies and count toward the minor, students need to consult with a disability studies coordinator.
Click here to view course descriptions.
Sample Minor Programs (note: these are samples only. You do not have to follow the sample for your minor)
English focus:
Anthropology 630, English 277, English 562C, Speech and Hearing Science 510,
Women’s Studies 110
Psychology focus:
Education: Physical Activity and Educational Services 650, English 277,
Psychology 571, Speech and Hearing Science 230, Speech and Hearing Science 510
Social work focus:
English 277, Nursing 717.01, Social Work 695.15, Sociology 450, Speech and
Hearing Science 510
Arts and Sciences Minor Program Guidelines
The following guidelines govern all undergraduate minors in the Colleges of the Arts and Sciences
- Required for graduation: No
- Credit hours required: A minimum of 20 (some minors require more)
- Transfer credit hours allowed: A maximum of 10
- Overlap with the GEC: Permitted, unless specifically disallowed by an individual minor program.
- Overlap with the major: Not allowed and
- The minor must be in a different subject than the major.
- The same courses cannot count on the minor and on the major.
- Overlap between minors: Each minor completed must contain 20 unique hours.
- Grades required:
- Minimum C- for a course to be listed on the minor.
- Minimum 2.00 cumulative point-hour ratio required for the minor.
- Course work graded Pass/Non-Pass cannot count on the minor.
- Approval required: The minor program description sheet indicates if the minor course work must be approved by:· The academic unit offering the minor, or a college/school counselor.
- Filing the minor program form: The minor program form must be filed at least by the time the graduation application is submitted to a college/school counselor.
- Changing the minor: Once the minor program is filed in the college
office, any changes must be approved by:
- The academic unit offering the minor, or
- A college/school counselor (depending on the minor).
View this document in: Microsoft Word Format or PDF Format.
Colleges of the Arts and Sciences, Cirriculum Office. MDM. 07/24/02
