Mar 28, 2024  
2012-2013 General/Graduate Catalog - Expires August 2018 
    
2012-2013 General/Graduate Catalog - Expires August 2018 [Archived Catalog]

Disability Studies Minor


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Affiliation: Interdisciplinary Studies

The field of Disability Studies examines disability as a social, cultural, and political phenomenon, and explores how disability is defined and represented. The Disability Studies Minor is an interdisciplinary approach to examining the interplay between the lived experience of disability and the social construction of disability. The Minor balances theoretical exploration with practical application, and provides students with a broad understanding of disability history, cultural representation, social justice and civil rights issues, policy concerns, and current ethical debates.

Disability is a constant, pervasive, and deeply misunderstood element of human existence. While prevalence rates are unclear, at least 15-20% of all people have a disability. Virtually all people will have a disability at some point in their lives due to accident, disease, or old age. Few lives remain untouched by disability, We experience disability in our family, in our friends, in ourselves, and in every social, political, professional, or religious community. People with disabilities, throughout the world and in large numbers, remain disenfranchised, segregated, and oppressed. The systematic study of  the world, through the lens of Disability Studies, addresses this injustice.

How does one officially declare intent to earn a Disability Studies Minor?

To complete a DS Minor, a student must declare the minor to the Registrar and fulfill all the requirements. Go to http://ois.truman.edu/disability_studies_minor.asp for more information.

Program Requirements:


The interdisciplinary Disability Studies Minor requires the successful completion of a minimum of 16 credits. This minimum comprises the 3 credit DS 120 Introduction to Disability Studies course, a minimum of 12 credits of Disability Studies Minor electives and at least 1 credit of a capstone experience with a DS emphasis. Students must take:

Disability Studies Minor Electives: 12 Credits


Students choose from the list below a total of at least 12 credits, including no more than six credits within any single discipline. Other courses not listed below that could serve as electives to the minor may be approved by the Disability Studies Minor Oversight Committee through a review of the course syllabus and conversation with the faculty member.

Capstone: 1-3 Credits


With approval of the Disability Studies Minor Oversight Committee, capstone projects may be done through the student’s major.

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