Contact

Academic and Career Advising, SOEAcademicServices@syr.edu

Program Description:

The minor in Disability Studies focuses on disability as a social and cultural phenomenon, identity, social construct, and metaphor. Disability Studies applies social, cultural, historical, legal, philosophical, and humanities perspectives to understanding disability in society. Topics covered in Disability Studies include disability law and policy; the sociology, anthropology, geography, and history of disability; the intersection between disability and race, gender, sexuality, and class; the representation of disability in literature, the media, and popular culture; advocacy and self-advocacy; and assistive technology and accommodations for people with disabilities. The Disability Studies minor does not focus on instructional or clinical approaches to disability, but can complement the studies of students in these programs.

Requirements for Admission and Restrictions:

The minor in Disability Studies is available to matriculated, undergraduate students from all Syracuse University schools and colleges, provided that they have permission from their home school or college and are in good academic standing

Due to sequencing and enrollment limitations (conflicts and some courses are not offered every year), students have minimum of four semesters available to complete the minor requirements. Students that would like to apply for the minor after the spring semester of their sophomore year, must have one or more courses completed, or in progress.

Students must apply to the minor by October 15 in the fall or March 15 in the spring.

Minor Declaration:

1. Download a Declaration of Minor form from https://registrar.syr.edu/students/student-forms/. Fill out the top parts, and sign. The minor code is DIS10MIN. Save the form to your computer.
2. Contact Academic Services and Career Services by the email listed above.  Include information about your interest and GPA (e.g., an unofficial transcript from MySlice), and attach the minor declaration form that you completed and signed. If you have any questions, or want to schedule a meeting with SOE Academic and Career Services to discuss the minor, include these things in the email.
3. When SOE Academic and Career Services has signed and emailed the form back to you, contact your home college advisor to make sure that you have room in your program for the required number of minor courses. Have the advisor sign the form.
4. Your home college should take care of processing your form.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the minor, students will be able to:

1. Describe, summarize the social, cultural, and political situation of people with disabilities
2. Describe foundational social, cultural, historical, and philosophical perspectives in the study of disability in society
3. Analyze and critique cultural representations and stereotypes of people with disabilities
4. Explain the development of disability rights movements

Program Requirements

Required Coursework (3 credits)

DSP 101 Introduction to Disability Studies

Elective Coursework (15 credits)

Students choose at least 12 credits from the following list:

The following are additional options to fulfill this requirement; however, students cannot take more than 3 credits from this list: 

Total Credits: 18