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The Disability Studies Program


Disability Studies is an interdisciplinary field that explores social, political, cultural, and economic factors that shape disability; considers the ways disability is understood and constructed across different historical moments, cultures, and nations; examines the intersectional relationships amongst disability, race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexuality; and foregrounds the experiences and perspectives of advocates, scholars, artists, and thinkers. The Disability Studies program attunes students to varied ways of thinking, communicating and moving through the world.

Disability Studies Core Course Requirements

The Disability Studies program offers a minor.

The Disability Studies minor provides an interdisciplinary learning experience about key disability issues. We approach disability not as fixed or singular category, but as a fluid, historically shifting, culturally specific formation that intersects with race, class, gender, language and nation. Together we will study disability history, culture and politics in ways that foreground disabled people’s experiences, perspectives, and knowledge.

  • COURSE #
    CLASS TITLE
    CREDIT HOURS


    DISAB 3000
    Introduction to Disability Studies
    3 Credit Hours


    DISAB 5880
    Bad Bodies: Gender & Disability
    3 Credit Hours

  • COURSE #
    CLASS TITLE
    CREDIT HOURS


    ASL 1010
    Beginning American Sign Language I
    4 Credit Hours


    CSD 4150
    Communication Disorders in the Media
    3 Credit Hours


    DISAB 5420
    Race, Disability, and Illness
    3 Credit Hours


    GERON 3001
    Experiences of Aging: Challenges and Promise
    3 Credit Hours


    GERON 3220
    Caregiving and Aging Families
    3 Credit Hours


    CSD 4100
    Understanding Children with Autism and their Families
    3 Credit Hours


    GERON 5001
    Introduction to Aging
    3 Credit Hours


    SP ED 2010
    Human Exceptionality
    3 Credit Hours


    SP ED 5010
    Human Exceptionality
    3 Credit Hours
    FCS 5430
    Families and Healthcare Policy
    3 Credit Hours

     

    SP ED 3020
    Special Education Globalization and International Perspectives
    3 Credit Hours


    SP ED 5040
    Legal & Policy Foundations of Special Education
    3 Credit Hours

Disability Studies Collective


The Disability Collective welcomes disabled people and allies who are faculty, instructors, staff, and/or graduate students at the University of Utah. The group offers opportunities for social interaction, mutual support, and accessibility advocacy.

Advocacy & Engagement

Put your classroom learning to work in the community through coursework, student groups and internships.

Noteworthy


The University of Utah launched the Disability Studies program in 2008.

Disability Studies joined the School for Cultural and Social Transformation in 2018.

Transform Programs


The strength of our divisions and programs comes from our interdisciplinarity approach to historical, cultural, political and lived realities in today's world.

ETHNIC STUDIES
Our divisions and programs share cutting-edge concepts, faculty, and space. Our goal is to forge the wave of the future...
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DISABILITY STUDIES
Our divisions and programs share cutting-edge concepts, faculty, and space. Our goal is to forge the wave of the future...
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GENDER STUDIES
Our divisions and programs share cutting-edge concepts, faculty, and space. Our goal is to forge the wave of the future...
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PACIFIC ISLAND STUDIES
Our divisions and programs share cutting-edge concepts, faculty, and space. Our goal is to forge the wave of the future...
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ETHNIC
STUDIES

Our Ethnic Studies program will expand your understanding of issues affecting underrepresented communities.

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DISABILITY
STUDIES

Disability Studies is an interdisciplinary field that explores social, political, cultural, and economic factors that shape disability.

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GENDER
STUDIES

Gender Studies offers a space for the study of a wide range of feminist thought, practices, theory and community-engaged learning.

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PACIFIC ISLANDS
STUDIES

The Pacific Islands Studies program provides courses that are designed from an Indigenous Pacific islander perspective.

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TRANSFORM YOUR DEGREE

Whether you want to take a broad approach or focus on a specific group or community, we’ve got you covered! Our majors, minors and certificate programs allow you to expand your understanding of issues affecting underserved communities.

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