Center for Disabilities Studies : University Education : Minor in Disabilities Studies
Minor in Disabilities Studies
The College of Human Services, Education, and Public Policy offers a minor in Disabilities Studies, with courses taught by faculty from across the university. The minor in Disabilities Studies provides a unique interdisciplinary opportunity for undergraduate students to learn about the policies, services, and systems that support the full participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of community life. The approach of the minor is that disability is a natural part of the human condition. Students from a variety of majors benefit from a greater understanding of disabilities professionally and personally.
Students in the minor have access to a variety of disability resources, academic and service projects, and regular faculty advisement. Students may count relevant independent studies and undergraduate research toward minor electives. The minor includes a capstone senior seminar that engages students in hands-on experience and applications to real-life situations.
For general inquiries about the minor (e.g., requirements; adding/dropping the minor; selecting courses), please contact Mary Thomas, Coordinator, at 302-831-2940. Other matters may be directed to the faculty advisor, Laura Eisenman, 302-831-0532.
Minor in Disabilities Studies Requirements
To add the Minor, current undergraduate students must initiate a request for a Change of Academic Plan through UDSIS.
The Minor in Disabilities Studies requires 18 credit hours, distributed as follows: all core courses listed below (9 credits) and three additional courses (9 credits) selected in consultation with and approved by the student’s minor advisor. These courses shall be chosen from each of the following topic areas: Human Development, Social Systems, and Service Delivery Methods. At least one of these courses must be from outside the requirements of the student’s major and outside his or her major department. All courses included in the minor must be completed with a grade of C- or better.
Required Core Courses
| Course Number | Course Title | Credit Hours |
| HDFS/SOCI 270 | Families and Developmental Disabilities | 3 |
| EDUC 230 | Introduction to Exceptional Children | 3 |
| HEPP 465*/** | Senior Seminar in Disabilities Studies | 3 |
Three elective courses, one from each of the following areas are required. At least one course must be outside the requirements of your major and outside of your major department.
Human Development
Human Development includes the study of typical and exceptional developmental processes of human beings at and across various stages or periods of development (e.g. infancy, early childhood, childhood, adolescence, early and later adulthood.) The chosen course may focus on physical, emotional, cognitive, or social development separately or in combination, but exceptionality or atypical development should be a major topic within the course. Human Development Courses:
| Course Number | Course Title | Credit Hours |
| BISC 105 | Human Heredity and Development | 3 |
| EDUC 205** | Human Development I: Grades K-8 | 3 |
| HDFS 201 | Lifespan Development | 3 |
| HDFS 221 | Child Development | 3 |
| HDFS 236 | Infants and Toddlers: Development and Program | 3 |
| HESC 301** | Motor Development | 3 |
| HDFS 329* | Adolescent Development | 3 |
| HDFS 405 | Aging and the Family | 3 |
| HDFS 410* | The Hospitalized Child | 3 |
| HDFS 463* | Atypical Infant and Toddler | 3 |
| HDFS 470* | Families and Children at Risk | 3 |
| NTDT 305* | Nutrition in the Lifespan | 3 |
| NTDT 350* | Nutrition and Older Adults | 3 |
| PSYC 325 | Child Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 334* | Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 350** | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 380** | Psychopathology | 3 |
| SOCI 308* | The Family | 3 |
| SOCI 346* | Gender and Aging | 3 |
| XXXX 366-466**** | Independent Study | 3 |
Social Systems
Social Systems includes the study of organizations, policies, laws, and regulations that represents the social and community systems' response to the needs of persons with disabilities, their families, or other special populations (e.g. elderly, low income, medically fragile, or at risk). The selected course should focus upon broad social/public policy issues, professional responsibility, and ethical concerns (e.g. employment, education, health and medical care, housing, recreation and leisure, social welfare, transportation). Social Systems Courses:
| Course Number | Course Title | Credit Hours |
| ECON381* | Economics of Human Resources | 3 |
| EDUC 247 | Preofessional Issues: Historical Perspectives | 3 |
| EDUC 473*** | Transitions from Secondary Special Education | 3 |
| CSCC/POSC/SOCI 343 | Society, Politics, and Health Care | 3 |
| HDFS 202 | Foundation in Family Studies | 3 |
| HDFS 230 | Families and their Communities | 3 |
| HDFS 402* | Child and Family Policy | 3 |
| HDFS 445 | Family, Community and School Partnerships | 3 |
| LEAD 100 | Leadership, Integrity & Change | 3 |
| LEAD 101 | Understanding Consumers | 3 |
| LEAD 201 | Introduction to Consumer Policy | 3 |
| NTDT 460 | Community Nutrition | 3 |
| NURS 231** and NURS 232** |
Health Promotion Across the Lifespan and Care of Vulnerable Populations |
2 2 |
| PHIL 202 | Contemporary Moral Problems | 3 |
| PHIL 313 | Killing and Letting Die | 3 |
| PHIL/CSCC 241* | Ethical Issues in Health Care | 3 |
| PHIL/CSCC 444 | Medical Ethics | 3 |
| POSC 220 | Introduction of Public Policy | 3 |
| PSYC 415** | History & Systems of Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 409 | Ethics in Psychology | 3 |
| SOCI/CSCC 311* | Sociology of Health Care | 3 |
| SOCI 341* | Welfare and Society | 3 |
| UAPP 110 | Changing the World and Public Policy | 3 |
| UAPP 225 | Crafting Public Policy | 3 |
| XXXX 366-466**** | Independent Study | 3 |
Service Delivery Methods
Service Delivery Methods includes the study of methods and procedures for delivering services or supports to persons with disabilities, their families, or other special populations. The chosen course may be specific to a single discipline, field (e.g. teaching, social work, nursing, nutrition, counseling, etc.). Service Delivery Methods Courses:
| Course Number | Course Title | Credit Hours |
| BUAD 472* | Marketing, Society and the Environment | 3 |
| ECON 390 | Economics of Healthcare | 3 |
| EDUC/HDFS 360 | Learning in Community Contexts | 3 |
| EDUC 414 | Teaching Exceptional Adolescents | 3 |
| EDUC 474*** | Instructional Methods in Secondary Special Education | 3 |
| EDUC 652* | Intro to Technology in Special Education & Rehabilitation | 3 |
| HESC 342 | Survey in Adaptive Phs Educ & Recreation | 3 |
| HDFS 235* | Survey in Child and Family Services | 3 |
| HDFS 332 | Counseling Theories | 3 |
| HDFS 334 | Experiential Education | 3 |
| HDFS 346* | Delivery of Human Services | 3 |
| HDFS 347* | Program Development and Evaluation | 3 |
| HDFS 452* | Assessment of Young Children | 3 |
| LEAD 205 | Leadership in Consumer Voice and Customer Service | 3 |
| LEAD 404* | Leadership in Organizations | 3 |
| LING 376* | Introduction to Communication Disorders | 3 |
| NTDT 450* | Medical Nutrition Therapy I | 3 |
| NURS 354** | Psychosocial Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 356** | Care of Children and Families | 3 |
| NURS 358** | Women's Health Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 411~ | Topics in Health Care Delivery | 3 |
| NURS 412~ | Multicultural Topics in Health Care Delivery | 3 |
| PSYC 481** | Clinical Psychology | 3 |
| UAPP 220 | Citizens, Community and Change | 3 |
| UAPP 410 | Making Convincing Policy Arguments | 3 |
| XXXX 366-466**** | Independent Study | 3 |
Notes
~ Only certain topics may be applied toward the minor
* Prerequisite required; see undergraduate catalog
** Restricted to certain majors and/or minors
*** Instructor Permission Required
**** Independent study courses may fulfill elective requirements, provided they receive the approval of the Disabilities Studies advisor.
For more information
Laura Eisenman, Ph.D., Faculty Advisor
302-831-0532
Mary Thomas, Coordinator
302-831-2940
