Overview
Through a core course, carefully selected electives, a required two-term internship or research apprenticeship, and a senior capstone project, students in the minor obtain both breadth and depth in their understanding of the concept and practical implications of disability.
Requirements
Admission
To enter the Disability Studies minor, students must (1) have an overall grade-point average of 2.7 or better and (2) submit an application essay supporting their interest in pursuing the minor. To help plan the internship and course schedule, students are expected to work closely with the minor’s academic adviser. For contact information, application, and general information about the minor, see the minor website.
The Minor
Required Upper-Division Courses (13 to 15 units): Disability Studies 101 or 101W and three courses selected from 102 through 187, American Sign Language M120, 121, Anthropology 159, Arts Education 101, Asian American Studies M117, Community Health Sciences 100, 132, Education 132, Gerontology M119O, History 179A, Linguistics C135, Psychology M107, M119O, 127A or 127B or 127C, 129C, 132A, 133I, M140, Social Welfare M140, 162, Sociology M148, Spanish M165XP. Students may petition to apply a third term of Disability Studies 195CE toward the elective requirement.
Required Upper-Division Internship/Apprenticeship Courses (8 units): Two consecutive terms of internship or research apprenticeship (Disability Studies 195CE or 196) in a community-based agency that provides services or support for persons with disabilities or in an institution or agency at the local, state, or federal level responsible for policy on disability issues or collaboration on a research project focused on an area of disability studies scholarship. Internship credit for students participating in the UC Center Sacramento (UCCS) program or the Center for American Politics and Public Policy (CAPPP) program may be substituted by petition and is subject to approval by the faculty committee.
Required Upper-Division Capstone Courses (5 to 6 units): Disability Studies 191 or 198A and 198B or 199A and 199B. Prior to enrolling in any capstone option, students must complete Disability Studies 101 or 101W, two upper-division electives, and at least one term of an internship or apprenticeship.
The capstone experience for the minor requires an integrative final paper or project that incorporates the required curriculum and elective courses. Students complete the capstone experience by enrolling in a senior research seminar (Disability Studies 191) or by enrolling in two-term independent study courses (198A and 198B or 199A and 199B) under the guidance of a faculty sponsor. The faculty sponsor approves the proposed readings as well as the length and scope of the final paper or project based on guidelines developed by the faculty committee for the minor.
Policies
A minimum of 20 units applied toward the minor requirements must be in addition to units applied toward major requirements or another minor. Only one course may be applied to both this minor and another major or minor.
Each minor course must be taken for a letter grade, and students must have an overall grade-point average of 3.0 or better in the minor. Successful completion of the minor is indicated on the transcript and diploma.