Disability Studies

The Disability Studies Minor is a flexible, interdisciplinary course of study that brings together contributions from a variety of fields. It recognizes disability as a cultural and embodied experience situated in history and changing social circumstances. The minor regards disability not simply as a medical problem, educational concern, or matter of legal or social policy, but instead as a lived experience. To do so, the program questions concepts such as normalcy and analyzes difference by interrogating institutional and political structures, cultural practices, and products that contribute to the social construction of disability. In sum, the aim of the Disability Studies Minor is to provide students with the tools to critically engage with disability as an identity and a way of living in the world.

18 units minimum. At least 8 units must be upper division.

1. Core Courses (9 units)

SPED 200SL Introduction to Disability Studies (3)*
ENGL 322 Disability in Literature and Culture (3)*

Choose one of the following courses:

HIST 389 Disability in American History and Law (3)*
PHIL 324 Philosophy of Disability (3)*

2. Elective Courses (9 units)

AAS 350 Asian American Personality and Mental Health (3)*
ANTH 425 Culture, Health and Healing (3)
CADV 450 Helping Children Cope with Medical Environments (3)
CD 133 Survey of Communication Disorders (3)*
DEAF 360 American Deaf Culture (3)
DEAF 400 Deaf and Hearing People: A Comparative Cultural Analysis (3)
HIST 389 Disability in American History and Law (3)* (if not used as Core Course)
HSCI 422 Health Services for the Elderly and the Mentally Ill (3)
HSCI 442 Health, Culture, and Diversity (3)
JOUR 372 Diversity and the Media (3)*
KIN 451/KIN 451L Adapted Aquatic Therapeutic Exercise: Assessment, Evaluation and Program Design and Lab (2/1)
KIN 452/L Adapted Physical Activity for Children and Lab (2/1)
PHIL 265 Medical Ethics (3)*
PHIL 324 Philosophy of Disability (3)* (if not used as Core Course)
RTM 204 Introduction to Recreation Therapy (3)
SOC 304 Sociology of Deviance (3)
SOC 493 Diversity and Social Justice (3)

This program encourages reflection, outreach, and activism. Because issues around disability identity, rights, and access reach across many disciplines, consider applying the concepts from the disability studies minor to your major. Possible electives for this experience include:

AFRS 392A-Z Fieldwork in the African American Community (3)
AAS 361A-Z Asian American Experience of Selected Groups (3)
CCE 490 Civic and Community Engagement Capstone (3)
CHS 270SOC/F Fieldwork in Barrio Studies (1/2)*
CTVA 319 Criticism in Cinema and Television Arts (3)
CJS 454AA-ZZ Selected Topics in Criminal Justice (3)
ENGL 494/IP English Intern Program (1/2)
GWS 205/CS Gender and Women’s Studies Community Service and Seminar (1/2)*
FCS 494/FCS 494I Academic Internship and Evaluation (2/1)
POLS 449DC DC Politics, Culture, and History (3)
POLS 449PR Professional Development in DC (3)
POLS 494I/A Political Science Internship (1/2)
RTM 300 Recreation and Community Development (3)

Some courses in the minor may have additional prerequisites beyond the required courses shown above.

*Courses that are also General Education: ENGL 322 satisfies upper division Area 3B Humanities and SPED 200SL satisfies 3 units of CSUN Section F Comparative Cultural Studies. If taken, PHIL 265 satisfies Area 3B Humanities and Information Competence; AAS 350 satisfies 3 units of upper division Area 4 Social and Behavioral Sciences and Information Competence; HIST 389 and/or PHIL 324 satisfy upper division Area 4 Social and Behavioral Sciences; and JOUR 372 satisfies 3 units of upper division CSUN Section F Comparative Cultural Studies and Information Competence. GWS 205/CS or CD 133 satisfies the Lifelong Learning Campus Requirement; CHS 270SOC/F satisfies the Lifelong Learning Campus Requirement and the Ethnic Studies requirement.

Total Units in the Minor: 18