Interdisciplinary Disability Studies Minor
About the Program
The purpose of the Interdisciplinary Disability Minor is to
prepare undergraduate students to apply their unique disciplinary skills
to work with and support individuals with disabilities and their
families to become fully engaged members of their communities, achieving
independence, productivity, and quality of life. Additionally, the
purpose of the minor will be to prepare students to work in an
interdisciplinary service delivery environment. A secondary purpose is
to create a core group of interdisciplinary faculty to work
collaboratively with students on issues related to disability. The 18
credit hours curriculum will consist of two required 4-credit courses;
two elective 4-credit courses, and a 2-credit Independent Study course.
Specifically, the minor includes the following:
- Required: EDUC 750: Introduction to Exceptionality (4
credits) OR RMP 550 Perspectives on Disability (4 credits)
- Required: HHS 798: Topics in Neurodevelopmental
Disabilities (Introduction/ Interdisciplinary) (Fall semester) (4
credits)
- Elective Course: Issues in disability related to
children (chosen from a list of acceptable courses) (4 credits)
- Elective Courses: Issues in disability across the life
span (chosen from a list of acceptable courses) (4 credits)
- Independent Study (2 credits)
The proposed minor will offer students a unique opportunity
to explore disability from several vantage points. First, students will
be presented with an overview of the disability experience including the
types of societal barriers individuals face, service delivery systems,
disciplinary perspectives, current research, and relevant legislation.
Second, self-advocates and family members will be actively involved in
several of the required courses to present the experience of disability
from their perspectives. Third, students will learn the various support
roles played by individuals from disciplines such as communication
sciences and disorders, education, family studies, kinesiology, nursing,
occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychology, recreation
management and policy, and social work. Finally, students will
experience first hand the impact of policy, interdisciplinary practice,
and consumer perspectives through an independent study project.
Requirements
Required Courses (8 credits)
EDUC 750*: Introduction to
Exceptionality (4 credits) OR
RMP 550* Perspectives on Disability (4 credits)
HHS 798: Topics in Neurodevelopmental
Disabilities (Fall semester) (4 credits)
(Introduction/Interdisciplinary)
Electives (8 credits)
Elective Courses related to Disability and
Children:
EDUC 760: Introduction to Young Children with
Disabilities (4 credits)
HHS 740: Collaborative Services for Children with
Special Health Care Needs (4 credits)
KIN 781: Inclusion in Physical Education (4 credits)
NUTR 740 Nutrition for Children with Special Needs
(2 credits)
Elective Courses Related to Disability Across the Life
Span:
OT 722: Introduction to Assistive Technology (4
credits)
OT 751: Mind Body Systems/Neurologically Based
Function and Dysfunction) (4 credits)
OT 685 Psychosocial Disorders and Everyday Life (4
credits)
RMP 501: Recreation Services for Individuals with
Disabilities (4 credits)
EDUC 754 Contemporary Issues in Developmental
Disabilities (4 credits)
SW 897: Person-Centered Planning for People with
Developmental Disabilities (4 credits)
SW 712: Social Work and Developmental Disabilities (4
credits)
HHS 798: Topics in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities
(Spring semester) (4 credits) (Advanced)
XXX Inquiry Course in Disability (To be submitted) (4
credits)
Independent Study (2 credits)
The purpose of the Independent Study is to explore a
topic that provides a detailed focus on an important issue related to
individuals with disabilities. For example, a student may choose to
conduct a policy analysis of Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education and Improvement Act of 2004 that focuses on early
intervention services to infants and toddlers. A student may also choose
to engage in a small-scale research project to investigate an issue
that affects individuals with disabilities. Each project will be
negotiated with the student’s departmental faculty advisor and the
coordinator of the minor program.
Please Note: Additional elective courses can be added
in the future as deemed appropriate.
(* Note: If a student takes both EDUC 750 and RMP
550, then one of the courses could be considered an elective.)
Contact
Information
Therese Willkomm, Ph.D. ATP
Clinical Assistant Professor
Department of Occupational Therapy
College of Health and Human Services
Hewitt Hall
Durham, NH 03824
603.862.1056
theresew@unh.edu