Disability Studies & Community Inclusion
Graduate Certificate
Program Overview
Disability is the largest minority group anyone can join at any time, either temporarily or permanently (Shapiro, 1994). This means disability should be an important issue for us all. Learn what it means to engage meaningfully and authentically with the disability community and promote inclusion through the Disability Studies and Community Inclusion graduate certificate. This graduate certificate is for individuals interested in challenging the traditional ways disability is constructed in society. This fully online graduate certificate will prepare you to participate in and promote the development of environments that increase accessibility and inclusion across life experiences for children and adults with disabilities.
Program Snapshot
Why This Program & What You'll Learn
This graduate certificate provides an introduction to the field of disability studies, which is an interdisciplinary area of study that challenges traditional views of disability as an individual problem and recognizes that disability is socially constructed. Disability Studies prioritize the voices and participation of disabled people in working toward the destigmatization of impairment, which is what makes the coursework in this graduate certificate unique. Students will examine issues of ableism and learn about various models and stereotypes of disability that serve to perpetuate, or challenge, negative perceptions of disability.
This graduate certificate examines how disability is understood within the context of culture, society, and politics, which is more productive in working toward an increasingly inclusive society.
In this graduate certificate, you will have the opportunity to apply what you have learned through a disability-focused capstone project that is meaningful and relevant to your current, or future, career.
Program Highlights
- Excellent graduate certificate for anyone seeking to add a specialty area to an existing graduate degree.
- Outstanding certificate to add to an existing bachelor’s degree.
- With only four courses, this certificate is perfect for those seeking continuing education credits for their current job.
- Fully online program.
- Asynchronous courses allow you to complete the class assignments based on your weekly availability.
- Strength based approach to disability.
- Interdisciplinary certificate taught by faculty from a variety of academic backgrounds including special education, disability studies, and recreational therapy.
- Disability studies are one of the fastest-growing academic disciplines in the country.
- Nearly 25% of the population has a disability, making this a highly relevant real-world minor.
Careers & Outcomes
Learn how to help improve the quality of life of people with disabilities with the Disability Studies and Community Inclusion Graduate Certificate.
| Career | Projected Salary |
|---|---|
| Recreational Therapist | $56,310 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $74,000 |
| Occupational Therapist | $85,570 |
| Special Education Teacher | $61,820 |
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