Disability Studies ,Certificate
Ableism, Advocacy, Barriers, Culture, Diversity, Intersectionality, Social Construction
Redefine your understanding of disability by examining the lived experiences and perspectives of people with disabilities, their families and communities. Engage in research and advocacy to address challenges in media, education, institutions and public policy.
As a vibrant and diverse focus of academia, disability studies uses a cross-disability, intersectional and interdisciplinary approach to understand disability as a social and cultural construct and people with disabilities as a protected minority. This program draws upon diverse disciplines including history, sociology, law, policy studies, economics, anthropology, geography, philosophy, theology, gender studies, media studies, architecture and the arts to understand the social, cultural and political situation of disabled cultures, and people with disabilities globally.
Students are critically challenged to reject simplistic definitions of disability as a restrictive, functional impairment that requires fixing or curing. This perspective is central to individual and social identity, and crucial to changing discriminatory, exclusionary and harmful political processes and public attitudes.
This program prioritizes development of theoretical, methodological, educational and advocacy models that redefine legal, physical, policy and attitudinal barriers that exclude disabled communities from full participation in society.
- College/school:
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Location: Tempe
2025-2026 Catalog Year
| Requirement | Minimum Grade | Credit Hours |
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| Requirement | Minimum Grade | Credit Hours |
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Students must complete 15 credit hours with at least 12 hours completed at the upper-division level. A minimum grade of "C" (2.00 on a 4.00 scale) is required for a course to count toward the certificate.
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| Required Courses | ||
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JUS 235: Disability, Justice and Advocacy
(CIVI)
3 Credit
Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
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C | 3 |
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JUS 437: The Social Construction of Disability and Justice
(HUAD)
3 Credit
Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
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C | 3 |
| Elective Courses | ||
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9 Credit
Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
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C | 9 |
| Requirement | Minimum Grade | Credit Hours |
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Prerequisite courses may be needed in order to complete the requirements of this certificate.
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Other courses may be used with approval from an academic advisor in the School of Social Transformation.
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In addition to all other majors, students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts or minor in disability studies offered by the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences are permitted to add this certificate.
A student pursuing an undergraduate certificate must be enrolled as a degree-seeking student at ASU. Undergraduate certificates are not awarded before the award of an undergraduate degree. A student already holding an undergraduate degree may pursue an undergraduate certificate as a nondegree-seeking graduate student.
Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program has the following program outcomes:
- Employ and critically assess core theories, models and perspectives that have contributed to the development of disability studies.
- Understand and identify representations of disability as historically specific and culturally contingent.
- Apply disability studies perspectives in the construction of social policy, engagement and advocacy.
Graduates who have combined the certificate in disability studies with their major program of study may become more marketable to employers. They often decide to pursue employment in law, education, public service, and human welfare and social work.
Advanced degrees or certifications may be required for academic or clinical positions.
School of Social Transformation
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WLSN 5th floor
SSTadvising@asu.edu
480-965-7682
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
