Mason Gross is one of four schools at Rutgers University–New Brunswick collaborating to launch a new minor this fall in interdisciplinary disability studies. The minor is designed to support the lived experience of those with disabilities and examine how society views and understands the meaning and consequences of being disabled.
The minor will be housed at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy and overseen by a committee of faculty from the Bloustein School, the School of Management and Labor Relations (SMLR), the Mason Gross School of the Arts, and the School of Arts of Sciences (SAS). Electives for the minor will also be offered by the Schools of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Communication and Information, Social Work, and Education.
The 18-credit minor consists of three required courses: Introduction to Disability Studies; Disability Policy and Law; and Field Experience for Special Populations.
Students will also select three electives from more than 60 options by participating schools and departments. Selected electives can include an array of topic areas that combine into a unique approach to disability studies; students also may specialize within their own major’s elective options.
“This minor enables students to explore disability studies from various angles,” Julia Sass Rubin, director of the Bloustein School’s Public Policy program, told NorthJersey.com. “It’s not limited to a single focus, like psychology or politics. Students can tailor their education based on their interests. For example, if someone is interested in disability in the context of art, they can focus on that. Similarly, those drawn to public health, policy or other areas can tailor their elective courses accordingly.”
Read more on Rutgers Today.