Graduate Certificate: Disability Studies
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Learn more about the graduate certificate in Disability Studies.
About the Certificate
Disability Studies offers a course of study that explores disability from historical, cultural, and sociopolitical perspectives. Focus is placed on disability within a social and political context, challenging the notion that the statuses and roles of individuals with disability result from physical or psychological aspects of disability. Scholars in the field of Disability Studies recognize the necessity of focusing their work on issues of disability within a traditional discipline, but also require a familiarity with work on disability in other disciplines to enrich their own understandings. It is for this philosophical reason that the graduate certificate in Disability Studies is interdisciplinary and jointly sponsored by the Institute on Disabilities and the College of Education and Human Development.
The graduate certificate in Disability Studies draws on resources in a broad array of disciplines from the liberal arts and social sciences to the allied health professions. It develops a more accurate understanding and appreciation of people with disabilities and the evolution of their civil rights movement. The graduate certificate can be earned in conjunction with a wide variety of disciplines. Disability Studies provides students with an opportunity to reflect critically on practices and approaches that may be taken for granted in their home disciplines. Particular strengths include the social history of disability and ableism, disability and health, ecological aspects of disablement, universal design, disability social policy, and constituency-oriented research on disability rights and culture.
Time Limit for Certificate Completion: 2 years
Campus Location: Main and Online
Full-Time/Part-Time Status: The graduate certificate can be completed on a part-time basis.
Non-Matriculated Student Policy: Non-matriculated students may take up to 9 credits of coursework before applying to the graduate certificate program.
Financing Opportunities: For information about financing this graduate certificate, please refer to the Graduate School's financing information. Students who are adding this certificate to a terminal degree program may be eligible for Spring Graduate Assistantship opportunities from the Institute on Disabilities. For more information on assistantships, please refer to the Institute on Disabilities' graduate assistantship information.
Admission Requirements and Deadlines
Application Deadline:
Applications are accepted for the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms and are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Students already enrolled in a Temple University graduate degree program APPLY ONLINE through an internal application.
Prospective students not currently enrolled in a Temple University graduate degree program APPLY ONLINE to this certificate program.
Letters of Reference:
Number Required: 2
From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained to provide insight regarding the applicant's academic competence. References from college/university faculty are recommended.
Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: A bachelor's degree is required. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 is expected.
International applicants should also submit an official document that validates completion and conferral of a degree, diploma, and/or certificate. While not required, international applicants are encouraged to submit transcript(s) to the World Education Services (WES) for evaluation.
Statement of Goals: Outline your interest in seeking a graduate certificate with a specific focus on the career to which you aspire, your interests, and your academic and job-related experiences that are relevant to the program.
Standardized Test Scores:
Applicants who earned their baccalaureate degree from an institution where the language of instruction was other than English, with the exception of those who subsequently earned a master’s degree at a U.S. institution, must report scores for a standardized test of English that meet these minimums:
- TOEFL iBT: 79
- IELTS Academic: 6.5
- PTE Academic: 53
Resume: Current resume required.
Other Requirement: Official undergraduate and graduate transcripts from all accredited institutions attended and/or from which credit was earned must be submitted.
Certificate Requirements
Number of Credits Required to Complete the Certificate: 12
Required Courses:
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
Core Courses | ||
DSST 5401 | Disability Rights and Culture | 3 |
DSST 9489 | Field Work in Disability Studies | 3 |
Electives | ||
Select two of the following: | 6 | |
Action Modes of Research | ||
Disability and Social Policy | ||
Disability Studies in the Humanities | ||
Total Credit Hours | 12 |
GPA Required to be Awarded the Certificate: 3.0 minimum
Courses
DSST 5401. Disability Rights and Culture. 1 to 3 Credit Hour.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
DSST 5402. Action Modes of Research. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
DSST 5403. Disability and Social Policy. 1 to 3 Credit Hour.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
DSST 5404. Health and Wellness for Persons with Disabilities. 3 Credit Hours.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
DSST 5405. Disability Studies in the Humanities. 1 to 3 Credit Hour.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
DSST 5501. Introduction to Disability Studies. 1 to 3 Credit Hour.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
DSST 9489. Field Work in Disability Studies. 1 to 3 Credit Hour.
Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
Contacts
Certificate Program Web Address:
Department Information:
Institute on Disabilities at the College of Education
Howard Gittis Student Center, Room 411S
1755 N. 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122-6011
Voice: 215-204-1356
TTY: 1-215-204-1805
Submission Address for Materials for Applicants Currently Enrolled in a Temple University Graduate Program:
https://edtemple.tk20.com/campustoolshighered/admissions1.do