The interdisciplinary Master of Science Program in Disability and Human Development at UIC

• was featured in The New York Times and the Chronicle of Higher Education, as the nation’s first graduate degree program focused on the interdisciplinary study of disability.
• examines the cultural, legal, programmatic, and theoretical context of disability in society.
• prepares leaders in community-based and governmental agencies, advocates in the disability-rights movement, and disability scholars.
• has diverse faculty and resources in the social sciences, health fields, and humanities.
• has diverse students from all over the world with backgrounds in numerous disciplines.

The curriculum examines disability and human development across the lifespan with an emphasis on promoting self-determination and community participation. Students can focus their studies and research in one of five areas, with substantial program flexibility in each:

• Disability Ethics considers bioethics within the framework of disability studies, critiquing and expanding current approaches in ethics practice, research, and conceptual analysis.
• Disability Studies and Social Policy focuses on understanding disability phenomena and policy in the context of social practices and cultural values about human differences.
• Health Promotion addresses the health needs of persons with disabilities by viewing health as multi-dimensional, and optimal health as a worthy goal for all persons.
• Leadership and Organization focuses on practical management skills relevant to the disability non-profit organization, integrated with theories of disablement, historical and contemporary disability issues, and knowledge of state and national disability programs.
• Rehabilitation Technology employs coursework and field experience to expose students to the spectrum of devices in the assistive technology field and methodologies to evaluate their effectiveness.