School of Interdisciplinary Studies

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Critical Disability Studies Courses

Listed below are a variety of courses currently offered that count toward the Critical Disability Studies (CDIS) minor.  

There are additional courses across the College of Liberal Arts that contribute to the CDIS plan of study.

  • Fall 2026
    • CDIS 239- Introduction to Disability Studies
    • ANTH 340- Global Perspectives on Health
    • ANTH 384 - Designing For People: Anthropological Approaches
    • HIST 308- American Eugenics
    • IE 589- Assistive Technology Practice
  • Spring 2026
    • CDIS 239- Introduction to Disability Studies
  • Fall 2025
    • CDIS 239- Introduction to Disability Studies
  • CDIS 239 - Introduction To Disability Studies
    • Introduces students to the principles of and debates within disability studies. Topics explored include ideas of normalcy; the social model of disability; history of eugenics and its current manifestations; relations between disability and other identity categories; issues of social and physical access; cultural representations of disabled people. 
  • CDIS 290 - Special Topics In Critical Disability Studies
    • Various topics in critical disability studies, changing from semester to semester as presented by different instructors.
  • ANTH 340 - Global Perspectives on Health
    •  This course examines health issues and risks faced by individuals and communities around the world, but especially in resource-poor geographical areas. We will explore in-depth the social and material dimensions that underlie the patterning of disease and illness worldwide.
  • ANTH 384 - Designing For People: Anthropological Approaches  
    •  This course is about designing for people. You will use anthropological knowledge and skills to better understand human and technology interactions. With students from other fields, you will learn how to apply an anthropological perspective to human centered design and design with the needs of a specific user group in mind.
  • HIST 308 - American Eugenics
    • This course explores the pre-history and history of American eugenics, as well as its afterlives. It analyzes how Americans have used scientific ideas to grapple with questions of heredity and human worth from the Early Republic to the present. We will explore the social and political uses of phrenology, physiognomy, and eugenics, and consider how those scientifically discredited ideas do and do not shape modern studies in demography, genetics, social work, and genetic engineering.
  • IE 589- Assistive Technology Practice
    • This course introduces rehabilitation engineering through the use, design, evaluation, and delivery of assistive technology (AT) for persons with disabilities. Students will learn about the pathophysiology of different categories of disabilities and their impact on daily living, educational, and occupational activities and explore a range of AT devices employed by each group. A theoretical framework will be taught on how to assess the AT needs of individuals with disabilities, determine how to match appropriate AT features with individual consumer needs and preferences, and evaluate the usefulness of novel AT solutions. Also important is to become familiar with the major laws and policies that affect accessibility and the provision of AT. Guest lectures and demonstrations offer greater understanding of topic areas through their first-hand knowledge. Students will be required to devise and evaluate a conceptual AT solution for a chosen disabling condition and activity based on the AT assessment framework they learn during class.