Head: Don Fuchs
General Office: 128 Education Bldg
Telephone: (204) 474-7017
Fax: (204) 474-7551
Email: disability_studies@umanitoba.ca
Web: umanitoba.ca/disability_studies
Academic Staff
Program Information
The focus of the program allows students to examine the policies and practices of all societies in order to understand the social, rather than the physical or psychological determinants, of the experience of disability. This focus shifts the emphasis from a prevention, treatment, remediation paradigm to a social, cultural, political one.
We offer an interdisciplinary Master's Degree Program in Disability Studies. We also offer a graduate level Option in Disability Studies that is available to both Master's and Doctoral students.
Students in the Master's Program will have the opportunity to apply their undergraduate degrees and work experience to pursue advanced interdisciplinary research and scholarship. Students taking the Option in Disability Studies will complement their major program area of study with coursework which analyses the social construction of disability.
M.A./M.Sc. in Disability Studies
Admission
Admission requirements are those of the Faculty of Graduate Studies found in the Graduate Studies Regulations Section of this Calendar. Graduates of honours or equivalent programs at the University of Manitoba (or equivalent from other recognized universities) with a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 in the last 60 credit hours, are eligible for direct admission to a course of study leading to the Master's degree. Students who have completed a University of Manitoba Pre-Master's program with a minimum GPA of 3.0 are also eligible for admission. Pre-Master's programs taken at other universities may be accepted.
Students with undergraduate degrees from a wide range of disciplines – such as Architecture, Arts, Education, Human Ecology, Management, Medicine, Nursing, Physical Education and Recreation Studies, Science, Social Work and Women's Studies - will be considered eligible to apply if they meet the above requirements.
Application Deadline Dates
The deadline for receipt of the program application form and supporting documents in the department is March 1, 2003 for International Students and June 1, 2003 for Canadians and Americans as well as permanent residents.
Program Requirements
Minimum program requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies are found in the Graduate Studies Regulations Section of this calendar.
The Master's Degree in Disability Studies requirements are twenty-four credit hours; eighteen credit hours of required course work, six credit hours of elective course credit, plus a thesis. The six credit hours of elective courses can be taken from a list of approved courses at the 300, 400, 500 or 700 level.
Students who wish to pursue an M.Sc., will be required to have an undergraduate degree in Science. They will also be required to take at least six hours of elective credit hours at the 700 level in science subjects in those Faculties offering the M.Sc. The student's Advisory Committee or the Disability Studies Graduate Program Committee may require other additional science courses at the 300 or 400 level. It should be noted that students will normally be required to fulfil 700 level course prerequisites before enrolling in 700 level courses.
Students' proposed course work, Advisory Committee membership and thesis topic will be examined by a subcommittee of the Disability Studies Graduate Program Committee in order to identify the program as leading to an M.Sc. or M.A. degree. The decision as to which degree will be offered to the student will be based on: (a) the nature of the thesis proposal, (b) the nature of the course work and (c) the discipline(s) represented on the Thesis Advisory Committee. The Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies (or his/her designate) will seek the advice of the Deans of the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Science where programs do not fall clearly into either an Arts or Science paradigm.
All academic programs must be approved by the Disability Studies Graduate Program Committee. This is normally done on the recommendation from the student's advisor and/or Advisory Committee following consultation with the student.
Option in Disability Studies
Admission
The Interfaculty Option in Disability Studies is offered by the following faculties: Architecture, Arts, Education, Human Ecology, Management, Medicine, Nursing, Physical Education and Recreation Studies, Science, Social Work and Women's Studies. Upon completion of the requirements, a “comment” will be recorded on the student's transcript. For information concerning the option, interested students are directed to their student advisor.
Program Requirements
The Option in Disability Studies requirements are 162.702 (3) The History of Disability, and either 162.701 (6) Disability Studies or 162.703 (3) Evaluation and Application of Research Methods in Disability Studies.
Course Descriptions
