Minor in Critical Disability Studies

Steve Hicks School of Social Work, Texas Center for Disability Studies, School of Nursing, College of Education, College of Fine Arts, and College of Liberal Arts

The minor in Critical Disability Studies (CDI) is designed to broaden a student’s conception of disability with a focus on the social context and cultural representations of disability. Critical Disability Studies is an interdisciplinary approach that adds breadth to the traditional, primarily medical, view of disability. Critical Disability Studies reframes the study of disability with a social/cultural/political paradigm, using a minority group model to critically examine existing beliefs, images, ideologies, policies, and stereotypes about disability.

View the Steve Hicks School minor page for more information on course requirements.

Admission Requirements

 Students may enter the CDI portfolio program at any point in their undergraduate work, but it is recommended that they do so as soon as they decide to pursue the portfolio.  The following information is requested in the application:

1. Proof of enrollment and good academic standing in an approved degree program (minimum GPA of 2.0).

2. Consent from the student’s Advisor for participation in the CDI portfolio area.

Getting Started

Social Work and Critical Disability Studies Minor News

• The social work minor and Critical Disability Studies Minor are open and are accepted on a rolling basis. There are NO personal essays required. The only requirement to declare the social work or Critical Disability Studies Minor is that students have a 2.0 GPA or higher. 
  • More information about the  Critical Disability Studies Minor can be found here.
• If a student is coded as a social work or Critical Disability Studies Minor, they will have access to restricted social work courses required for their minors during the initial registration period.
• The student should direct all questions related to SW/ID minors to BSWadvising@austin.utexas.edu