What to Expect
Thinking about joining our program? Find out what you can expect as a student
The master’s in disability and human development program requires a minimum of 32 semester hours of credits. At least 12 of these 32 hours must be attained in courses at the 500 level. No more than 12 semester hours may be transferred from an accredited and acceptable study at other institutions. Students can choose between two concentrations for this degree program: Disability Studies or Assistive Technology.
Coursework
Required courses
| DHD 401 | Disability, Human Development and Community Participation | 3 hours |
| DHD 408 | Disability Through the Lifecourse | 3 hours |
| DHD 510 | Concepts in Interdisciplinary Research on Disability | 3 hours |
Disability studies concentration
Select a minimum of two of the following:*
| DHD 407 | Cultural Politics of Disability and Health | 3 or 4 hours |
| DHD 409 | Disability Legal Studies | 3 hours |
| DHD 570 | Disability and Culture | 3 hours |
| DHD 581 | Disability Policy | 2 hours |
*Other DHD classes may be substituted with approval.
Select an additional 3-5 minimum hours of disability studies classes approved by the advisor.
Assistive technology concentration
Required
| DHD 440 | Introduction to Assistive Technology: Principles and Practice | 3 hours |
Select one of the following:
| DHD 551 | Computers, Communication and Controls in Rehabilitation Technology | 3 hours |
| DHD 554 | Augmentative Communication Assessment | 3 hours |
| DHD 555 | Considerations, Assessment and Documentation of Assistive Technology in PreK-12 Educational Setting | 3 hours |
| DHD 556 DHD 557 | Seating and Positioning for Wheelchair Mobility and Manual and Powered Wheelchair Technologies (must take both courses) | 3 hours |
Select an additional 3 hours of assistive technology assessment coursework approved by the advisor.
Select an additional 3 hours of DHD classes approved by the advisor.
Elective courses
A minimum of 8 hours of elective courses must be completed.
Thesis or coursework-only options
Thesis or coursework-only options are required. No other options are available.
- Thesis: A thesis is strongly recommended for students interested in pursuing careers in scholarship or research. Students electing a thesis must complete a minimum of one 3-hour methodology course approved by their advisor as part of their concentration/elective hours. Students in the assistive technology concentration must additionally register for DHD 590 as part of their concentration/elective hours. All students must form a committee and register for one hour of DHD 593 to develop and defend a short thesis proposal. Students must pass the proposal defense in order to take DHD 598. A minimum of 5 total hours of DHD 598 are required.
- Disability studies concentration coursework-only option: Students in the disability studies concentration electing the coursework-only option must register for 3 hours of DHD 594 with a faculty member and take an additional 3 hours of disability studies courses, approved by the advisor.
- Assistive technology concentration coursework-only option: Students in the assistive technology concentration electing the coursework-only option must register for 3 hours of DHD 590 with a faculty member or DHD 441, and take an additional 3 hours of DHD courses, approved by the advisor.