Disability Studies MA

Overview

This exciting programme explores disability as an equal opportunities issue by focusing on contemporary organisations and institutionalised practice.

Whether you’re a service provider, practitioner or policy maker who wants to bring theory and practice together, or you’re planning a career in the field of disability, in this course you’ll explore a range of disability-related issues from theoretical and practical perspectives.

Our core modules allow you to explore the frontiers of research in this rapidly developing field, and focus on social policy for disabled people in education, benefits, housing, transport, employment, health and social support services, as well as recent developments in social research on disability. You’ll also choose from optional modules to focus on the topics that best suit your own interests or career plans, from care to disability and development via research training or race and ethnicity studies.

Learning and teaching

We use various teaching methods including lectures, seminars and tutorials in core modules. Optional modules may also include methods such as practical classes, workshops or online learning. Independent study is also crucial to this programme, allowing you to shape your own research questions, prepare for taught sessions and build research and analytical skills.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

Assessment methods are likely to vary, depending on the optional modules you choose. Most of our taught modules are assessed through written work such as essays and book and literature reviews.

Career opportunities

There is a growing demand for students with a comprehensive knowledge of disability issues in all areas of social life.

In particular, there are many career opportunities in health and social support services, education, human resources, statutory and voluntary agencies, NGOs (non-governmental organisations), INGOs (international non-governmental agencies) and charities.

There are also excellent career openings in social research and universities – you’ll be well prepared for further research at PhD level.