Major
This information relates to the 2024 and 2025 intake.
Disability is ubiquitous in the community. No part of the political, cultural, social and economic landscape is untouched by the contribution or needs of people with disability.
The Disability and Participation major will help students across all disciplines develop knowledge, skills and attitudes that will underpin informed collaboration to reduce these inequalities and support inclusion and participation of people with disability in everyday life.
The major will also introduce concepts that underpin the perceptions and experience of disability from person-centered and citizen-community perspectives. It acknowledges and seeks to counteract outdated historical depictions of people with disability as objects for study or people with disorders to be “managed”.
The major recognises the importance of social constructs in creating disability and disability as a human rights issue that can impact health and participation in everyday life. Practical strategies that have been and could be used to facilitate participation in real-world settings will be explored, including:
- advocacy;
- collaborative dialogue and partnership;
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander approaches to health and healing;
- culturally safe disability practice and understanding of disability in multicultural settings;
- use of everyday technologies; and
- local/ international community development.
About this major
To meet the requirements for a major in Disability and Participation you must complete 48 credit points of units of study, as follows:
(i) 12 credit points of 1000-level core units:
- Perspectives on Disability and Participation
- Disability and Lifespan Development
(ii) 18 credit points of 2000-level core units
- Disability and Decolonising Practices
- Disability, Human Rights and Participation
- Disability and Assistive Products
(iii) 12 credit points of 3000 core units
- Deconstructing the Disability Sector
- Community Development and Disability
(iii) 6 credit points of 3000-level interdisciplinary project selective units of study
- Industry and Community Project
Why study Disability and Participation?
Are you passionate about changing the way people with a disability are included and supported in communities? The Disability and Participation major can help you learn the skills and knowledge to create an inclusive society. Here's 6 reasons why you should study this subject at the University of Sydney.
Webinar: Listen to Dr Kim Bulkely explain why you should consider studying the Disability and Participation major. Watch the webinar here.
Courses that offer this major
The course information on this website applies only to future students. Current students should refer to faculty handbooks for current or past course information.
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