The Best Buddies chapter at the University of Miami seeks to promote inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in our society. This year, Best Buddies is trying to persuade UM to offer a new minor to its students called Disability Studies. This is a minor offered at numerous other universities such as NYU, UCLA, UC Berkley, and UMass to students to enhance their academic pursuits in areas such as special education, law, medicine, social work, psychology, neuroscience, etc. We are seeking student and faculty support to show UMiami administration that this minor is beneficial to students. Below are courses that would be included in the minor. Please sign our petition to support this effort, and share it with other members of our UM community! Thank you!

Introduction to Disability Studies

This course provides a multidisciplinary introduction to the many dimensions of Disability Studies, including the history, social, cultural, political, legal, and economic perspectives on disability in American society.

Contemporary Issues in Developmental Disabilities

Following individuals with developmental disabilities, as they face challenges in housing and education as a child to health care, employment, and long term services as an adult.

Representations of People with Disabilities

Analyzing portrayal of the disabled community through literature, films, and the art world as a whole, as well as understanding the effects of these portrayals.

Biomedical Ethics and the Disabled Community

How medical ethics relates to people with disabilities in terms of issues such as euthanasia, end of life care, and long term services.