Disability and Human Development
Degree Requirements
Mailing Address:
Department of Disability and
Human Development (MC 626)
1640 West Roosevelt Road
Chicago, IL 60608-6904
Campus Location:
436 DHSP
Program Code: 20FS1165MS
Telephone: (312) 413-1647
E-mail: DHD@uic.edu
Web Site: http://www.ahs.uic.edu/dhd
Head of the Department: Tamar Heller
Director of Graduate Studies: Carrie Sandahl
Academic Coordinator: Maitha Abogado, maitha@uic.edu
The Department of Disability and Human Development (DHD) offers work leading to the Master of Science in Disability and Human Development. Study and research are available in the concentrations of (1) Disability Studies and Social Policy and (2) Rehabilitation Technology. An interdepart-mental concentration in Gender and Women’s Studies is available to students in this program. The program articulates closely with the PhD program in Disability Studies For further information on the Doctor of Philosophy in Disability Studies, see Disability Studies in the College of Applied Health Sciences section of the catalog.
Admission Requirements
Applicants are considered on an individual basis. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements:
Master of Science
- Baccalaureate Field No restrictions.
- Grade Point Average At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester (90 quarter) hours of undergraduate study. In exceptional cases applicants having a lower GPA may be admitted if they can demonstrate substantial evidence of their ability to complete the program successfully.
- Tests Required GRE General with a combined verbal and quantitative score of 297 (tests taken August 2011 or after) or combined verbal and quantitative score of 1000 (tests taken prior to August 2011).
- Minimum English Competency Test Score
- TOEFL 550 (paper-based); 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21 (iBT Internet-based TOEFL), OR,
- IELTS 6.5, with subscores of 6.0 for all four subscores.
- Letters of Recommendation Three required.
- Personal Statement Required.
- Other Requirements Applicants must complete all forms included in the department’s application packet.
- Deadlines To receive full consideration for fall admission, including consideration for graduate assistantships, applications should be received by January 1 of the year in which admission is being sought.
Degree Requirements
In addition to the minimum requirements of the Graduate College, students must meet the following program requirements:
Master of Science
- Minimum Semester Hours Required 36.
- Course Work This program requires a minimum of 36 semester hours of credit. At least 12 of these 36 hours must be attained in courses at the 500-level. A minimum of 13 elective hours must be taken. A maximum of 25% of the 36 hours (9 semester hours) may be transferred from accredited and acceptable graduate study at other institutions. Therefore, all students are required to earn a minimum of 27 semester hours of credit in formal course work and thesis/project work within the Master of Science program. Thesis research or thesis project credit may not exceed 40% of the required 36 hours, or a maximum of 14 hours.
- Required Core Courses: DHD 401 and DHD 510.
- Concentration Courses:
- Disability Studies and Social Policy—Must complete the following two additional courses: DHD 581 and DHD 570.
- Rehabilitation Technology—Must complete the following two additional courses: DHD 440; and DHD 551 or 565.
- Comprehensive Examination A written comprehensive examination is required only for students who do not elect the thesis option.
- Thesis, Project, or Course-Work-Only Options Thesis or project 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 either DHD 546 or DHD 515 or an equivalent graduate-level statistics course, and must complete at least 8 hours of DHD 598.
- Project: Students must complete at least 4 hours of DHD 597. Students electing the project option must complete an additional 7 semester hours of course work to reach the 36 hours required for the degree. The additional hours may be taken in the form of elective courses or project hours.
Interdepartmental Concentration in Gender and Women’s Studies
Students earning a graduate degree in this department may complement their courses by enrolling for a concentration in Gender and Women’s Studies after consulting with their graduate adviser. See Gender and Women’s Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for more information.
