Unit information: Disability in Society in 2022/23

Unit name	Disability in Society
Unit code	SPOL30075
Credit points	20
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Dr. Series
Open unit status	Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)	None
Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)	None
Units you may not take alongside this one
School/department	School for Policy Studies
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Unit Information

Disability in Society will examine the issues faced by disabled children, young people and adults in contemporary society. The unit is driven by a critique of society and its institutions. It locates disability in the social rather than individual context. The unit will consider the theoretical underpinnings of disability studies, including the social model, and will discuss the differing views and debates about these issues.

The unit is planned and co-produced with people who have direct experience of disability. The first part of the unit will take a life course approach from childhood to old age. The second part will consider for example - disability and forced migration, the experiences of parents with learning disabilities, disabled children in education and transition to adulthood, disability and sexuality as well as inclusive research with disabled people. It addresses questions that arise in relation to inclusion, societal attitudes and relationships, barriers to participation, and the practical steps that can be taken to address barriers in ‘systemic’ ways.

The unit aims are:

• To examine models of disability and engage with debates regarding the value in enabling understanding of the lived experience of disability
• To explore social constructed ideas of disability and consider the social and cultural roots of disablement in contemporary society
• To critically examine social structures (education, social care, health care) as both inclusive spaces and sites of oppression
• To appraise research within disability studies
• To examine policy and experience from the point of view of disabled people themselves

Your learning on this unit

1. To be able to identify and critique the models and theories that have driven disability studies and how these develop understanding of the lived experience of disability
2. To appraise and critique social policy relating to disability in terms of its relevance and impact to the lives of disabled people
3. To evaluate research carried out within Disability Studies, in relation to key goals such as impact, inclusion, voice and social justice.

How you will learn

Blended learning for this unit will include a mix of lectures, interactive sessions and small group discussion and activities deliverer synchronously and asynchronously. It will include contributions from disabled people.

How you will be assessed

Part 1 1000-word blog (25%)

Part 2 2000-word essay (75%)

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. SPOL30075).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.