布里斯托大學

Programme overview

This programme, delivered within the Norah Fry Centre for Disability Studies, will equip you with the skills, knowledge and ability to plan and carry out academic research relevant to disability studies.

You will gain the research skills to help make a positive difference to the lives of disabled people, with a special optional interest in people with learning (intellectual) disabilities and their families.

The Norah Fry Centre for Disability Studies is a leading national centre of excellence for applied social research and teaching, and the programme is led by staff who are all active researchers. Elements of the programme are delivered by and co--taught with people with disabilities, including those with intellectual disabilities.

The programme is one of only a few in the UK to offer disability studies students full research methods training. You will take core units in research design, quantitative methods and qualitative methods, plus an additional core unit about inclusive research with disabled people. The core units therefore provide a good grounding for those who wish to carry on to a PhD or take up research posts. A co-learning environment with social work research and policy research students also provides an opportunity to interact and share insights with other interest groups.

The optional units will give you a chance to consider research around inclusion for disabled people in relation to international rights, as well as UK structures in society. You will also have the opportunity to gain a particular awareness and skill set associated with emancipatory and participatory models of research, where people with disabilities take active roles in the research process.

Careers

The research skills developed via the programme are directly relevant to the disabled people’s movement. Graduates may therefore gain employment in health and social care, self-advocacy and user-led organisations, education or universities.

Others are already employed in the disability sector and use their qualification to progress their career or facilitate changes within their own organisation. For example, social care managers or self-advocacy group coordinators may go on to carry out research with their own service users.