Unique in Canada, this program provides part-time university education to adults with a college diploma in the disability field or other related post-secondary academic credentials and work experience who are currently providing disability-related supports, services, education or advocacy. At the end of the equivalent of approximately two years of full time study, students will receive a Bachelor of Arts, (Disability Studies) from Ryerson University.

This degree program is designed to build on the direct practice skills that students have acquired within a Developmental Services Worker program (offered by a number of Ontario Colleges), other disability related Ontario College diploma and through work experience, (or other disability related post-secondary education and experience deemed suitable by the admissions committee), and to prepare them for leadership roles in a variety of areas including direct care, management, community development, policy, planning, and advocacy. In addition to paid careers, it is expected that some people, especially those within the disability community, will enroll in the program to enhance their ability to do effective advocacy.

An underlying premise of this program is that the disadvantage typically experienced by those who are disabled, reflects primarily, the way society defines and responds to disability. It is the oppressive structures of our society that create and sustain the poor life circumstances that all too often characterize the lives of people with disabilities. The curriculum is designed to create an increased awareness of the socio-political context of disability and to enable the student to apply this perspective to the development of a wide range of skills in the areas noted above.

The Post-Diploma Degree Completion Program in Disability Studies is offered only on a part-time basis and consists of the equivalent of approximately four semesters of full time course work. In keeping with other degree programs at Ryerson, there are three categories of courses to be taken, namely professional, professionally-related and liberal studies courses. Core required courses cover a variety of topics including disability theory, policy, community building, advocacy, empowering practices, access and technology, leadership, research methods, ethics, and media representation. Through electives, students pursue courses in such subjects as politics, human services management, crisis intervention, homelessness, ethnic diversity, gender and sexuality, and urban geography. Since the focus of the program is the phenomenon of disability, courses are not designed to provide in-depth information about the characteristics of specific disabling conditions. Relatedly, the program does not limit itself to particular disabilities. However, students with an interest in a specific disability or issue (e.g., employment) will have the opportunity to focus on this interest in course assignments in many different courses as well as in the applied community project or thesis course.