If the major that is related to your dream job is not available at your college, how would you suggest to include these studies into your college career?
I'm interested in following a path of #disabilitystudies and #law. However, most colleges in my state do not offer disability studies course. Do you have any advice on how to incorporate this into my studies?
2 answers
Ellen Sasson
Ellen’s Answer
Create opportunities to be involved in the subject outside of the regular curriculum. For instance, you could get an internship with an organization doing the kind of work that interests you; you could research and write papers on the topic of interest and integrate the subject matter into an existing class you are already taking; you could publish a blog on the subject. You can still become an expert and get a background in the subject even if it is not on the course curriculum at your college.
Kim’s Answer
Allie,
Sometimes you can create your own degree. Or take a core group of classes that relates to things that interest you. For example, I would look at using my electives wisely. Look at the Education curriculum, as they should have courses on teaching students with disabilities. Also look at Sociology, and Physical Fitness (or whatever it is called). All of these may offer courses of interest to your field. Also classes on mental illness (psychology).
Also, depending on what it is you want to do ( I see the reference to "law,"), it may be that you can best serve the populace by becoming the best you can at researching, writing, doing public speaking, fundraising, blogging, etc. For example, learning how to advocate for children with disabilities in the state educational bureaucracy is not easy, and would depend on understanding the disability as well as the educational bureaucracy.
Since Iowa is not far from Illinois, check out this website: https://gimpylaw.wordpress.com/
Perhaps you could find a way to work/internship with this lady?
I like the previous suggestion of writing papers focused on areas of interest to you. After graduating, I had a thick folder of papers. I often wished I had written them all on different aspects on the same subject, so I would be able to write a book! You will have some choice on topics in Freshman Comp, for example.
good question!