Joni and Friends Honors First Master’s Graduates in Disability Studies

By |Published On: May 11, 2012|Categories: Articles|

CBU Graduates at GraduationDisability Studies Graduates with Dr. Jeff McNair

As Master’s Degree graduates at California Baptist University received their degrees this month, 12 of the graduates were honored by the Joni and Friends Christian Institute on Disability for completing the first-ever master’s level program in Disability Studies. Through a course done entirely online, master’s degrees have been awarded in disability ministry as well as disabilities studies from Bible-based curriculum for the first time. Although there are other certificate courses and programs in this field online, there is nothing like the academic rigor of a graduate degree in disability ministry. Discussing the same authors as in a secular program, a significant time is devoted to understanding disability/impairment from a Christian perspective. Jeff McNair, director of the CID’s Public Policy Center who oversees the M.A. in Disabilities Studies program at CBU said, “We are so proud of these 12 graduates and their commitment to disability ministry. While four of the students did an emphasis in ministry, eight did an emphasis in policy, and we are excited to see how both groups will be used to affect their churches and their culture.”

The CID now partners with 22 academic institutions in courses on the theology of suffering and disability ministry training, and has provided clarity on some of the most difficult social issues with statements, position papers and other resources. The partnership with CBU began in 2007 with this master’s level curriculum and will likely expand in the future to include undergraduate degrees.  Next year’s class size will be nearly double, with 23 students from all across the U.S. and Canada. “We look forward to continuing to grow this program as well as begin partnerships with new universities and expand more of our existing programs into undergraduate studies,” McNair concluded.

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