York's PhD in Critical Disability Studies offers a comprehensive curriculum covering major scholarly perspectives on disability, structured to encourage advanced research and new scholarship in the field. Offered full-time only, the program examines disability from a critical perspective in relation to social policy, social justice, human rights, and social movements in Canada and internationally. It draws on an interdisciplinary foundation spanning law, anthropology, health studies, history, geography, economics, education, labour studies, political science, social work, sociology, gender studies, and refugee and immigration studies, with theories of human rights underpinning how legal, economic, and social rationales for inclusion relate to systemic barriers and oppression. Students have the opportunity to attend refereed conferences, publish in refereed journals, and produce op-ed pieces starting in their first year. The program attracts students from varied backgrounds, including people with disabilities engaged in the disability rights movement, government workers, disability-field professionals, and staff of community and advocacy organizations.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Admission requires a minimum A- average. Applicants submit official transcripts, a statement of interest, a writing sample, a curriculum vitae, and two reference letters, and must identify a proposed PhD supervisor. Applicants whose first language is not English must meet York's Faculty of Graduate Studies English proficiency standard: IELTS Academic 7.5 overall, TOEFL iBT 100 (or 5 on the revised scale for tests taken from January 2026), Duolingo English Test 140, PTE Academic 76, or CAEL with an overall score of 70 and no component below 60. The PhD is offered on a full-time basis only, with Fall entry and an application deadline of January 15.
