Genetic Counseling

The University of Cincinnati Genetic Counseling Program is an excellent choice for students who value an academically challenging curriculum that is well-balanced in the major areas of genomic sciences, counseling skills, and research. Our program provides students with opportunities, as well as choices. For example, a student may work on an existing project with a world-renowned researcher or he/she may want to delve into a relatively unexplored research topic. Or, as another example, a student who in the future hopes to become a genetic counseling program director may elect to participate in UC's Preparing Future Faculty program.

Students have the freedom to focus on areas of interest by developing a personalized elective rotation or by taking elective courses. We are committed to collaboration and teamwork, by providing students with experience working with other genetics professionals, other health care providers, with educators, and with agencies in our community and beyond. Because we value critical thinking, a genetic counseling student graduating from our program will have the tools to evaluate just about any case or professional dilemma, and to develop an action plan. Lastly, our program values diversity, in the broadest sense of the word.  Each student, supervisor and instructor brings a unique set of strengths to the educational environment and we learn from each other every day.

1st year

• Intro to Genetic Counseling & Prenatal Genomics
• Fundamentals of Molecular Genetics 
• Human Genetics 
• Clinical Embryology – live course 
• Introduction to Epidemiology
• Emerging Topics in Clinical Genomics - 1 
• Clinical Practicum I 
• Introduction to Cancer Genomics 
• Introduction to Psychosocial Genetic Counseling
• Clinical Teratology – live course 
• Research Design
• Emerging Topics in Clinical Genomics -2
• Statistics and Experimental Design for the Biomedical 
• Sciences 
• Clinical Practicum II 
• Clinical Practicum Summer Internship 

2nd year

• Advanced Genetic Counseling Issues I 
• Emerging Topics in Clinical Genomics
• Clinical Practicum III
• Master's Thesis Research 
• Advanced Genetic Counseling Issues II
• Emerging Topics in Clinical Genomics - ethics
• Clinical Practicum IV
• Interdisciplinary Studies in Developmental Disabilities 
• Master's Thesis Research

Online Classes

• Cardiovascular Genetics 
• Laboratory Genetic Counseling

Clinical Rotations

As a genetic counseling student, you will get immediate hands-on experience in clinical rotations. From the first semester to the last, students work with clients, first as observers, and quickly as the primary counselors. You will interact with patients in a wide variety of settings, including prenatal, pediatric and adult genetics.

As a genetic counseling student, you will learn about the characteristics and treatment of individuals and families with genetic disorders, such as spina bifida, Down syndrome, sickle cell anemia, hereditary cancers, Huntington Disease and many others.

You will experience 12 clinical rotations chosen from numerous options available at Cincinnati Children's and hospitals in Greater Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, Lexington and Louisville. Each rotation will expose you to different patients, counselors and work settings. This exposure will help you develop your own counseling style, prepare you to adapt quickly to the job you choose, and allow you to explore the areas of genetic counseling that you are most interested in. By the time you graduate, you will have been the primary genetic counselor for at least 50 but often for 100 or more cases.

At the University of Cincinnati, you will begin clinical rotations at the start of the program. This early clinical exposure allows you to begin your summer internship with extensive real-world experience.

Research

You will be required to conduct a rigorous master's thesis research project. To accomplish this, you will work closely with a professor or mentor. You will collect references, conduct research, write the manuscript and present your findings to the human genetics clinicians and UC faculty. You'll be encouraged to delve deep into your topic and to publish your results.

Students have had their theses published in the Journal of Genetic Counseling, Genetics in Medicine, the American Journal of Medical Genetics, Preventing Chronic Disease, Clinical Pediatrics, the Journal Allied Health, the Journal of Adolescent Health, and the Journal of Cancer Education, to name a few.

UC provides the perfect environment for faculty and students to create innovative scholarship and groundbreaking research, because it is in the top 2% of the nation's universities for funding and number one in Ohio for research on a per-student basis.

• GRE 
• Essay/personal statement about your research and career goals, and why you have chosen the particular program. 
• Curriculum Vitae, including educational, research and/or employment experiences
• Letters of Recommendation from people qualified to assess your ability to succeed in graduate school and your commitment to research. You will be asked to provide contact details of your personal references on the online application site. Your referees will be contacted individually and asked to provide their letters of reference electronically by uploading them directly to the site.
• Official Transcripts from every undergraduate institution attended 
• Overseas students whose native language is not English are required to submit TOEFL exam scores. While the University of Cincinnati Graduate School sets minimum requirements for TOEFL test scores as a condition of admission, please note that the College of Medicine minimum score is 100 (Internet-based), 250 (Computer-based) and 600-603 (Paper-based); 7 (IELTS) and 68 (PEARSON)..

Scholarships

• Graduate Assistantships
• Graduate Incentive Award