Offered through Northwestern University's Center for Genetic Medicine, this master's in genetic counseling provides students with the foundational knowledge needed for careers in this evolving field. Northwestern began offering a genetic counseling degree in 1990. The school admits 20 students annually for this 18-month genetic counseling degree.
Coursework covers topics in cancer and adult genetics, dysmorphology, psychosocial aspects of genetic counseling, and risk assessment and communication. Degree-seekers enroll in clinical practicums their first semester, which acts as an introduction to the advanced counseling techniques applied later in the program. As the degree culminates, students research and defend original thesis projects.
Each prospective student must possess an undergraduate degree in a science-related field with a minimum 3.0 GPA, along with experience in topics like human genetics, psychology, and statistics. Applicants must also submit GRE scores. Enrollees can pursue tuition remission through work-study, funding for research, and scholarships.