The genetic counseling program at Marian University is an undergraduate track that prepares you to be a competitive candidate for admission to genetic counseling graduate school programs after completing your bachelor's degree.
Genetic counselors are specially trained to help patients and families make important decisions about their genetic health, including inherited medical conditions and diseases.
Becoming a genetic counselor is academically rigorous and generally requires an additional two years of training to earn a master’s degree. The benefits include:
Common undergraduate majors for genetic counseling students include biology, chemistry, psychology, and statistics.
According to the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC), there are 45 genetic counseling programs in the U.S. Two of them are located in Indiana: (1) Indiana University School of Medicine and (2) Indiana State University.
Marian's genetic counseling program takes the guesswork out of preparing for admission to a program of your choosing. You'll get expert academic advising, one-on-one mentoring, customized plans of study, and personal attention that can be hard to find at larger universities.
Some universities weigh their admission decisions on certain areas of your application and academic preparation more heavily than others. These strengths, listed in decreasing order of importance, are among those typically ranked highly.
NOTE: Every college and university has its own admission criteria, however, so be sure that you understand the eligibility criteria at each school to which you plan to apply. There is a Genetic Counseling Admissions Match (GCAM) program to help you gain admission to accredited programs. Register for the program with National Matching Services (NMS) before applying for admission.
1. Completion of prerequisite coursework
2. Grade point average (GPA)
3. Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
4. Counseling/clinical experience
5. Letters of recommendation
Relationships that you build through volunteering or internships with practicing genetic counselors and other types of healthcare providers are also valuable for obtaining strong letters of recommendation.
Many of our pre-genetic counseling students gain clinical experience through internships with local hospitals, healthcare practices and groups, and shadowing healthcare professionals (both locally and through study-abroad opportunities). For information, talk with one of our faculty advisors and staff at The Exchange.
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Marian University does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin, age or disabilities in the selection
of administrative personnel, faculty and staff, and students.
*Placement rates are gathered from data collected from graduates within six months of graduation.
Students may make a complaint to the Indiana Commission of Higher Education.
Marian University is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis, Oldenburg, Indiana.
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