Frequently Asked Questions

UCI was one of the pioneers in genetic counselor education. Our program began in 1973, at a time when only five other institutions in the nation offered a master's degree in genetic counseling. UC Irvine's first class of three students graduated in 1975. We now have more than 200 graduates. In addition to clinical service positions in academic and private medical centers, program graduates are also pursuing careers in research, education, industry and public health.

Yes. The graduate program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC). Graduates of the program are eligible to apply for certification by the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC), and also may apply for a license in those states that have implemented licensure.

No. Clinical settings include a variety of clinics and inpatient services at the UC Irvine Medical Center and other affiliated sites (including prenatal, pediatric, cancer, metabolic, and adult genetic clinics as well as various specialty clinics), clinical genetics laboratories, and community agencies.

1. The program is embedded within an active clinical genetics unit, immersing students in the provision of care from the start.  Students begin clinical rotations in the first quarter of the program.
2. Coursework is taught by faculty who are also clinical supervisors, enhancing integration of didactics with clinical experience.
3. Rotations are primarily supervised by program faculty, allowing flexibility for students to be involved longitudinally with cases.  Supervisors coordinate with each other to allow students to easily return to a previous rotation setting when a family returns to clinic.
4. The program is located within the School of Medicine and College of Health Sciences, providing:
   • Opportunities to observe procedures such as CVS, amniocentesis, colonoscopy, and others.
   • Participation in educating medical students and residents/fellows about genetics.
   • Research opportunities with faculty in departments across the School of Medicine.
5. Students train as part of multidisciplinary team including residents and other learners, providing experience in typical employment settings for genetic counselors.
6. Our clinical service provides care for a diverse patient population.
7. The small cohort size allows the program to provide options for individualized studies such as:
   • Student-led educational sessions in areas of expertise
   • Attend and participate in Medical Ethics rounds, research seminars, and other learning activities.
   • Summer rotation opportunities in varied settings
   • Industry-based rotation opportunities
   • Bilingual students may have opportunities to interact with patients in their primary language

The program is a 2 year (21-month), full-time program that operates on a quarter system.

No. We only accept applications to start in the fall quarter.

The program is in-person and enrolled students need to be in Southern California.  Some instruction and clinical experiences may be conducted in a hybrid or remote format.

We have students from all over the United States and Canada as well as from other countries.

The major components of the curriculum are coursework, clinical rotations, and thesis research.

The coursework includes:

• Medical genetics (inheritance patterns & cytogenetics)
• Genetic screening, teratology, & prenatal development
• Human genetic disorders
• Counseling (3-quarter series)
• Hereditary cancers
• Embryology
• Inborn errors of metabolism
• Molecular genetics
• Quantitative and population genetics
• Ethical issues in human genetics,
• Community resources
• Research Methodology

Some of the characteristics that our program sees in successful graduate students are:

• Skilled in listening
• Self-aware
• Engaged in continual learning
• Committed to equitable clinical care for a diverse patient population
• Open to challenges
• Mature and responsible
• Independent and also able to work as part of a team
• Both detail-oriented and able to accommodate the ‘big picture’
• Flexible

No, this is typically not possible.

Program activities are primarily held Monday-Friday, 8am- 5pm. Students are strongly encouraged to have these periods of time open even if not scheduled in classes or clinic since other learning opportunities often become available.

Each year, seven to eight students typically enter the program.

Classes are designed for genetic counseling students and also attended by medical genetics residents. There are often opportunities to attend workshops with students from other GC programs.

Classes are taught by faculty members in the UCI Division of Genetic and Genomic Medicine who also practice as clinical geneticists and genetic counselors.

Students must dress in professional attire in accordance with the dress code at the clinical sites where they are rotating.

Most clinic rotations are at the UCI Medical Center in Orange, the nearby CHOC Children's Hospital of Orange County and Miller Children's Hospital in Long Beach. Some clinics also take place in Irvine. Additional opportunities exist at various affiliated clinics and laboratory sites throughout Southern California, including Kaiser Permanente, Quest Diagnostics, and others. Summer rotation placements at these and other sites enhance the training experience.

All of the accredited graduate programs in genetic counseling include a research component.  At UCI, graduate students are required to complete a master’s thesis as a degree requirement. 

No, you do not need to have a research topic in mind before applying.  While some other graduate programs at UCI may have this requirement, ours does not, and most students develop their thesis research ideas after they begin the program.

All students enroll in a course in Research Methodology in the first year. This course covers concepts relevant for genetic counseling research including quantitative and qualitative methodologies; study design; data collection, management and analysis; human subjects research and IRB. During the course, students also engage in brainstorming and exploration, to develop a research proposal while receiving guidance from the program faculty which will eventually become their master's thesis project. 

Coursework and clinical experiences are designed to develop the practice-based competencies defined by the Accreditation Council of Genetic Counseling (ACGC) (https://www.gceducation.org/). Graduates of the program are eligible to apply for certification by the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) (https://www.abgc.net/), and may apply for a license in those states that have implemented licensure.

Many graduates of the program join academic or hospital-based genetics teams with a focus on clinical service, teaching, and research. Others work for commercial genetics laboratories, public health programs including newborn screening, or advocacy organizations, among others.

Your application is your opportunity to present how you have prepared for graduate study in  genetic counseling, and how you have determined that this is the career path that you want to pursue. Preparation for graduate study in genetic counseling includes building a foundation in the biological and behavioral sciences, gaining experience in crisis counseling and helping people work through difficult situations, and finding ways to learn more about the practice of genetic counseling.  Strong applications are those which provide clear preparation in all these areas, demonstrating that the applicant is prepared to go through rigorous coursework and is committed to equitable clinical care to a diverse patient populations. 

There is not a single recommended undergraduate major.  Previous students have come from various majors including biology, genetics, psychology, among others.  Regardless of the undergraduate major, it is important that students take the pre-requisite coursework which is strongly recommended for preparation for the program. 

Completing this recommended coursework prepares students to enter with a strong understanding of important biological processes (meiosis and mitosis, DNA replication, transcription and translation, and the function of human organ systems and basic metabolic pathways) as well as the ways in which human develop and interact with each other, in families and in society.  Having this strong foundation helps students to be prepared for the coursework, clinical rotations and research that they will complete during graduate study.

Each summer and fall, we hold Virtual Open House events for prospective applicants who are interested in learning more about the graduate program.  We also participate in other virtual career fair opportunities.   Please contact gcounspr@uci.edu for more information.

The program is based at the UC Irvine Medical Center campus in the City of Orange, not on the main campus in Irvine.  Because we are part of an active clinical unit, we do not regularly schedule tours of the program offices.  Instead, we have organized Virtual Open House events and other virtual means of communicating with the program, so that we can be equally accessible to all potential applicants regardless of where they are located.  Individuals are welcome to visit UCI main campus (UCI Campus Tours), however keep in mind that students spend the majority of their time at the UC Irvine Medical Center campus and at our affiliated clinical sites.

Typically the application for graduate studies at UCI is available online at the end of September or early October. Please check the UCI Graduate Division’s application website to see if the application for the appropriate cycle is available.

The application deadline for the graduate program is typically mid-December. For an updated deadline for each year, please refer to the program website (https://medschool.uci.edu/education/graduate-studies/masters-degree-programs/genetic-counseling/admissions).

• Completion of the online application
• Statement of Purpose
• Personal History Statement (which may be incorporated into the Statement of Purpose)
• Unofficial transcripts from all post-secondary institutions
• Curriculum vitae
• Letters of recommendation (three letters are required)
• Payment of the application fee (or an approved application to waive this fee)
• Registration for the GC Admissions Match (https://natmatch.com/gcadmissions/).  Your Match ID must be submitted as part of your application.  Note that the deadline to register for the GC Admissions Match may be earlier than our admissions deadline (please see the Match website for details).

No, you may start a new application without paying the application fee. The application fee/fee-wavier process occurs when you submit the application. This means that you may explore what is required or recommended to submit in an application before paying the application fee or submitting materials for the fee waiver. For questions regarding fee waivers, please see UCI Graduate Division’s Application Fee page.

Institutions may have varying titles for the courses which cover the recommended undergraduate coursework.  When you submit your application, you will be prompted to list the courses from your transcripts which cover each of the topic areas listed.

The application includes a section for you to indicate courses in which you are currently enrolled and courses that you plan to take.  You do not have to complete the course prior to the application deadline, but you should ensure that we know you are enrolled or are planning to enroll in the recommended course.

Yes, courses that were taken in the past will still be considered as meeting the recommendation, even if they were taken some years ago.  However, you may wish to take more current coursework in order to be well-prepared for graduate study.

No, lab components are not required.

No.  The GRE is no longer required for application to the graduate program.

Yes, it is required to submit a CV/resume.   It is recommended that you summarize your academic preparation and experiences that are relevant for your application.

You may submit supplementary materials that you feel will provide additional helpful information to the admissions committee, however this is not required.

You are required to have three letters of recommendation, and you may submit up to five.  When more than the required number are being submitted, the additional letters should be from someone who can provide important perspective on your qualifications and preparation for graduate study in genetic counseling.

The application includes two essays: a Statement of Purpose and a Personal History Statement. There are no additional program-specific essays. The application includes two separate text boxes where applicants submit the two essays.

Applicants may choose to combine their Personal History Statement into the Statement of Purpose if they wish. In this case, applicants should indicate in the Personal History section that they have incorporated the personal history statement into their statement of purpose.

Below are the instructions for the essays provided by the UCI Graduate Division for the 2023 application cycle for all graduate programs.  When you create an account to start a new application, you will see the prompts for the current application cycle. (Note that starting an application does NOT incur an application fee.)

• Statement of Purpose: In your statement of purpose, please describe your aptitude and motivation for graduate study in your area of specialization (i.e., in genetic counseling).  A sample of topics you might address in your statement is below:
  • Academic plans
  • Relevant experience
  • Future career goals
  • Why UCI would be a good intellectual fit for you
• Personal History Statement: In your personal history statement, please describe how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree. A sample of topics you might address in your statement is below. However, please structure your statement in any way that you feel best represents your personal history.
  • Any educational, familial, cultural, economic or social experiences or opportunities relevant to your academic journey
  • Challenges and/or obligations you have had to address in order to achieve your educational goals and how you addressed them
  • Prior employment, as a student or as a working professional, that is relevant to your pursuit of a graduate degree
  • Discuss any leadership roles or plans, outreach, or community service experiences and goals that have or will benefit others or the community
  • How your perspectives, activities, or goals have or may contribute to inclusivity and/or broaden your understanding of experiences of diverse groups of people

No, it is not required. There are many ways to learn about the profession. 

Yes, international students may apply. For details and information on how to apply, please visit UCI Graduate Division's International Students page

All interviews are held remotely by Zoom. On the interview day, each applicant meets with our faculty and students. One-on-one interviews with faculty members, meetings with current students, and other program events are spaced throughout the day, beginning at 8am through mid- to late afternoon. Applicants also have an opportunity to attend our weekly clinical case conference.

Yes, applicants who do not match to a graduate program may reapply in a subsequent cycle. There is no limit to the number of times applicants can reapply. Some applicants find it helpful to talk to the program director or other faculty members to discuss their preparation to reapply.  Reapplicants must submit a new complete application.

Yes. Please visit the UCI Graduate Division’s Application Fee page for details.

Please see the webpage for tuition and fees on the UCI Registrar website (https://reg.uci.edu/fees/).   

Yes. All students typically receive some amount of fellowship aid. Additional details about possible fellowship funding are shared with program applications at the time of the interviews.  Some students may be eligible to apply for a part-time federal work-study position, and in this case it is required that the student complete a FAFSA.

There are various ways in which you can explore the career. Some of the recommendations are the following:

• Explore the National Society of Genetic Counselors' (NSGC) website and other online resources regarding genetic counseling
  • Attend the NSGC annual conference
  • View the Master Counselor Series videos
• Attend virtual career fairs
• Explore the resources available through the Minority Genetics professionals Network (MGPN) (https://minoritygenetics.org/ )
• Read online resources about genetic counseling or listen to related podcasts
• Join a Genetic Counseling Student Interest Group (SIG).  Many institutions have a GC-SIG.  See below for more information about the GC-SIG at UC Irvine.
• Look for opportunities to interview or shadow practicing genetic counselors
  • The “Find a Genetic Counselor” page on the NSGC website is a resource to identify genetic counselors who work in your area.
  • Aim to talk with genetic counselors who work in a variety of settings.
• Gain experience in taking a professional role (often as a volunteer) in crisis counseling and working one-on-one with people who are facing various challenges.
• Gain experience working with individuals with disabilities and different abilities.

Above are just examples – there are other great ways someone can understand what is expected in genetic counseling as a profession, gain experience to prepare entering the field, and become a strong applicant.

Yes. GC-SIG membership is open to students and graduates from UCI as well as other universities.  The GC-SIG meets on a regular basis during the academic year in a hybrid model, with some attendees coming in person and some by ZOOM. The group invites guest speakers to some meetings, and the members share their experiences and ideas with each other as they explore genetic counseling as a possible career.  Please visit their website for further information about the UCI GC-SIG including details on how to join.