Degree Requirements

A candidate for the degree of Master of Science in Genetic Counseling in the School of Health Professions must meet all of the following requirements:

1. Complete satisfactorily a minimum of 58 semester hours in the UT Southwestern School of Health Professions.   
   1. Students must complete all the courses in the genetic counseling curriculum outlined in section D of the Student Guidelines. To be considered complete, candidates must earn a numeric grade of a B or above or have a grade of P for Pass/Fail courses. A description of the grading system is in section G of the Student Guidelines.  
   2. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.75.
2. Complete a research thesis.
   1. Students must complete a research thesis. Further details about research thesis requirements are available in section Q of the Student Guidelines.  
3. Complete all required supplementary activities.
   1. Further details about required supplementary activities are available in section Q of the Student Guidelines.  
4. Complete, with documentation, all required clinical cases.
   1. During fieldwork rotations, students must document a minimum of 50 participatory cases that demonstrate their involvement in fundamental roles in management, education, and counseling. These cases must be distributed across a range of specialties (prenatal, pediatric, adult, cancer). Further details about participatory case requirements are available in the fieldwork syllabus.  
5. Demonstrate mastery of Practice-Based Competencies.
   1. In order to graduate, students must demonstrate that they have developed competency in each of the Practice-Based Competencies published by the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling. Over the course of their training, the program will maintain a checklist to document student progress toward this goal.
6. Demonstrate a high order of scholarly achievement in genetic counseling, including appropriate professional competencies. (The program’s Student Progress Committee determines whether adequate mastery has been acquired.)  
7. Satisfy all of the UT Southwestern School of Health Professions' Master’s Degree Requirements. Upon successful completion of these requirements, students will be eligible for graduation. Some of these requirements are already incorporated into the other requirements above; others include certain forms and fees.