Requirements to Apply
In order to apply to the UConn program, interested applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Applicants are expected to have a baccalaureate or graduate degree from a regionally accredited college, university, or equivalent.
- The UConn Graduate School does not require a third-party credential evaluation; however, the UConn Graduate School does accept evaluations from specific services as outlined on the Graduate School Admissions page.
- To be considered for admission to a graduate program, students must have earned a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 for the entire undergraduate or prior graduate degree. In exceptional circumstances, considerations may include:
- A grade-point average of at least 3.0 for your last two undergraduate years, or
- Exceptional work in your entire final undergraduate year (3.5 or better), with a credit load >12-credits each semester
- Applicants must have strong written and oral communication skills in English.
- The UConn Graduate School admissions policy states that if English is not your primary language (a language used to communicate since childhood), you may be required to submit evidence of your English language proficiency.
- Applicants must complete at least one semester of each of the following six (6) pre-requisite classes at the undergraduate or graduate level from a regionally accredited university/college:
- Biology OR Molecular Biology
- Psychology
- Genetics (coursework must include aspects of Mendelian and molecular genetics)
- Biochemistry
- Statistics
- Embryology or Human Developmental Biology
- This specific pre-requisite can be completed after the application deadline. Developmental biology credit must be a course focused on human development rather than other organisms. Applicants accepted to the program who have not previously completed an Embryology or Human Developmental Biology course will complete a 7-week, online, asynchronous course ISG 5101: Principles of Human Embryology and Teratology in the summer prior to matriculation. ISG 5101 is also offered during the fall semester, if interested in taking it before applying.)
- Timing Matters: Applicants with a genetics class > 5 years old are strongly encouraged to complete a basic or more advanced genetics class from a regionally accredited college or university prior to applying. An example of a pre-approved, 7-week, online, graduate 3-credit class at UConn is ISG 5100: Foundations of Genetic and Genomic Medicine.
- ECE, COOP, and AP courses will only be accepted with the addition of an advanced course in the same context taken at the university level.
- Applicants must have career-related experience developing and/or using skills relevant to the genetic counseling profession. These experiences may include, but are not limited to:
- Providing paid or volunteer service for crisis hotlines, domestic violence programs, reproductive health clinics, or similar.
- Teaching, leadership, or advocacy to promote genetic counseling, genetics education, or to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Conducting research or scholarly activities toward the advancement of the discipline and/or profession.
- Visit our Pre-GC student checklist for more information about where and how to get career-related experience.
Requirements to Matriculate
Those applicants who Match with the UConn program will be required to meet the following requirements for clinical placement:
- Pass a background check.
- Provide documentation of vaccinations and titers prior to July 15th of the matriculation year and once per year while enrolled in the program.
- Before July of the matriculation year, matched applicants will be required to enroll in and maintain active membership in an online academic and clinical compliance documentation tracking program.