University of Nebraska Medical Center
Master of Genetic Counseling
Location: Omaha, NE
Program Length: 21 months
Mission: To prepare the next generation of genetic counselors through a state-of-the-art education program dedicated to the pursuit of exemplary patient care in the rapidly expanding field of genetic medicine, advocacy for our profession and community, exceptional research, and lifelong learning.
Our program aims to support students on their journey to become our colleagues. We recognize that each student will contribute to our program and our profession in a unique and exciting way. We value feedback and provide many ways for students to share including anonymously.
*There is a dual degree option – Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master in Genetic Counseling (MGC)
- GRE – ❌
- International students – ❌
- GPA requirement = N/A
- In-state priority – ❌
- Interviews – Virtual
- In-state: $37,790
- Out-of-state: $59,905
- International: N/A
- Tuition reduction options – ✅
- On-campus work opportunities – ✅
- Match and/or Application Waivers – ✅
- Omaha, NE & surrounding area
- Flexible summer rotation opportunities – ✅
- Holistic admissions with horizontal review of application materials. Eliminated the GRE requirement. Do not require shadowing experience.
- Defined the admission process to align with the program and university’s mission.
- Diversity and implicit bias training for anyone involved in the application/interview process.
- Interview training for anyone involved so as to reduce bias and halo effect.
- Program handbook reviewed to define expectations and promote inclusive language.
- Program leadership completed the Inclusive Teaching online course and led conversations with the program’s curriculum committee on how we can promote inclusivity in the classroom and decrease positionality/power.
- We encourage using personal pronouns when teaching foundational skills to students (like establishing rapport). We also ordered pronoun stickers for badges.
- We promote vulnerability in the classroom and among faculty.
- One of our classes, Genetic Counseling and the Community, focuses on the lived experiences of individuals with genetic diagnoses and their families. This course has focused content/discussions/activities related to disability, ableism, and advocacy that builds on students’ prior education.
- Our journal club course (Contemporary Issues) focuses on the special edition of the Journal of Genetic Counseling “Minority and Health Disparities in Research and the Practice of Genetic Counseling and Genomic Medicine.”
- Our second year students read “So You Want to Talk about Race” as part of their Advanced Genetic Counseling course.
- Our advisory board includes a member from the UNMC Office of Inclusion. This office hosts Inclusive Excellence conversations for students, faculty, and staff that we support. This office also created an Inclusion Corner within the McGoogan library on campus.
- For the Inclusive Teaching course, the question “did implicit bias show up in the classroom/placement” was added to our anonymous stakeholder feedback survey that is available to students, course directors, supervisors, and others involved in the program. This has also been added to the course/placement evaluations.
For more information, please contact cahpadmissions@unmc.edu.
