University of Pennsylvania
Master of Science in Genetic Counseling Program
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Program Length: 21 months
Mission: To maximize the resources and clinical expertise of a renowned academic, research-oriented medical school to prepare the next generation of genetic counseling clinical scholars in order to shape the future of genetic counseling and genomic medicine.
Vision: To be the premier scholarly and experiential educational program that prepares genetic counseling students to become leaders who will advance patient care in the field of genetics and genomics.
- GRE – ❌
- International students – ✅
- GPA requirement = 3.5*
- In-state priority – ❌
- Interviews – Virtual
*below 3.5 GPAs may be considered.
- In-state: $80,640
- Out-of-state: $80,640
- International: $80,640
Click here for current tuition and fees.
- Tuition reduction options – ✅
- On-campus work opportunities – ✅
- Match and/or Application Waivers – ✅
- Greater Philadelphia area, including southern New Jersey and Northern Delaware
- Flexible summer rotation opportunities – ✅
- Coursework: Discussion of these issues has been incorporated into nearly every course in the program.
- Guest Lecturers, book club discussions, and journal club themes enhance the discussion.
- Alliance to Increase Diversity in Genetic Counseling: The University of Pennsylvania MSGC program received a $9.5 million grant from the Warren Alpert Foundation to fund the Alliance to Increase Diversity in Genetic Counseling which will provide “full rides” and an enhanced JEDI curriculum to 40 genetic counseling students from groups under-represented in genetic counseling at five participating genetic counseling programs over the next five years. UPenn manages the project and participates in the Alliance with the MSGC programs at Boston University, Sarah Lawrence College, Rutgers University, and the University of Maryland. Each will have two Warren Alpert Scholars per year.
- All first-year students at the UPenn program participate in monthly JEDI seminars as part of this program.
- Current students participate in the grant-funded Undergraduate Summer Internships, which are designed to increase diversity in genetic counseling, and in outreach to students at HBCUs.
- Program leadership has raised over $1.2 million to endow scholarship funds for diverse candidates. This will result in two additional full-tuition scholarships for applicants Underrepresented in Genetic Counseling.
For more information, please contact jo.mackenzie@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
To request more information about this program, please complete this form.
Warren Alpert Alliance to Increase Diversity in Genetic Counseling
In 2021, the Warren Alpert Foundation generously awarded the University of Pennsylvania an unprecedented $9.5 million grant to fund The Warren Alpert Alliance to Increase Diversity in Genetic Counseling. The consortium includes five Masters in Genetic Counseling programs working together to support a culture of inclusivity where differences are valued and considered critical for the advancement of the genetic counseling profession. Through educational initiatives, research, and training, we aim to improve equity in healthcare and create a genetic counseling workforce that will reflect and best serve culturally diverse communities.
This innovative program will fund 40 Warren Alpert Fellowships over the next five years, providing full two-year scholarships, educational fellowships, a mentorship program, and experiences focused on justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Each of the participating MSGC programs (the University of Pennsylvania, Boston University, Sarah Lawrence College, Rutgers University and the University of Maryland) will offer two scholarships per year. Anyone interested in applying for the fellowship will apply as part of their application to one of these five programs.
