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University of South Carolina

Columbia , South Carolina ,United States

Genetic Counseling, M.S.

Genetic counselors are specialized health professionals who evaluate and counsel individuals and families about genetic conditions. Genetic counselors work with patients from varied sociocultural and educational backgrounds to obtain family history, assess psychosocial status, explain the ramifications of disorders, initiate appropriate genetic testing, explain genetic test results and provide support to assist in adjustment to the physical and emotional challenges of genetic diagnosis. Additionally, genetic counselors provide education to practicing health care professionals, health care students, and lay groups. Program administration, the development of new services, and roles in industry, laboratory, education and research are often encompassed within the career.

The UofSC Genetic Counseling Program began in 1985 as the tenth program in the country and the first established in the southeast.  In 1991 and 1998, the program received rare Commendations for Excellence from South Carolina Commission of Higher Education, citing program strengths including our enthusiastic faculty, Master of Science thesis research, and students who have proven to be professionally active after graduation. The Program was accredited by the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) in 2000, and reaccredited in 2006 for maximum terms.  Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling granted reaccreditation for maximum terms for 2014-2021, and most recently 2022-2029. 

Nine students are accepted each year from an applicant pool of over 150. More than 250 genetic counselors have graduated from the program and many alumni have ascended to leadership in the profession today.

Intakes

  • Jan
  • May
  • Aug

Application Processing Time in Days: 25

Application Process

More information Required
10 Days
Possible Interview Call from Institution
10 Days
Provisional/Unconditional Offer
20 Days
Visa Process
30 Days

Minimum English Language Requirements

English Level Description IELTS (1.0 -9.0) TOEFL IBT (0-120) TOEFL CBT (0-300) PTE (10-90)
Expert 9 120 297-300 86-90
Very Good 8.5 115-119 280-293 83-86
Very Good 8 110-114 270-280 79-83
Good 7.5 102-109 253-267 73-79
Good 7 94-101 240-253 65-73
Competent 6.5 79-93 213-233 58-65
Competent 6 60-78 170-210 50-58
Modest 5.5 46-59 133-210 43-50
Modest 5 35-45 107-133 36-43
Limited 4 32-34 97-103 30-36
Extremely Limited < 4 < 31 < 93 < 30

Job Opportunity Potential

We educate and empower students and alumni in their development of lifelong career management skills, build mutually-beneficial networking relationships between job seekers and employers and serve as a planning resource for university faculty.

The USC Career Center is dedicated to supporting your needs at all stages of the process, whether you are still making decisions about your future direction, looking for hands-on experiences, or are ready for the next steps that will prepare you to live out your career goals. 

Student Services
From the basics of exploring major and career options and writing your resume, to connecting with employers for internships and interviews, USC students have access to career coaches and a premiere collection of online tools.

Employer Services
We are proud of the exceptional quality of our students and the top rankings of many of our academic programs. Our recruiting tools and partner support make it easy to achieve your hiring goals.

Faculty Services
We welcome every opportunity to present valuable career management information to your classes. Schedule a time to visit us, or we will even come to you with a tailor-made presentation.

Alumni Services
Most of the services offered to current students are also available to USC alumni. Whether you're in the early stages of your career or are in the midst of a career change, we can help you reach the next level of success.

PSW Opportunity

  • 3 Year PSW Available

Admission Requirement / Eligibility Criteria

International Application Requirements
Language Requirement
Applicants whose native language is not English must: 

Submit a satisfactory score on an English proficiency test. 

Take a diagnostic test in English when they arrive at the university.

English Proficiency Tests
The TOEFL exam, IELTS International Academic Course Type 2 exam and the PTE Academic are accepted English proficiency tests.

TOEFL 
Minimum Score: 80 for internet-based tests:
• TOEFL iBT
• TOEFL iBT Home Edition
• TOEFL iBT Paper Edition
(Some programs have higher standards.)

IELTS International Academic Course Type 2
Minimum Score: 6.5
(Some programs have higher standards.)

PTE Academic
Minimum Score: 53
(Some programs have higher standards.)