Program Overview

Systems Genomics: Clinical Communication & Counseling Online Graduate Certificate Program

The University of Connecticut offers a 12-credit, 4-course online graduate-level counseling program focused on genetic counseling. This program provides theoretical and practical knowledge to better connect clinical counseling and helping skills with patients and consumers.

Program Overview

• The program is designed to enhance the ability to become a great counselor and provides an official credential.
• It is a tool to quantify skills and offers access to a network of genetic counseling-centric peers and faculty.
• Completing this certificate program does not qualify individuals to sit for the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) certification exam and is not a substitute for a master’s degree from an Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC)-accredited program.

Course Credits and Application

• Course credits earned in UConn’s Clinical Communication & Counseling (genetic counseling-focused) certificate may be applied towards UConn’s Genetic Counseling Professional Science Master's Degree.
• The University of Connecticut is ranked in the Top 30 Public Schools by US News & World Report and is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

Application Deadlines

• Fall Semester: July 1
• Spring Semester: December 1
• It is recommended to apply early to avoid last-minute processing delays.

Program Details

• The program is 100% online and provides a graduate-level counseling education.
• It focuses on genetic counseling and is designed for those interested in genetic counseling careers.
• The program covers topics such as:
  • Applying genetic counseling methods and helping skills in a genomics context
  • Facilitating genetic healthcare discussions that effectively connect on an individual level
  • Developing micro-skills that drive genetic counseling and patient/consumer rapport
  • Considering how cultural beliefs influence an individual’s approach to health, illness, and treatment via a genetic counseling lens
  • Understanding how different social approaches to death, dying, and grief affect people’s healthcare decisions and coincide with pivotal genetic counseling skills

Accreditation and Ranking

• The University of Connecticut is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
• It is ranked in the Top 30 Public Schools by US News & World Report.