Admission

Application Requirements for Fall 2022 Admission

All applicants will complete the program application and submit the following required materials:

• Resume (CV): The CV should include your NMS number, information that documents your genetic counseling experience, other counseling experience, exposure to patients in clinical settings, research experience, leadership experience, exposure to individuals with disability, publications or abstracts, a list of your specific courses which meet our prerequisites, the institutions at which they were taken, and your grades in each relevant course. If you have or will be taking Credit/No Credit grading options during the pandemic, please document an explanation on your application (CV/Resume) any grades that were taken Credit/No Credit i.e., your institution required Credit/No Credit or individual circumstances. Also include what is the minimum letter grade for Credit, i.e., C: pass. *Please upload your Resume/CV on the Resume/CV section of the application.
• Statement of Purpose that integrates a description of how your experiences align with the program's specific focus/goals. This is the Statement of Purpose in the Graduate Division Application Submission Portal. 500 words, ~1 page single-spaced or 2 pages double-spaced. Elements that you can consider addressing in this essay include:
• What is your purpose in applying for graduate study in genetic counseling? Describe your area(s) of interest, including any subfield(s) or interdisciplinary interests.
• What experiences have prepared you for advanced study in the genetic counseling graduate program? What relevant skills have you gained from these experiences? Have your experiences led to specific or tangible outcomes that would support your potential to contribute to this field?
• What additional information about your past experience may aid the selection committee in evaluating your preparation and aptitude for graduate study at UCLA? For example, you may wish to describe research, employment, teaching, service, artistic or international experiences through which you have developed skills in leadership, communication, project management, teamwork, or other areas.
• Why is the UCLA genetic counseling graduate program the best place for you to pursue your academic and professional goals?
• What are your plans for your career after earning this degree?
• Personal Statement: This essay is an opportunity for you to provide additional information that may aid the selection committee in evaluating your preparation and aptitude for graduate study at UCLA. It will also be used to consider candidates for the Track B Fellowship and the Graduate Opportunity fellowships (GOFP). This is the Personal Statement in the Graduate Division Application Submission Portal. 500 words, ~1 page single-spaced or 2 pages double-spaced.

You will be asked to respond to one or more of the following prompts. To be considered for the Track B Fellowship and/or a Graduate Opportunity fellowship (GOFP), be sure to describe your contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The University of California Diversity Statement can be found online.

• Are there educational, personal, cultural, economic, or social experiences, not described in your Statement of Purpose, that have shaped your academic and professional journey? If so, how? Have any of these experiences provided unique perspective(s) that you would contribute to your program, field or profession?
• Describe challenge(s) or barriers that you have faced in your pursuit of higher education. What motivated you to persist, and how did you overcome them? What is the evidence of your persistence, progress or success?
• How have your life experiences and educational background informed your understanding of the barriers facing groups that are underrepresented in higher education?
• How have you been actively engaged (e.g., through participation, employment, service, teaching or other activities) in programs or activities focused on increasing participation by groups that have been historically underrepresented in higher education?
• How do you intend to engage in scholarly discourse, research, teaching, creative efforts, and/or community engagement during your graduate program that have the potential to advance diversity and equal opportunity in higher education?
• --How do you see yourself contributing to diversity in the genetic counseling profession after you earn your advanced degree at UCLA?
• Official transcripts of all university coursework. Official transcripts must be sent (mailed or emailed) by your institution's registrar. We cannot accept transcripts sent via mail or email from applicants.

Email address for electronic copy (preferred mode of delivery): gcprogram@mednet.ucla.edu

• 3 Letters of Recommendation, a 4th letter is optional. Letters of recommendation should come from individuals competent to evaluate qualifications for pursuit of graduate study and a genetic counseling career.
• Optional: Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test scores from the Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytic sections. GRE institution code for UCLA is 4837, GC major code is 0389.  Students who wish to apply for admission to our graduate program for the 2022-2023 academic year are not required to take the GRE or submit a GRE score report as part of their application package.  However, students may voluntarily submit GRE test scores and they will be reviewed as part of the holistic application consideration.  The applications with GRE scores will not be given greater weight than those that do not include scores.

If you have questions about our application materials or requirements, please contact us here. 

The M.S. in Genetic Counseling degree is a terminal degree and does not lead to a doctoral degree.