Subjects and clinical placements

The UTS Master of Genetic Counselling is grounded in the profession, having been developed following extensive consultation with genetic counsellors in Australasia. The course is designed to facilitate future genetic counsellors to be knowledgeable, culturally safe, skilled communicators with well-developed research, clinical and professional skills applicable to a rapidly evolving and diverse range of clinical and research contexts.

You will participate in clinically-focused coursework, research training, and gain extensive experience during a range of clinical placements.

Teaching mode

The Master of Genetic Counselling was designed to be delivered primarily online. This approach enables access to genetic counselling education for students across Australia, New Zealand and Internationally.

The Master of Genetic Counselling is a two-year full-time course offered as a blended learning program with weekly ‘live and online’ classes using zoom video conferencing and a one week block of learning on campus each semester. Part-time enrolment is not available.

The course commences in February (Autumn B session) with compulsory attendance on campus during Professional Skills Week (Autumn B Orientation) for the first in person block week of teaching.The intensive one week on campus teaching is held at the City Broadway campus. Block teaching is usually scheduled on campus in February and September in the first year and April and September for the second year of the program. The on campus block weeks are compulsory for all students.

Students are also required to attend clinical placements in person throughout the program and may be required to travel to participate in these learning activities.  

Subjects

You will complete subjects in Autumn and Spring sessions of first and second year (Graduate School of Health (Calendar B).  View the list of subjects in the course handbook. The course is comprised of 96 credit points (no electives).

Clinical placements

As a Genetic Counselling student, you will undertake a minimum of 74 days of clinical placement over the course of your degree to meet Human Genetics Society of Australasia accreditation requirements. In first year, you will complete a 5-day placement, a 10-day block placement as well as participate in a week long virtual clinical placement. In second year, you will complete two 20-day block placements and participate in a virtual clinical placement. 

Clinical placements are an integral part of training in genetic counselling and provide students with opportunities for ‘real world’ learning. Clinical placements will support your development of the practice-based competencies by coordinating and integrating learning experiences. The placements are facilitated by UTS and will take place in a range of settings alongside experienced genetic counsellors. Clinical placements can be undertaken in various locations across Australia and New Zealand (subject to approval). There may also be opportunities to undertake clinical placements internationally. If you are living interstate or overseas for the duration of the program, you will likely be required to travel to attend clinical placements in person.

Students will likely need to travel out of their home city and/or state for at least one of the clinical placements. If you are living in Melbourne, you will likely need to travel for all of your clinical placements. We will work together with students to find clinical placement sites that suit their needs and their learning.