The Discipline of Genetic Counselling was launched in 2018. Genetic Counselling is embedded with other allied health disciplines within the School of Clinical and Health Sciences, providing exciting opportunities for interprofessional education and research.
The Discipline welcomed its first group of Master of Genetic Counselling students in 2019, with cohorts of 33 students admitted annually. There are opportunities to undertake a and a PhD in Genetic Counselling.
The UTS Master of Genetic Counselling is the only program in Australia offered in blended mode, with blocks of time on campus supported by weekly interactive, engaged online learning. This approach enables access to genetic counselling education for students across Australia and New Zealand as well as further afield.
The curriculum for the Master of Genetic Counselling was developed with extensive input from genetic counsellors resulting in a program that addresses the integration of genetics and genomics into healthcare.
Teaching staff for the Master of Genetic Counselling include senior members of the profession who bring their extensive clinical experience to the practice-focused program.
We are excited to be delivering two genetic counselling training programs at a time when advances in genetic and genomic technology are creating a radical shift in how we conceptualise health and illness.
The roles for genetic counsellors are likely to expand rapidly over the next few years, so we have inquiry-focused curricula that are responsive to changes in the field.
Head Of Discipline, Lucinda Freeman
Genetic and genomic information is increasingly used in routine health care, guiding screening, management and treatment decisions.
Genetic Counsellors play a vital role in helping people to make informed decisions about testing, to understand the results in the context of their own lives and their family history and to adjust to or manage the outcomes and implications.
The Genetic Counselling Discipline at UTS was established to help meet the growing need for health professionals with an understanding of genetics and genomics, well-developed communication skills and an evidence-based approach to healthcare delivery. There are many employment opportunities for Genetic Counsellors in Australia and overseas.