27 courses with the subject GENC, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
GENC 6010Advanced Genetics and Genomics
This course will provide an extensive survey of molecular genetics including molecular and cellular biology and the regulation of gene expression. Applications to human clinical genetics and genetic counseling through discussion of relevant case studies will be incorporated. The class will be primarily lecture-based with some small group work. In addition to exams, students will prepare and present a teaching tool to describe a complex topic learned in the course to individuals with limited knowledge of molecular genetics. The content of this course will provide the foundation for understanding the detailed topics covered in additional courses in the genetic counseling master's program including Foundations in Clinical Genetics and Genomic Technologies, Cancer Genetics, Reproductive and Developmental Genetics, and Medical Genetics.
In this course, students will gain an understanding of cancer genetics. Topics covered include an overview of cancer biology and clinical oncology; diagnostics and predictive testing in cancer, including familial mutations in BRCA 1 and 2, and panel testing; cancer risk assessment; psychosocial aspects of cancer genetic testing and counseling. Students will examine specific inherited disorders predisposing individuals to malignancies and counseling for familial cancers. Students will learn how to conduct a genetic counseling session for inherited cancer syndromes such as HBOC and Lynch syndrome and to identify when genetic testing panels are indicated. In addition, the course will cover somatic cancer NGS technology and its relevance in cancer genetic counseling.
Students will learn how to structure genetic counseling sessions including the competencies of establishing rapport, contracting, and eliciting patient goals. The teaching of active listening and interviewing skills guides students in responding empathically to patient concerns. Students use role play to practice skills and demonstrate their ability to organize a genetic counseling session. Students will learn chart documentation and practice letter writing. Each student will be responsible for presenting a Genetic Counseling Practice Guideline and leading a class discussion. Through role play and exploration of current practice students learn to adapt genetic counseling skills for alternate service delivery models. Students will gain an appreciation of appropriate professional interactions and expand their understanding of the impact of genetic disease on families. At the end of the semester, all students complete a genetic counseling session with a standardized patient at the Experiential Learning and Assessment Center at the Perelman School of Medicine. The highly skilled staff ensures safe, measurable, and authentic learning with qualified standardized patients.
GENC 6140Introduction to Genetic Counseling Research
This course will equip students to begin a genetic counseling thesis project by the summer term. Students will be exposed to research methodologies and project management skills that are necessary to successfully complete the thesis requirement of the master’s program. This course will introduce students to scientific writing, critical interpretation of scientific literature, and a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods. Topics covered include identifying literature gaps, developing study aims, establishing a study timeline, IRB submission, participant recruitment, data collection and analysis, time management, writing, and manuscript submission. Students will be required to obtain CITI training and to establish a project proposal and timeline in concert with their primary thesis advisor and program mentor. This course includes lectures, group work, and assignments that support project initiation and timely manuscript development. Most class days are structured with a lecture followed by a workshop; students are expected to come with tasks and questions prepared to make the most of workshop time.
GENC 6150Genetic Counseling Research: Data Collection
This is an independent study course with a strong emphasis on project and time management. Students develop a project timeline and complete project tasks such as addressing IRB issues, developing and refining methodologies and surveys, collecting data, analyzing data, presenting research progress, and drafting a manuscript. Students are responsible for meeting regularly with their primary thesis mentors and program advisors throughout the summer and are expected to come to meetings with tasks and questions prepared to make the most of the time. Course requirements also include reporting on these meetings, meeting timeline deadlines, and making use of resources supplied in the associated Canvas community.
The first semester of this year-long course presents a broad overview of concepts in Medical Genetics including natural history, management and counseling strategies for major pediatric and adult genetics diagnoses and syndromes, focusing on Genomic Medicine and Pediatric Genetics. Topics covered include autism, ophthogenetics, hearing loss, psychiatric genetics, genodermatoses, immune genetics, pediatric cancer genetics, g bone marrow failure syndromes, differences of sex development, craniofacial disorders, skeletal dysplasias and imprinting disorders. Students will be exposed to future directions of clinical genetics and genetic counseling and its impact on the management and treatment of common conditions. Students will actively engage in Clinical Case Presentations and a Journal Club session. Course directors will attend each class, and guest lecturers with relevant clinical expertise will be invited to share their clinical knowledge.
GENC 6210Genetic Counseling Theory and Practice II
This class teaches students the basic tenets of counseling theory and how they can be applied to genetic counseling sessions. Theories covered include person-centered counseling emphasizing genuineness, empathy, and positive regard. Narrative Medicine will be covered in detail, and students will be required to digitally record a narrative medicine interview with an individual or parent of an individual with a genetic disease. The recordings are analyzed and reviewed. Standardized patient assessments will be performed to monitor students' acquisition of more advanced counseling skills. Students will learn the integration of process in the genetic counseling session and how to address sensitive patient issues such as sharing challenging news and working with angry patients. They will learn to use active listening and value-free communication to manage a genetic counseling session in a culturally responsive manner.
This course presents a broad overview of concepts of inborn errors of metabolism as well as detailed reviews of specific conditions so that students will learn to distinguish the basic descriptors of a wide variety of metabolic conditions, including cardinal features, biochemical signatures, genetic etiologies, inheritance patterns, and available treatments. Students will also understand the basis for, and implications of, newborn screening for both metabolic and other disorders. Students will learn the methods available for diagnosis, genetic and tissue-based testing, and the various forms of treatment for the disorder, from nutrition therapy and transplants to clinical trials. Approaches to appropriately counsel families with a wide range of metabolic conditions and to identify at-risk family members are included in this course. Course directors will attend each class, and guest lecturers with relevant clinical expertise will be invited t share their clinical knowledge.
In this introductory course, we will review ethical, legal and social issues that arise within the field of genetic counseling. This course is designed to educate students about bio-ethical frameworks and how to construct a moral argument. Lectures will focus on providing background information that applies to specific sub-specialties within genetics such as reproductive, rare diseases, and research. Further, we will analyze challenging scenarios to develop ethical reasoning skills, with a focus on practical solutions that integrate legal and social considerations. Class time will include didactic lectures with extensive discussion, in addition to assignments that apply the concepts reviewed in class.
The second semester of this year-long course presents a broad overview of concepts in medical genetics including natural history, management and counseling strategies for major pediatric and adult genetics diagnoses and syndromes. Topics covered this semester include single gene disorders, bleeding and clotting disorders, hemoglobinopathies, adult liver disease, connective tissue disorders, cardiovascular genetics, psychiatric genetics, neurogenetic conditions such as epilepsy, movement disorders, ataxias, Huntington disease, and ALS, as well as classic genetic conditions identified by the organ system involved, such as cystic fibrosis. Students will learn the methods available for genetic testing, diagnosis, and treatment of genetic conditions. Students will be exposed to future directions of clinical genetics and genetic counseling and its impact on the management and treatment of common conditions. Therapeutic approaches and different modalities to treating genetic diagnoses will be reviewed, including approved gene therapy treatments as well as investigational therapies and clinical trials. Students will actively engage in Clinical Case Presentations and a Clinical Research Presentation. Course directors will attend each class, and guest lecturers with relevant clinical expertise will be invited to share their clinical knowledge.
GENC 6310Genetic Counseling Theory and Practice III
This course provides students with advanced counseling skills such as advanced empathy and confrontation. Students will explore counseling theories such as solution-focused brief therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and family systems models. Counselor issues such as self- disclosure and countertransference will be discussed in detail. Additional o skills and techniques from the counseling literature will be practiced in role plays to illustrate the usefulness of various counseling techniques in clinical genetics. This course includes an experiential component for practicing techniques utilizing standardized patients. Students will analyze their standardized patient recordings and identify missed opportunities and areas where they need to focus their counseling skills. Each student will analyze one of their clinical cases utilizing at least two theories discussed in class.
The goal of this seminar is to increase awareness of the many facets of genetic counseling as a career. The genetic counseling profession is rapidly evolving as new diagnostic technologies and treatments are developed. Skills learned by genetic counselors are applicable to many different job settings. Knowledge of these alternative ways in which counselors may work increases a student's ability to successfully pursue a career. Members of the genetics community from Philadelphia and the surrounding area provide lectures describing the current state of the profession. Selected topics include genetic counseling for a diverse population, the intersection between palliative care and genetic counseling, and how to manage a clinical genetic counseling practice with issues surrounding billing reimbursement and credentialing. This seminar also helps prepare students for the demands of the genetic counseling profession by focusing on emotional well-being through a process group facilitated by a professional counselor. Students prepare a career development plan reflecting on the essential components of an "ideal job" and develop a curriculum vitae and cover letters.
The genetic counseling profession is rapidly expanding beyond traditional clinical roles driven by advances in genomic technologies, precision medicine, and advocacy initiatives. The focus of this course is to prepare students as they transition from graduate students into successful careers as genetic counselors. Members of the genetics community from Philadelphia and the surrounding area provide lectures describing their varied roles and experiences in the field. Selected topics include advice on transitioning into a new job, experiences as a genetic counselor in the clinical, laboratory, advocacy, and industry setting, and issues surrounding billing reimbursement and credentialing. Students also hone their skills for effective communication of genetic counseling research. In addition, students prepare essential components for their ideal jobs by developing a CV and cover letter for their job search and preparing for upcoming job interviews. Strategies for studying for and taking the ABGC Board exam are reviewed. Finally, this seminar helps prepare students for the demands of the genetic counseling profession by focusing on emotional well-being through a process group facilitated by a professional counselor.
Once a week, students participate in discussion of clinical cases and recent journal literature. Through their participation, students gain familiarity with the process of reviewing clinical material and providing peer supervision. Presenting clinical and scientific information for group discussion in conferences and patient rounds is an important skill for genetic counselors. This seminar provides these experiences in a supportive environment and thus permits skill building in this area. This activity introduces students to a broad range of diagnoses and methods of managing a case. Discussions of case organization and tailoring a presentation to a specific patient is another aspect of this seminar.
In this continuation of GENC 6500, students participate in weekly discussions of clinical cases and recent journal literature. Through their participation, students gain familiarity with the process of reviewing clinical material and providing peer supervision. Presenting clinical and scientific information for group discussion in conferences and patient rounds is an important skill for genetic counselors. This seminar provides these experiences in a supportive environment and thus permits skill building in this area. This activity introduces the students to a broad range of diagnoses and methods of managing a case. Discussions of case organization and tailoring a presentation to a specific patient is another aspect of this seminar.
In addition to course-based degree requirements, students participate in internships related to the field of genetic counseling. These internships begin in the students' first term. Internships give students opportunities to learn in varying practice-based environments including clinical and laboratory settings, as well as placements in a research and/or advocacy capacity with a specific organization or research protocol. Students document their experiences online daily and provide written summaries of their experiences for the program leadership to review. Students attend their internships once a week. Clinical supervisors evaluate the students in each of the placements. 0 Course Units
The clinical internships during the second year consist of four clinical placements in genetics clinics. Students will have a minimum of 20 days in each specialty. This experiential course will expose genetic counseling students to the genetic counselors' role in different clinical settings and to the broad range of diagnoses and methods of effectively managing patient care. Clinical supervision is provided in a supportive environment that permits skill building as students take on more roles throughout the course of the year. Students will have exposure to cases representing the wide range of diagnoses and indications seen in a clinical genetics practice and will collect at least 50 participatory encounters to satisfy the ACGC requirement. Certified genetic counselors will supervise all students for cases to be acceptable for the core case log book. Students will log each case for program review, including self-reflection about their performance. All students will be evaluated by their clinical supervisors and will prepare case analyses for the program leadership to review. The course is required for all second-year students. Fall, Spring, and Summer Terms 1 Course Unit
This course focuses on study design and proposal development of research projects relevant to clinical genetics and genetic counseling, encompassing translational, clinical, and behavioral projects. Covered topics include identifying a research topic, aims, study design, background, methods, quantitative and qualitative methods, biostatistics, and proposal writing. IRB submission and feasibility issues will also be addressed. This course will include online asynchronous lectures, online group discussions, weekly readings, and a draft of the research proposal as the final assignment. In addition, there will be synchronous weekly hour-long online group meetings to discuss research progress. Students will implement course lessons by developing and executing a research thesis project during the one-year program.
GENC 7102) and one required course runs the second half of the spring2.00
1 semester (GENC 7103). Regular weekly synchronous online meetings provide students with opportunities to build on didactic learning in each of the required courses. For the spring semester, as part of the certificate program, students will also choose 1 course unit of online elective(s) offered through 1 one of the Perelman School of Medicine's Master’s and Certificate Programs, such as GENC 7104: Biomedical Informatics for Genetic Counselors, Healthcare Innovation, Health Policy Research, Translational Research, Regulatory Affairs, or Public Health. The elective course may enhance a student’s interests and skills in patient advocacy, health care disparities, genomic medicine, health care innovations, ethical, legal, and social issues, or promote their ability to write grants as independent researchers. Throughout their time in the program, each student also works closely with a research mentor to design and complete an individual research project in their area of interest. This can be a research project the student is already actively pursuing, or if desired, the student can propose a new research topic and be matched with a research mentor at their institution. 2026-27 Catalog | Generated 08/03/26
Elective 1 Total Course Units 4 The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2026 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation. Biomedical Informatics, Certificate The IBI Certificate in Biomedical Informatics is a four-course sequence for non-informatics professionals designed to build the informatics community at Penn and to train informatics-literate clinicians and researchers who will have a broad understanding of the field of biomedical informatics. Students in the Certificate in Biomedical Informatics Program can expect to obtain a working knowledge of biomedical informatics, its history, the current landscape, and future directions of the field. The four courses in this program also form the core of the Master of Biomedical Informatics (MBMI) program, so certificate students can expect to interact with a variety of students with diverse interests in informatics. Certificate students who wish to expand their biomedical informatics skills in a degree program may apply to the MBMI program and, if accepted, may transfer credit from the certificate program to meet the requirements of the Master’s program. For more information: https://www.med.upenn.edu/mbmi/ certificate.html
GENC 7104Biomedical Informatics for Genetic Counselors
In this course, students will develop a broad understanding of the field of biomedical informatics. The field of Biomedical Informatics (BMI) considers a variety of approaches and methods drawn from the computational, quantitative, and qualitative sciences. This introductory course provides an introduction to many research topic areas for the field with emphasis on the multidisciplinary nature of biomedical informatics. 1 Course Unit
GENC 7105Mixed Methods Research for Genetic Counselors
This online course will provide in-depth training for genetic counselors and other clinicians to prepare them to perform rigorous mixed methods research. Topics include an overview of qualitative and mixed methods research design, data collection, and data analysis methods. Lectures will cover preparation and recruitment for various styles of interviews and focus groups, and available approaches to data analysis. Implementation science will be examined in detail and strategies for publishing research explored. Outline of Topics: Week 1: Introduction to qualitative and mixed methods research Week 2: Data collection using interviews Week 3: Data collection using Focus Groups Week 4: Data Management & Analysis Week 5: Mixed Methods Research Week 6: Other types of data collection (Observations & Social Media) Week 7: Other types of data collection (Observations & Social Media) Week 8: Qualitative Meta synthesis &
This is an independent study course with a strong emphasis on project and time management. Students develop a project timeline and complete project tasks such as collecting data, analyzing data, presenting research progress, and composing a final manuscript, typically for submission to an academic journal. Students are responsible for meeting regularly with their primary thesis mentor and program advisor to complete the project and associated manuscript in a timely fashion. Course requirements include reporting on regular study meetings, meeting interim deadlines for partial and full manuscript drafts, and making use of resources supplied in the associated Canvas community. Students are also expected to submit an abstract for a professional meeting, poster presentation at an annual symposium, and a platform presentation to members of the genetic counseling program and broader community. Students are strongly encouraged to submit their manuscript for publication and are required to develop a clear publication plan and study materials deposit with their primary mentors before graduating.
