Master of Genetic Counselling

The University of Melbourne

In Australasia, genetic counsellors are allied health professionals who work in partnership with clinical geneticists or other medical specialists, often as part of a multidisciplinary team that may include other allied health professionals and/or scientists. Genetic counselling is a communication process that aims to help individuals, couples and families understand and adapt to the implications of a genetic contribution to a health condition. The role of a genetic counsellor includes provision of risk information to individuals/families, education about a genetic condition to individuals/families/health professionals, counselling to individuals/families to promote informed health care decision making and psychosocial support to individuals/families who have a history of a genetic condition. The Master of Genetic Counselling is a professionally accredited coursework degree, completed full time over two years. Teaching staff are primarily practicing genetic counsellors, scientists and clinicians within the field of clinical genetics health care and research. Community support groups and individuals/families with personal/family experience of genetics also provide expertise to the teaching and placements in the course.

Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences

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