M.S. Genetic Counseling Admissions

Who Should Apply
Prerequisites
How to Apply
Tuition and Financial Aid

Who Should Apply?

We welcome candidates from various backgrounds who are enthusiastic about pursuing a vibrant career in genetic counseling. Strong candidates should demonstrate:

A genuine enthusiasm for the field and a drive to impact the lives of families and individuals affected by genetic disorders.
A GPA of 3.0 or higher from their undergraduate or graduate studies (see Prerequisites).
Exposure to genetic counseling through shadowing, volunteering in a genetic counseling practice, or working alongside genetic counselors in some capacity.
Skills and experiences that can be transferable to working as a genetic counselor. Experiences can include advocacy work, crisis counseling, volunteering, or relevant work.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Prerequisites

Applicants to the program should have completed the following college or university pre-requisites within the last ten years from the time of the application:

A baccalaureate/bachelor’s degree from a US-accredited college, university, or equivalent
Demonstrate the completion of a semester (or equivalent) of the following college-level coursework with a grade of C or higher (greater than 2.0 on a 4.0 GPA scale).

Required:

Genetics (Human or Molecular)
Biochemistry
Statistics or Calculus

Strongly Recommended:

Psychology
Cell Biology
Anatomy and Physiology
Microbiology

How To Apply?

A 21-month program leading to a MS in Genetic Counseling. The program expects to start accepting applications in the Fall of 2024. The program expects to start in Fall 2025. (see Accreditation Status). There is no application fee to apply to this program.

Application Checklist

Application Requirements

Register with the National Matching Service (NMS)- NMS match system
Official transcripts showing a bachelor's degree conferred and successful completion of all prerequisite coursework with a grade of “C” or higher. Applicants must receive a letter grade for all pre-requisite courses.*
A personal essay of why you are interested in genetic counseling, your understanding of the field, prior relevant experiences and why you desire to obtain your graduate degree at Xavier University of Louisiana (maximum 600 words)
A resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
Three letters of recommendation from instructors, employers, undergraduate advisers, volunteer supervisors, or academic/research mentors.
TOEFL or IELTS scores if you are an  international student

*Courses graded as pass/fail, satisfactory/unsatisfactory, or as a certificate of completion are not acceptable.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition is charged at $15,000 for each of the five terms of enrollment (Year-1 Fall, Spring, and Summer Year-2 Fall and Spring). There is no tuition difference for in-state and out-of-state residents. The total cost of the tuition for the program is $75,900. Tuition costs do not include textbooks or any additional costs associated with this program. The tuition is determined each year. Please recognize that the following information is provided solely as an estimate to aid your financial planning and all cost are subject to change.

More information regarding financial aid at XULA can be found here: https://www.xula.edu/financialaid/