The Department of Medical Genetics, through Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (G+PS) at the University of British Columbia, offers a unique two-year graduate program leading to a Master of Science in Genetic Counselling.
Based in the heart of Vancouver at Children’s and Women’s Health Centre of British Columbia — the tertiary care provider for clinical medical genetics services — UBC’s MSc in Genetic Counselling program is one of only five programs in Canada, and one of the largest. The diversity of the students and faculty is reflective of the broad range of ethnicities and cultures within Vancouver.
The program balances strong academic grounding, direct clinical experiences and independent research to prepare graduates for the dynamic field of genetic counselling. Academic coursework is concentrated in the first year of study, followed by a focus on experiential learning in the second year of study. With only eight students accepted into the program every year, students receive close mentorship and one-on-one support from award-winning faculty in the Department of Medical Genetics.
The program has full accreditation status by the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC). Students, upon graduating, will be eligible to apply for “Active Candidate” status for both the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) and the Canadian Board of Genetic Counsellors (CBGC) certification exams.
Graduate Stats:
- First time ABGC board exam pass rate for 3 most recent classes (2022-2024): 87.5% (14/16 test takers)
- First time CBGC board exam pass rate for the 3 most recent test cycles (2022-2025): 85.7% (6/7 test takers)
- Attrition rate for the past 3 years: 0% (0/22 students)
- Job placement rate in the field within 3 months of graduation: 82% (14/17 students, 1 student excluded as they enrolled in a PhD program after graduation and did not seek employment)
Graduates of the program have gone on to pursue stimulating careers, both in Canada and internationally, in genomic research, private industry, public and private clinical services, as well as policy development. Many alumni and faculty have become international leaders in the field, including President of the Canadian Association of Genetic Counsellors (CAGC) and the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC), as well as board members on the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC), American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC), CAGC, and NSGC.