Graduate Course Descriptions

The following directory lists the graduate courses which the University expects to offer, although the University in no way guarantees that all such courses will be offered in any given academic year, and reserves the right to alter the list if conditions warrant. Click on the links below for a list of courses in that subject area. You may then click “View Classes” to see scheduled classes for individual courses.

5091. Internship

1.00 - 3.00 credits | May be repeated for a total of 6 credits.

Prerequisites: Instructor consent.

Grading Basis: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory

Experiential learning to integrate knowledge and theory from the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting.

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5095. Investigation of Special Topics

1.00 - 3.00 credits | May be repeated for a total of 9 credits.

Prerequisites: Instructor consent.

Grading Basis: Graded

Comprehensive coverage of topic with emerging issues, significant trends, unique perspectives, or major advances.

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5099. Independent Study

1.00 - 3.00 credits | May be repeated for a total of 9 credits.

Prerequisites: Instructor consent.

Grading Basis: Graded

Independent investigation toward scholarship in the discipline.

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5100. Foundations of Genetic and Genomic Medicine

3.00 credits

Prerequisites: Only open to graduate students currently enrolled in the Clinical Genetics and Genomics certificate, others with instructor consent.

Grading Basis: Graded

Foundational concepts and application of genetics and genomics in the context of human disease.

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5101. Principles of Human Embryology and Teratology

3.00 credits

Prerequisites: Only open to graduate students currently enrolled in the Clinical Genetics and Genomics certificate, others with instructor consent.

Grading Basis: Graded

Investigation of fundamental mechanisms underlying normal and abnormal development related to embryogenesis and organogenesis. Relates defects in development to congenital anomalies.

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5102. Clinical Applications of Genetic and Genomic Technologies

3.00 credits

Prerequisites: Only open to graduate students currently enrolled in the Clinical Genetics and Genomics certificate, others with instructor consent.

Grading Basis: Graded

Principles, clinical applications, and interpretation of genetic and genomic testing methods.

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5103. Theories and Methods of Clinical Genetics

3.00 credits

Prerequisites: Only open to graduate students currently enrolled in the Clinical Genetics and Genomics certificate, others with instructor consent.

Grading Basis: Graded

An Introduction to the theoretical framework, skillsets, and applications necessary to provide scientific communication of genetics and genomics, resources, diagnoses, and counseling in the clinical setting.

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5140. Systems Medical Genetics

3.00 credits

Prerequisites: Instructor consent. Recommended preparation: ISG 5100, 5102, 5103, 5730.

Grading Basis: Graded

Focuses on the connections between human development and inherited disease. Includes core principles of development of the body plan and signaling pathways involved in development and differentiation. Discusses fundamental principles regarding congenital malformations, dysmorphology and syndromes. Discussion of a number of genetic disorders from a systems approach. Discussions include diagnosis, etiology, genetics, prognosis and management. Either semester and summer. Online.

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5141. Metabolic and Cardiovascular Genomics

3.00 credits

Prerequisites: Instructor consent. Recommended preparation: ISG 5100, 5102, 5103, 5140, 5730.

Grading Basis: Graded

Focuses on the connections between human development and inherited disease. The course will include core principles of inborn errors of metabolism and cardiovascular genomics.

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5142. Clinical Cancer Genetics

3.00 credits

Prerequisites: Instructor consent. Recommended preparation: ISG 5100, 5102, 5103, 5140, 5730.

Grading Basis: Graded

Provides knowledge and skills fundamental to the practice of cancer genetic counseling. Students will apply cancer genetics knowledge to multiple clinical situations. This course will cover hereditary cancer syndromes, cancer risk assessment models, and germline and somatic genomic testing. Either semester and summer. Online.

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5143. Clinical Prenatal Genetics

1.00 credits

Prerequisites: Open to students in the Genetic Counseling masters program, others with instructor consent.

Grading Basis: Graded

Introduces the genetics specialty focusing on potential risks to pregnancy, including chromosome disorders, genetic conditions, or congenital disabilities. Applying knowledge of genetics and genomics core concepts, selecting screening, diagnostic, and assisted reproductive techniques dependent on clinical indication, family history, and ultrasound findings.

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5144. Clinical Practice for Genetic Counselors I

1.00 credits

Prerequisites: Open to students in the Genetic Counseling masters program, others with instructor consent.

Grading Basis: Graded

Developing skills necessary to support personal values and client well-being while managing genetic counseling cases. Exploration of professional guidelines and issues related to clinical genetics practice within a framework of inclusivity and according to ethical, legal, and societal guidelines.

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5146. Research Methods

3.00 credits

Prerequisites: Open only to students in the Genetic Counseling and Health Care Genetics master's programs, others with instructor consent.

Grading Basis: Graded

Essential skills to propose new research questions, articulate research progress, and evaluate research outcomes. Incorporating history, diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, prepare a research proposal for genetics/genetic counseling in health care.

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5200. Communication and Counseling Skills for Effective Health Care Conversations

3.00 credits

Prerequisites: Only open to Clinical Communication and Counseling certificate students. Students in the Health Care Genetics or Genetic Counseling programs may enroll with respective Program Director consent.

Grading Basis: Graded

Theoretical knowledge and practical communication, counseling and support skills for the benefit of connecting practitioners and consumers within the context of health care and genomics.

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5201. Cultural Awareness: Working with Diverse Populations in Health Care

3.00 credits

Prerequisites: Only open to Clinical Communication and Counseling certificate students. Students in the Health Care Genetics or Genetic Counseling programs may enroll with respective Program Director consent.

Grading Basis: Graded

Connecting the impact of cultural differences with the delivery of counseling services and health care discussions.

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5202. Creating a Therapeutic Alliance

3.00 credits

Prerequisites: Only open to Clinical Communication and Counseling certificate students. Students in the Health Care Genetics or Genetic Counseling programs may enroll with respective Program Director consent.

Grading Basis: Graded

Critical concepts and application of health literacy, health communication, and provider-consumer communication models.

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5203. Death, Dying, Grief, and Coping

3.00 credits

Prerequisites: Only open to Clinical Communication and Counseling certificate students. Students in the Health Care Genetics or Genetic Counseling programs may enroll with respective Program Director consent.

Grading Basis: Graded

Critical concepts of death, loss, and grief and their impact on consumer-provider discussions of death, within a health care setting.

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5301. Concepts in Genomic Data Analysis I

2.00 credits

Prerequisites: Corequisite: ISG 5311. Recommended preparation: Undergraduate degree in biology or related discipline. Background in genetics.

Grading Basis: Graded

Fundamentals of genomic data analysis, high throughput sequencing technologies, and computational tools and infrastructure used to analyze and communicate results from genomic data.

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5302. Concepts in Genomic Data Analysis II

2.00 credits

Prerequisites: ISG 5301 and 5311. Corequisite: ISG 5312. Recommended preparation: Undergraduate degree in biology or related discipline. Background in genetics.

Grading Basis: Graded

In-depth introduction to genome assembly, variant detection, functional genomics, and tools to manage bioinformatic code-bases and ensure reproducibility, git and nextflow.

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5311. Genomic Data Analysis in Practice I

4.00 credits

Prerequisites: Corequisite: ISG 5301. Recommended preparation: Undergraduate degree in biology or related discipline. Background in genetics.

Grading Basis: Graded

Practical introduction to genomic data analysis. Introduction to coding using Linux/bash, R/tidyverse and SLURM on a high performance computing cluster through the use of real data.

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5312. Genomic Data Analysis in Practice II

4.00 credits

Prerequisites: ISG 5301 and 5311. Corequisite: ISG 5302. Recommended preparation: Undergraduate degree in biology or related discipline. Background in genetics.

Grading Basis: Graded

Practical instruction in how to accomplish various genomic workflows including genome assembly, variant detection, differential expression using RNA-seq.

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5496. Laboratory Rotation

1.00 - 3.00 credits | May be repeated for a total of 9 credits.

Prerequisites: Instructor consent.

Grading Basis: Graded

Introduction to research questions and techniques within a specialized discipline of systems genomics.

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5601. Interpreting Clinical Genomic Data

3.00 credits

Prerequisites: Instructor consent. Recommended preparation: ISG 5100, 5102, 5103, 5730.

Grading Basis: Graded

Interrogation of database resources for the identification and interpretation of genetic variation in the context of clinical case management. Accurate communication of genetic information in an accessible format according to established guidelines. Either semester and summer. Online.

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5715. Journal Club

1.00 credits | May be repeated for a total of 3 credits.

Prerequisites: Open only to students in the Genetic Counseling and Health Care Genetics master's programs, others with instructor consent.

Grading Basis: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory

Using knowledge of clinical genetics and genomics, students will evaluate the accuracy, impact, and outcomes of primary research. Producing effective presentations for delivering complex science at an audience-appropriate level.

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5730. Professional Skills and Competencies

1.00 - 2.00 credits | May be repeated for a total of 10 credits.

Prerequisites: None.

Grading Basis: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory

Career skills development toward effective practice in health care research, diagnostic and/or clinic settings. May be repeated with a change in topic for a total of 10 credits.

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