Programs by Campus
Indianapolis
Medical and Molecular Genetics
School of Medicine
Departmental URL: http://genetics.medicine.iu.edu
(Please note that when conferring University Graduate School degrees, minors, certificates, and sub-plans, The University Graduate School’s staff use those requirements contained only in The University Graduate School Bulletin.)
Curriculum
Degrees Offered
Master of Science in Medical and Molecular Genetics and Doctor of Philosophy
Special Program Requirements
(See also general University Graduate School requirements.)
Admission Requirements
MS Non-counseling plan: Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent, including two years of chemistry, mathematics through calculus, two years of biology, and one course in principles of genetics. Promising students deficient in one or more areas may be accepted if it appears to the admissions committee that deficiencies can be removed during graduate study. Results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test are not required for admission.
MS Genetic Counseling plan:
Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent, including at least one semester in biology, genetics, psychology and either organic chemistry or biochemistry. Results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General test are not required for admission.
Master of Science Degree
MS Non-counseling Plan Course Requirements
For students not in the genetic counseling study track, a minimum of 30 credit hours of approved courses, including no more than 7 credit hours of research, plus either the thesis option or non-thesis option of an additional 6 credit hours (see “Thesis” section below). At least 20 credit hours must be taken in medical genetics or approved equivalents, including at least four of the following five areas with grades of B or higher: basic human genetics (Q580), introduction to clinical genetics (MGEN-Q625), cytogenetics (MGEN-Q620), molecular and biochemical genetics (MGEN-Q612), and population genetics (MGEN-Q630). The student must maintain a minimum of 3.0 GPA and a B or better in all coursework.
Thesis
A student not in the genetic counseling study track may complete one of the following options in addition to the 30 credits hours of approved coursework:
- prepare and defend a Master's thesis OR
- first authorship on a refereed publication with approval of the department OR
- complete an additional 6 hours of non-research coursework (non-thesis option)
Final Examination
The completion and passing of a written exam, oral exam, or combined written and oral exam is at the discretion of the student's advisory committee.
Program Termination
Academic or research deficiency will result in termination of the student’s enrollment in the program.
MS Genetic Counseling Program Course Requirements
For students on the genetic counseling study plan to meet requirements to take the certification examination of the American Board of Genetic Counseling, a minimum of 47 credit hours of approved courses must be taken in medical genetics. Required courses include at least 12 hours in clinical practicum courses (from MGEN-Q610, MGEN-Q710-Q717, or approved equivalent) and at least two credit hours of genetic counseling research (MGEN-Q810, MGEN-Q811) for the required genetic counseling graduate research project (see below). Students must earn a B- or better in all departmental coursework and maintain a minimum of a 3.0 GPA.
Genetic Counseling Graduate Research Project
Genetic counseling students must choose either a clinical research project or case report with literature review for which they will enroll in at least two credits of Genetic Counseling Research (MGEN-Q810, MGEN-Q811) in addition to the required 45 credit hours from courses and clinical work.
Final Examination
Genetic counseling MS students must pass a comprehensive written examination. Under exceptional circumstances, the student may petition the committee to be permitted to take the final examination one additional time.
Program Termination
Academic, clinical, or research deficiency will result in termination of the genetic counseling student’s enrollment in the program.
Doctor of Philosophy Degree
Admission Requirements
The Medical and Molecular Genetics Ph.D. program participates in an “open enrollment” system named The Indiana University School of Medicine BioMedical Gateway (IBMG) Program. The IBMG Program provides a shared first-year experience for all of the School of Medicine biomedical science pre-doctoral (Ph.D. program) students. The link for the IBMG program is: http://grad.medicine.iu.edu/degree-programs/ibmg/.
Course Requirements
All Ph.D. students are required to take a minimum of 12 hours of coursework in the major, with a grade of B- or better, and the remaining hours will be of the minor, research and seminar credits, as well as the first-year common curriculum for new Ph.D. students, including six hours of research rotations, for a total of 90 credit hours. Information on first year required courses for the Ph.D. program (Indiana Biomedical Gateway – IBMG) program may be found under the Biomedical Sciences section of this bulletin. Up to 30 credit hours of non-clinical graduate level courses may apply toward the Ph.D. or the M.D./Ph.D. combined degree.
Minor
Must be taken in a field related to the major, e.g., bioinformatics, cancer biology, cardiovascular sciences, diabetes and obesity, life sciences, health informatics, translational sciences, or with the approval of the student’s Advisory Committee.. Number of credit hours (usually 12) and grades required are determined by the minor director for each minor. Minor credits must be separate from the Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics major course credit requirements.
Qualifying Examination
The Qualifying Examination assesses the students research aptitude and critical thinking necessary to complete the requirements and intellectual rigors of the PhD. The Examination is composed of a detailed research proposal that is reviewed by the student’s Advisory Committee and orally defended. Examination over the minor field at the discretion of the minor field department.
Research Proposal
A written research proposal, presented and defended orally, is required for admission to candidacy and generally serves as the student’s thesis proposal.
Final Examination
Oral defense of dissertation.
Program Termination
Research or academic deficiency, including two failures of the qualifying examination, will result in termination of the student’s enrollment in the program.
Ph.D. Minor in Medical and Molecular Genetics
Students outside the department desiring to obtain a doctoral minor in Medical and Molecular Genetics (MMGE) must complete a minimum of 9 credit hours across a variety of courses other than research (MGEN-Q800) and seminar (MGEN-Q660) focused on aspects of medical and molecular genetics with a grade of B (3.0) or better. Required courses consist of MGEN-Q580 Basic Human Genetics (3 cr.) and at least two of the following: Q612 Molecular and Biochemical Genetics (3 cr.), Q620 Human Cytogenetics (2 cr.), and Q630 Population Genetics (1 cr.).