master of science thesis
The field of genetic counseling has developed into a professional discipline of its own. As such, the capabilities of genetic counselors should include scientific evaluation of the tenets of genetic counseling and professional reporting of these studies. The student in genetic counseling is required to write a thesis based on original research. The resulting work is of publishable quality and is often presented at a national genetics society meeting.

Thesis research has generated many published abstracts, presented papers and publications over the Program's history.  Libby Hull Malpuhrus won the Beth Fine Kaplan Student Abstract Award at  the 2001 National Society of Genetic Counselors Conference for her work entitled- The Impact of Mosaic Chorionic Villus Sampling Results on Patient Attitudes Both Prenatally and Postnatally: A Retrospective Study.

Students are encouraged to identify an area of interest during their first year of Thesis Seminar. Guided by a faculty advisor and thesis committee, the student directs the research project through its fruition. Topics typically pertain to timely genetic counseling issues.
 

Thesis Topics 2006 - 2008
 

• Children’s Acceptance of Others with Disability: The Influence of a Disability Simulation Program
• Assessing the Needs and Experiences of Women who Receive a Prenatal Diagnosis of Trisomy 13 or 18 and Continue the Pregnancy
• First Trimester Screening: A Comparison of Informed Choice in Group and Individual Genetic Counseling Settings
• Family Environment and the Communication of Positive Genetic Test Results for Cancer Susceptibility Gene Mutations

•  Predictors of Distress, Uncertainty, and Maladjustment Following Disclosure of BRCA 1/2 Mutation Status in Unaffected Carriers 

• Attitudes of South Carolina Parents of Unaffected Children Regarding Expanding Newborn Screening for Genetic Conditions

• Parental Knowledge and Understanding of Newborn Screening in South Carolina

• Attitudes of Families Affected by Adrenoleukodystrophy Toward Prenatal Diagnosis, Presymptomatic and Carrier Testing, and Newborn Screening
• Patient Attitudes Toward Microarray Comparative Genomic Hybridization in Prenatal Testing
• Adult Siblings of Individuals with Autism and Factors Influencing Their Reproductive Decisions
• Medical Management Clinical Practices of Cancer Genetic Counselors
• An Assessment of Genetic Referral Patterns in Mississippi
• Genetic Counseling Professionals in 15 Countries:  Emergence, Practice, and Current Issues
• Assessment of Genetic Testing Strategies for Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Cancer:  A Genetic Counselor Survey

• The Current Perceptions and Desires of Adults with Marfan Syndrome for Preconceptional and Prenatal Genetic Counseling 

• Cancer Genetic Counseling in Families with Breast Cancer:  How Strong is Your Voice? 

• The Current Psychosocial Practices of Pediatric Genetic Counselors

•  Attitudes of South Carolina Clergy on Counseling Women with Pregnancies Affected with Genetic Conditions 

• Prenatal Genetic Screening and Diagnostic Testing Practices Among South Carolina Obstetricians

• Factors That Influence Communication of Pregnancy Termination for Abnormality from Patients to People in Their Lives