The goal of the thesis project is twofold: to provide students with the skills necessary to do high-quality, ethical research and to develop genetic counselors who are careful and effective consumers of scientific literature. The thesis spans both years of the program, beginning in the first year with a two-credit Research Methods course covering qualitative and quantitative research models, data collection tools and analysis strategies, biases and limitations, research ethics and the IRB, and a review of the roles that genetic counselors may play in research settings.
Thesis projects take many forms: surveys, focus groups, development of educational materials, analysis of existing data sources of and for patients, genetic counselors, and other healthcare providers. The program actively recruits research mentors and develops ideas for projects that are presented to students in the fall semester of their first year.
While students have the option of proposing a research topic of their own, most are matched with a topic and a mentor based on their interests and preferences. Many students work in pairs and, occasionally, larger groups; the program believes collaboration better resembles how research is accomplished in most work settings and allows students to achieve more in a limited time frame. Each student or group is also assigned a faculty advisor, who monitors the academic aspects of the project including the literature review and final manuscript in collaboration with the thesis mentor.
Over the summer between the first and second year, all students complete an in-depth review of the literature and create an annotated bibliography to summarize and synthesize literature pertinent to their research topics. In spring of the second year, the research process culminates in a final thesis manuscript and poster presentation. Students are strongly encouraged to disseminate their results by submitting an abstract to the NSGC Annual Education Conference or other conferences, as appropriate. Publication of student research is a goal of the thesis project, and faculty members provide advice and editorial support for graduates to help them fulfill that goal.
Congratulations to Ariel Modeste (left) and Alexa Barbagallo (right), pictured here with Director of Student Research Laura Hercher, on winning “Best Poster” awards at the 2025 Human Genetics Graduate Thesis Celebration!
See all previous theses works here: Human Genetics Theses | The Joan H. Marks Graduate Program in Human Genetics | Sarah Lawrence College.