Contact: Helga Newman or
Patti Klein Lerner,
(818) 677-2130

Genetic Counseling Program at CSUN Receives Full Accreditation

"We are very proud that we received full accreditation for our program. Full accreditation allows students to apply for the certification examination conducted by the American Board of Genetic Counseling," said Aida Metzenberg, director of CSUN's Genetic Counseling Program.

"Genetic counseling services are a relatively new phenomenon in the world. North America is the only part of the world that offers university programs for genetic counseling services, which gives CSUN a leading edge in this field," Metzenberg said.

Genetic counselors provide information and support to individuals and families who have concerns about birth defects or genetic conditions. They help families and medical professionals make decisions about individuals with genetically linked diseases such as Alzheimer¹s disease and certain types of cancers. "Genetic counselors translate new technology information in a way that¹s accessible to the needs of community members," Metzenberg said.

The Genetic Counseling Program is a two-year program that leads to a Master's of Science degree in Genetic Counseling. The interdisciplinary program is sponsored by the Department of Biology, the Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, and the Department of Special Education at CSUN and was fully accredited in April .

For more information about the program, call Jim Dole at (818) 677-3356.