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Student experience
Overview
Access to a truly innovative field of study awaits those who undertake the Graduate Diploma of Genomics and Health at the University of Melbourne. This inspiring course is the first of its kind in Australia, and is an excellent format to learn about the rapidly expanding field of genomics.
The day-to-day experience
The one-year Graduate Diploma (full-time) offers students the chance to craft a unique study experience based on your interests. With a wide range of subjects on offer, the primary focus of the program is understanding the complexity of the human genome, while exploring the ethical and legal frameworks applied to genomics and healthcare.
Students can craft their diploma to encompass a wide range elective of options in relevant areas such as public health and policy, ethics and law, bioinformatics, variant curation, clinical trials and research, indigenous health and more. Through a combination of online and campus-based learning, you will be introduced to the broad impacts of genomics.
Opportunities
A variety of career opportunities will become available to you upon completion of the Graduate Diploma, including:
- Public health and health policy
- Science
- Clinical trials and research
- Medical and allied health settings
- Medical law.
These are just some of the industries that are eager to utilise the knowledge and expertise of genomic graduates like you in the workplace.
This program also offers the possibility of transitioning to the Master of Genomics and Health if you’re inspired to seek further study and development in genomics.
Sarah Casauria
I’ve been fascinated by genomics ever since watching the BBC TV show Orphan Black in Year 12, so the opportunity to immerse myself in pure genomics and everything surrounding it really appealed.
The course offers so many different pathways. We touch on genetic science, ethics, counselling, public health and more. We’re learning so many different skills and I think there will be a lot of career options for us. I’m interested in pursuing a career where I can utilise my science communication skills, whether that be for consumer information, medical ethics or research.
In second year we start internships, which are helping me realise how many different industries need genomics. I’m doing my first internship with a reproductive service, doing client information, which combines my passion for science communication with my knowledge of genomics.
I’m enjoying communicating genomics with patients who may have no knowledge of the topic. I’m also meeting people who are big names in the field, and it’s a wonderful opportunity to learn from them.
I’ve really enjoyed the coursework so far, too. Because we’re such a small cohort we get a lot of attention and support, not just with our studies but with our wellbeing as well.
For our first year we mingle in with the genetic counselling students because we overlap core subjects so we get to know everyone in both courses. I’ve gotten to know the other students much more than I did in my bachelor degree, which I’ve really enjoyed.
In first year the teaching is fairly self-directed with classes once or twice a week at the Royal Children’s Hospital. Second year is more demanding, but if you manage your time well there’s still space for life outside of uni.