# Requirements to Graduate All students will need to meet the following degree requirements in order to successfully earn the MSGC degree: * Achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for all required courses * Complete the core curriculum * Attain the minimum clinical competencies defined and documented by each clinical training area * Complete a minimum of 50 participatory cases as required by the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling * Complete, present, and deposit an in-depth thesis project of a selected genetic counseling issue or topic ### Thesis Milestones #### Year 1 March 15st * Send a brief summary of proposed research to designated Program Leadership * Designated program Leadership will provide feedback regarding feasibility and potential advisors March 31st * Advisor(s) secured May 15th * Complete first draft of proposal * Include hypothesis, summary, background and proposed methodology * Proposals will be reviewed by the guiding committee June 30th * Final Deadline to Submit project proposal to relevant regulatory bodies #### Year 2 Mid-March * Presentation of Research to clinical faculty/staff/students April 15 * Final date for deposit\* of thesis for May graduation\*\* \*Deposit instructions can found on the [Graduate School Forms webpage](https://icahn.mssm.edu/education/students/registrar/graduate-forms). \*\* If a thesis project cannot be completed by April 15th students cannot receive their diploma in May. Students should discuss alternative deposit deadlines with Program leadership. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://ismms-gs.gitbook.io/graduate-student-handbook/chapter-7/ms-in-genetic-counseling/program-requirements/requirements-to-graduate.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.