About the Course

Mean Genes!

Has anyone ever told you that you have your mother’s eyes? Or your father’s nose? Or even your great aunt’s hair? Whether they know it or not, they are talking about your genes. Your genetic makeup, the thousands of building blocks that make you—well, you—has been passed down for generations.

Begin with an exploration of Mendelian genetics to determine how traits are passed from parents to offspring before moving on to human genetics, practicing both classic and complex crosses as you learn which traits dominate, which are rarer, and why. You also look at genetics on a larger scale, determining how the genetic composition of a population can affect its survival, and finally completing a research project about a genetic disease of your choosing.

Fall and Spring Time Commitment: 4-5 hours per week (1-hour of class time, 3-4 hours of independent work).
Summer Time Commitment: 12-15 hours per week (3-hours of class time, 9-12 hours of independent work).

Course Overview

This course is

ungraded.

Classes

Register for an Online course by selecting an open class below. If no open classes are listed, then course enrollment is currently closed. Note: You will need to have an active CTY Account to complete registration through MyCTY

 

This course is not open for enrollment at this time. Please check back later.

Testing and Prerequisites

  Math Verbal
Required Level CTY-Level or CTY-Level
Check your eligibility using existing test scores If you do not have existing test scores:

Students must achieve qualifying scores on an advanced assessment to be eligible for CTY programs. If you don’t have qualifying scores, you have several different testing options. We’ll help you find the right option for your situation.

Sign up for Testing Learn More

Cost and Financial Aid

  • Tuition
    • Varies
  • Application fee
    • Nonrefundable Application Fee - $15 (Waived for financial aid applicants)
    • Nonrefundable International Fee - $20 (outside US only)

CTY Financial Aid Availability for Online Programs

Academic Year 2025-26 (Course start dates July 1, 2025- June 30, 2026): Financial Aid funding is currently available for all eligible students while funding lasts. If interested in applying for financial aid, please select a course with start date of July 1, 2025, or later.

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Course Materials

Please acquire all course materials by the course start date, unless noted as perishable. Items marked as “perishable” should not be acquired until the student needs them in the course. If you have questions about these materials or difficulty locating them, please contact [email protected].
 

Book Title: Genetics: Breaking the Code of your DNA
Author: Carla Mooney
ISBN: 978-1619302129

Materials:

  • Fair coin (1) and 6-sided die (1)
  • Uncooked dry beans (50 each in 2 different colors)
  • Brown paper bag (2)
  • Scissors
  • Paper
  • M&Ms and Red Hots (candy) (1 serving size each)
  • Medicine dropper (1)
  • Shampoo (travel-sized)
  • Strawberry or banana (1) (Perishable)
  • Salt
  • Coffee filters (1)
  • Isopropyl alcohol (70-91%) (small bottle)

Technical Requirements

This course requires a computer with high-speed Internet access and an up-to-date web browser such as Chrome or Firefox. You must be able to communicate with the instructor via email. Visit the Technical Requirements and Support page for more details.

This course uses a virtual classroom for instructor-student communication. The classroom works on standard computers with the Zoom desktop client, and on tablets or handhelds that support the Zoom Mobile app. Recorded meetings can only be viewed on a computer with the Zoom desktop client installed. The Zoom desktop client and Zoom Mobile App are both free to download.

About Science and Engineering at CTY

Our Science and Engineering courses bring a variety of science topics to life. By introducing topics not covered in standard science curricula, we build and reinforce your science knowledge. All courses support critical thinking, problem solving, and reasoning, and encourage a hands-on approach to learning about Earth, space, life sciences, chemistry, and the physical world. Guided by expert CTY science educators, you’ll perform hands-on experiments using common household objects, and participate in dynamic group discussions.

Engage with science enrichment courses

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