I teach a course and several of my students want to conduct a research project involving human subjects. Do they need to file with the IRB?
If students are conducting human subjects research as part of a class assignment, or to satisfy a degree requirement, the IRB must review the proposed research. However, class assignments to teach or practice research methodology generally do not require IRB approval unless the effort is intended to produce generalizable knowledge. When students conduct research as part of a course of study, a faculty member ultimately is responsible for the protection of subjects, even if the student is the primary researcher and actually directs the project. Columbia’s policy on student research is posted on the Policies and Guidance page of the IRB website under Students as Researchers.
Related Questions
- I teach a course in which my students engage in instruction-related research involving human subjects. Do all of these projects need IRB approval?
- I teach a course and several of my students want to conduct a research project involving human subjects. Do they need to file with the IRB?
- Several of my students want to conduct a research project involving human subjects. Do they need to file with the IRB?
