STUDENT RESEARCH PROJECTS
Students at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) who are
conducting research that involves human subjects
must go through the same process as faculty members
or other UMCP employees to secure IRB approval for
their research. Master’s theses projects and
doctoral dissertation projects involving human
subjects research require prior IRB approval.
The student cannot be the Principal Investigator. That role belongs
to the student's faculty advisor or another faculty
member. When filling out an IRB application form (MS
Word doc), the student investigator is
listed on the student investigator line; and the
student's advisor or other faculty member is listed
on the Principal Investigator line.
When research projects involve no more than minimal risks, the
student may, in some cases, be listed as a
co-investigator if the project is wholly generated
and carried out by the student with little input or
oversight by a faculty advisor. If the student wants
to be listed as a co-investigator, he/she should
provide a rationale for this role.
Important Message for Students Completing Dissertations or Theses
The Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School
issued a memo in 2000 that stated:
“Any research project using animals or humans must be approved by
the appropriate Campus committees prior to the
initiation of research. This applies not only to
research conducted on campus but also to all
research conducted under the auspices of the
University of Maryland, that is by UM faculty,
students, or staff at other sites anywhere in the
world.
During the past several years both the IRB and IACUC have
encountered a growing number of graduate students
who seek protocol reviews well after research has
started ,and sometimes after it has been completed.
This is in direct violation of all regulations. I
have therefore instructed both committees to not
approve such after the fact protocols in the future.
Please be aware that this policy change could
prevent a student's graduation.”
In essence, what this memo means is:
The Graduate School will not clear a dissertation that involves
human subjects without IRB approval.
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