applying for irb review

Getting Started

If a project requires IRB approval, that approval must be obtained prior to initiation of the project. All investigators should consult the Carroll College IRB Policy & Procedures Manual for detailed instructions about the application and review processes. The manual and all necessary forms can be downloaded from this site.

Application Deadlines

Please note that deadlines exist for proposal submissions in the Fall and Spring Semesters. Applications received after given deadlines are not guaranteed to be evaluated before the next deadline. Proposals for research scheduled to begin spring semester or in the summer and ending before the end of the following fall semester should follow the deadlines for the fall semester prior to the start of the research. Proposals for research scheduled to begin in the summer or fall semesters and ending before the end of the following spring semester should follow the deadlines for the spring semester prior to the start of the research. 

Please peruse the proposal submission deadlines listed under Additional Links, Application Forms.

Required Online Ethics Training Course

Before initiating a research project, investigators must receive appropriate education on the protection of human subjects. All investigators who will be involved in the proposed project must complete the NIH-sponsored "Human Participants Protection Education for Research Teams" training course, available free online at the National Cancer Institute website. The course takes approximately 2 hours to complete.

The site's "completion certificate", printable upon completion of the course, is acceptable as documentation of training. Every investigator who will be involved in the project must submit a copy of his/her completion certificate as part of a complete application.

The Application Packet

The first step in the application process is the compilation of an application packet, the contents of which will vary according to the proposed project. All application packets should include a completed Application for IRB Review of Human Subjects Research as well as ethics training course "completion certificates" for all investigators involved in the project. Listed below are additional forms and supporting documentation that should be included when appropriate:

• Research proposal, protocol, or grant application supporting the proposed project
• The Consent Process & Consent Documentation (including waivers)
• Informed Consent Form (template available)
• HIPAA Authorization Form (template available)
• Questionnaires, surveys, measuring devises, or other materials pertinent to data collection but not fully described in the proposal.

The principal investigator is responsible for completing all applicable forms as well as securing appropriate signatures.

How to Fill Out IRB Forms

Carroll College IRB application forms are designed to be downloaded from the Carroll College website and completed electronically. These forms are not designed to be printed and then completed manually, as they do not provide sufficient space for all responses. Blank or partially-completed forms may be saved on your computer to complete at a later date. Once completed, forms must be printed out by the applicant so that appropriate signatures can be obtained prior to submission. Electronically-submitted applications cannot not accepted. Questions about application forms should be directed to the IRB Executive Officer, Jo Anne Eschler, Simperman Hall Room 124, (406)447-4462.

Submitting the Application

For each application for review, submit two complete packets to the IRB Executive Officer, Jo Anne Eschler, Simperman Hall Room 124. Proposals that are incomplete or unclear will be returned to the investigator for completion or clarification, thus delaying the review and approval process.