Department and University IRB Dissertation Research Guidelines\
Per university guidelines, all doctoral students must submit to and receive approval from Seton Hall University’s (SHU) Institutional Review Board (IRB) to conduct dissertation research. Studies fall into one of two categories: human subjects and not-human subjects research. Research projects involving the use of human subjects (e.g., interviews, surveys) must be approved or marked as exempt from review by the university IRB. Research projects using not-human subjects data, such as publicly available de-identified documents or datasets, must receive verification from SHU’s IRB.
To support students and ensure the conduct of ethical research, the department uses a two-stage review process before students submit to the university IRB. First, dissertation mentors review required IRB documents and approve submission to the department’s internal reviewer. Second, the department’s internal reviewer evaluates and, if necessary, suggests revisions to the required documents. After review at both levels, doctoral students, in consultation with their mentors, incorporate changes and submit the application to the university IRB.
During the 2024-25 academic year, Dr. Timmer will serve as the department’s primary internal reviewer for ELMP doctoral programs.
Process for Department IRB Review
Doctoral students are eligible to submit IRB documents for internal department IRB review when they meet two requirements:
- students have successfully passed their dissertation proposal defenses; and
- their mentors have reviewed and approved all IRB-related forms.
For human subjects research, students must submit their full applications with required documents 10 business days before the university deadline. Please plan ahead. If documents need revision, they will need to be resubmitted and reviewed again. If students need multiple rounds of revisions, if they submit the forms after deadlines, or if their application packages are incomplete with missing documents when submitted, applications may not be approved prior to the IRB submission deadline. In such cases, students may need to wait another month or more for the next university deadline. For not-human subjects research, the internal reviewer evaluates the “Not Human Subjects Research” form on a rolling basis. Students ought to expect a response regarding eligibility within five business days of submission.
The department does not review IRB documents during July and August (when the university IRB does not meet) or when the university is closed, such as holidays and winter break.
Before submitting applications for internal review, students work with their mentors to review IRB requirements and complete the appropriate application and any supplemental documents. Once mentors approve, students submit to the department’s internal reviewer. Please refer to the university’s IRB website for university-related procedures and forms. Applications for pre-IRB review must follow all university requirements or they will not be reviewed. If students have specific concerns about the IRB process or questions about forms, they should first ask their mentors. If a mentor is not sure of the best way to proceed, students may email the department reviewer. Include dissertation mentors on all correspondence, so that everyone is on the same page.
Tips for Submitting for Department Review
- Read and re-read department and university guidelines.
- Complete all required IRB documents.
- If submitting the human subjects application, check the department’s annotated application.
- Follow application directions.
- If students require stationery, contact doctoral secretary Ann Rodrigues.
- For human subjects research, create one collated PDF that combines the documents in the order specified in the application. Submissions will only be reviewed if they are submitted in the appropriate single PDF format.
- Make sure all forms are signed by appropriate parties (i.e., doctoral candidate, mentor, committee).
- Email the file to the department’s internal reviewer. Cc your mentor on this email. In the email, note if the application is human subjects or not-human subjects research and, when appropriate, which IRB submission deadline you are hoping to meet.
After submission for internal review, the department reviewer will provide feedback. The reviewer will provide one of two next steps: First, the reviewer may request revisions and re-submission for internal review. Second, the reviewer may conditionally approve with minor revisions to the application. Students then consult with their mentors for final approval to submit to university IRB. Students submit the complete application electronically, according to IRB submission guidelines.
Letterhead Stationary:
Executive PK12 Students: Ann Rodrigues (ann.rodrigues@shu.edu)
Traditional PK12 Students: Ann Rodrigues (ann.rodrigues@shu.edu)
HRED Students: Ann Rodrigues (ann.rodrigues@shu.edu)