Students on taught Bachelor or Masters programmes

Do I need to apply for ethics approval?

Students on Masters and Bachelors who conduct research as a dissertation, research report, journal article must apply for ethics approval.  Ethics approval for students on taught courses is managed by the course team and normally your research will be approved by your project/dissertation supervisor. You will be informed about the specific procedures on your course by your project/dissertation module or equivalent. 

All research involving human participation or sensitive data conducted by Business School staff, research degree candidates and other students is subject to ethical scrutiny. This means that most postgraduate researchers in the School are required to apply unless they are undertaking research based which pose no specific risk. 

You DO NOT* require ethical approval if:

• There is no direct contact with human/ animal participants
• There is no access to identifiable personal data for living individuals not already in the public domain.
• There is no danger of psychological or physical harm for the researcher(s) or subject(s)
• There is no research into potentially sensitive topics.
• Students are not used as research assistants

* You need to fill the E0 form and get your project/dissertation supervisors’ approval that you have considered ethical implications.

 

You DO require ethical approval if:

• There is direct contact with humans (including that obtained via interviews, focus groups, diaries, online methods and participant observation, experiments, surveys or structured observation.)
• There is direct contact with animals
• Access to identifiable personal data for living individuals not already in the public domain is required.
• There is potential danger of psychological or physical harm for the researcher (s) or subject(s)
• There is research into potentially sensitive topics.
• Students are used as research assistants
• It involves covert information gathering or deception
• It involves children under 18 or subjects who may unable to give fully informed consent *
• It involves prisoners or others in custodial care (e.g. young offenders)
• It involves significantly increased danger of physical or psychological harm for researcher(s) or subject(s), either from the research process or from publication of research findings
• It involves joint responsibility for the project with researchers external to the University.

 

The following categories of research require ethics approval from the Business School Research Ethics and Integrity Committee.  This is unusual and you should speak to your supervisor in the first instance about following this route.

• Research requiring external ethics committee approval where you want the University to act as sponsor of your research. Business School Research Ethics and Integrity Committee will need to approve your external application form before you submit it.
• Research which uses sensitive data, according to the criteria above.

What counts as research?

Course teams have identified specific modules (normally dissertation, project modules) which are based on original research. Please check with your Course Leader. 

What counts as research using sensitive data?

If you are conducting/planning to conduct research that includes security-sensitive data, you will be asked to declare this on the postgraduate ethical review form and provide extra information about collection and storage of data. Sensitive data includes data which may pose a legal or reputational risk to you or the University if your use of this data is misconstrued (for example, obtaining data relating to child abuse). It also includes data used in security-sensitive research. UUK guidelines class this as research that:

• Is commissioned by or on behalf of the military or the intelligence services
• Is commissioned under an EU security call
• Involves acquisition of security clearances
• Concerns terrorist or extreme groups

If your research concerns terrorist or extreme groups you will also be asked to complete and submit an additional Security Sensitive Information Declaration Form‌.

Please read the UUK guidance on security-sensitive research before completing your application

When do I need to apply?

You must apply for Ethics approval before data are collected.  As part of your application, you will need to provide full information about your research including details of the methodology, data collection instruments (for example the final questionnaire or interview schedule).   The ethics approval process normally takes around two weeks, you must ensure that you submit your application in sufficient time to allow the review process to take place.

How do I apply?

Ethics approval applications should be made by completing the required documents.  Completed documents should be sent to your supervisor.

The documents required for staff applications are:

• Application for Ethical Review and guidance sheet

The following supporting documentation must also be supplied if they are relevant to your project  Please note, you do not need necessarily need to provide separate information and consent sheets providing that participants are provided with sufficient information elsewhere (for example, in the introduction to a questionnaire).

• Evidence of management or other necessary permission to gain access to the research participants or database. An example of organisation participation consent form is made available. Emails from the organisation are also acceptable.
• Letters of invitation. 
• Information sheet(s) - an example of a participant information sheet‌ is made available.
• Additional debrief sheet if full information is not provided prior to the research
• Consent form(s) - an example of a participant consent form‌‌ is made available.
• Final questionnaires and/or interview guides.

BSREC Supervisor Report

What happens when I have submitted my application?

You should send the completed documents to your supervisor before who will make a decision about your application.  Your supervisor will inform you of the decision either by email or by countersigning your application. There are four possible decisions.

• Approval
  Project to proceed with no change
  
  
• Approval with recommendation(s)
  The project is approved but you may wish to consider recommendations made by the reviewers. No further consideration for approval is required.
  
  
• Approval with conditions
  The project cannot go ahead until the identified revisions have been made and confirmed as approved by your supervisor
  
  
• Further information is required
  If your supervisor considers that you have not included sufficient detail to allow an informed judgement to be made, you will be requested to supply clarification/additional evidence in support of the case..
  
  
• Not approved
  The project cannot proceed.
  
  
• No decision
  This indicates that the project will need to be reviewed by the next step in the process of approval.  In the first instance, your Course Leaders / supervisor will assess how the case is best processed. 

External Links

When planning your research you are also advised to consult (i) relevant subject-specific ethical codes and professional guidelines and (ii) the University Code of Practice for Research Ethics and Integrity Framework. This website provides an index of links to these external and internal codes of practice, and to guidance on the legal framework for research.