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West Virginia University Office of Human Research Protections
WVU Research Office

Student Guidance

Students engaging research as part of a course requirement are required to follow the same regulatory and research requirements as research staff.

Visit the WVU Research Office Student page for general information regarding student research at WVU.

Review the Get Started page for general information for submitting a human subjects protocol to WVU ORHP and a WVU IRB. Review the WVU OHRP SOPs and institutional policy pages.

Request training for human subjects research.

Key Considerations

  • If the research involves a school, a letter of permission to conduct research with the school or the board of education is required to be submitted with the protocol application.
  • Minimal risk projects that are not federally funded should consider the WVU Flex submission type.
  • Personnel
    Student researchers cannot be listed on a protocol as the Principal Investigator in the Personnel section of the protocol submission system.
  • Conflict of Interest
    Institutional policy requires individuals listed on the Personnel tab in WVU+kc as a Principal Investigator or a Co-Investigator to complete an annual COI disclosure and training module.  Graduate and undergraduate students generally are not considered Investigators. Postdoctoral scholars and fellows may be considered Investigators if designated as such by the Principal Investigator on a case-by-case basis, depending upon their ability to independently and significantly influence the research. It is recommended that students be listed as Study Personnel.
  • Approval of the Protocol Application
    The application will be routed to the Principal Investigator (PI) for final approval before it is routed to WVU OHRP for review. Inform the PI that the protocol is ready for approval so that submission to WVU OHRP is timely.  
  • Advertisements and Informed Consent are topics that generate many student questions. Please review this information and contact us if you need additional assistance.
  • Children under 18
    A key consideration for the informed consent process. If children under 18 are included as participants, use the Combined Parent and Child Assent – Only Minimal Risk (OMR) template.
  • Approved technology and products for the conduct of research.

Preparing for a Protocol Submission

  1. Review the Get Started page.
  2. Review the entering a submission video (6 minutes).
  3. Review the core guidance topics on the Guidance page.