Course-related ethics approval

A course-related ethics approval may be appropriate where all students enrolled in a course conduct the same, or similar, minor research project. This will most commonly apply to situations where students undertake minor research projects during teaching or clinical placements or practicums or other types of professional experience.

Eligibility

To be eligible for a course-related ethics approval:

  • Students must restrict their projects to the organisation or setting in which they undertake their placement, practicum or professional experience (e.g., an agency, school, health service).
  • The project cannot involve any information gathering, data recording, or any other activity that is occurring to facilitate the conduct of the projects.
  • The data used in the projects cannot identify individuals or organisations (either directly or indirectly) where the identification is not essential for the performance of the placement duties.
  • The projects cannot involve the collection of sensitive data where recording of such data is not standard practice in the facility where the project is to be conducted.
  • The projects cannot present any risk to research participants.
  • Reports and results arising from the projects cannot be published or made publicly available.

Application process

Step 1

  • The course coordinator completes the Course-Related Ethics Application e-form available in the Research Information Management System (RIMS).  Applications will be accepted any time.
  • If approved, the course coordinator can go to Step 2 after receiving written confirmation of the approval.

Step 2

  • All students enrolled in the course must provide their course coordinator with a completed Course-Related Ethics Approval - Student Application.  Course coordinators can download a copy from our internal ReSearchHub. The application form categorises the project and serves as a record for the course coordinator.
  • The course coordinator will need to provide the students with the University HREC approval number in order for them to complete the student application form.
  • The course coordinator will determine if the proposed activity can be included in the Course-Related Ethics Approval. A separate application to the HREC will be required where an activity is outside the scope of the original scope.

Step 3

  • Students must not begin their projects until they receive written confirmation from their course coordinator that their project is covered by the university ethics approval.
  • It is the course coordinator's responsibility to ensure that the project falls within the scope of the approval granted by the HREC.

Step 4

  • The course coordinator must securely store all completed applications from students, as the University HREC will regularly audit course-related ethics approvals.