Classroom Projects

If you are conducting a class project designed solely for instructional purposes, or internal evaluation, and you will NOT collect personally identifiable information (PII) (e.g., names, phone numbers, addresses, IDs), and you are NOT going to present or publish the data or results from the data analysis, then an IRB protocol is generally NOT required. If, however, you plan to disseminate the quality improvement (QI) project results externally (e.g., conference presentation, publication, thesis/dissertation, poster, or other public venues), you MUST obtain an IRB determination (Non-Human Subject Research, Exempt or IRB approval letter) before commencing the activity.  

Regardless, there is University oversight for classroom project research. The Marymount Office of Research, in collaboration with the IRB committee, establishes and oversees enforcement of University Policies governing the protection of human subjects for Classroom Research Projects.

In situations where the classroom research project involves Human Subjects, the faculty instructor is responsible for project oversight, assuring students are adequately trained, and that activities are within the scope of ethical conduct. All classroom projects must adhere to the requirements described below.

  • The faculty member supervising the classroom project MUST have up-to-date CITI certification in Social and Behavioral Science.
  • All instructors who require research projects that involve students collecting human subject data for their course(s) must complete the Faculty Assurance Form, which is available under additional documentation in Sitero Mentor. A copy of the Faculty Assurance form is provided at this link for your review. The Faculty Assurance signature page is located on the Mentor site, Assurance Form tab. Each form is valid for 12 months from date of receipt.
  • Each student participating in the classroom project MUST complete the CITI Basic Student Course. The faculty supervisor is responsible for assuring that each student, prior to engaging with human subjects, completes this training and is familiar with the restrictions and exclusions of the classroom project.
  • Faculty and students must agree that they will NOT share the human subject data beyond the classroom setting or Marymount Student Research Conference. Classroom projects may NOT be shared with the community external to Marymount in any format.
  • Faculty agree that the classroom projects excludes the following:
    • Excludes questions or interviews procedures where the risk level to the subject is more than minimal (more than would be encountered in routine daily activities)
    • Excludes interactions with vulnerable populations (prisoners, pregnant women, children, individuals with decreased capacity to provide informed consent).
    • Excludes international sites.
    • Excludes sensitive personal data inquiries. Information that may cause harm, legal jeopardy, or reputational damage to the subject if disclosed (health, grades, mental status, substance abuse, personal finances, genetic information etc.).