Support Page Content
Human Subjects Research
The Institutional Review Board (IRB) only reviews human subjects research conducted by Sacramento State researchers to ensure appropriate participant protections.
IRB Steps
- IRB Oversight Self-Determination,
- Complete Training in CITI,
- Request access to Cayuse and Submit Application,
- IRB Review & Approval.
1. Determine IRB Oversight is Required
The IRB is not responsible for making a determination of not human subjects research, and the IRB submission form is not for this purpose.
Please use this self-determination tool to confirm if your activity is subject to IRB oversight (including exempt and non-exempt review of human subjects research).
IRB Oversight Self-Determination Tool
2. CITI Training
Human Subjects Research training certification must be current upon IRB application submission.
Identify one course from the below options that describes your discipline or role as a researcher and use the registration guide below:
- Biomedical (faculty, doctoral students, staff, admin), or
- Social-Behavioral-Educational (faculty, doctoral students, staff, admin), or
- Undergraduate and Masters Students (all undergrads and master's students, regardless of discipline).
Please note: all other course offerings in CITI are not required for IRB review.
3. Cayuse Access and Submission
a. First-time Access Request
First-time users will need to request the creation of a profile to access Cayuse. Access should be available within one working day.
b. Start a Cayuse Application
Cayuse applications are dynamic documents that can be accessed by the research team and updated over time until it is ready for submission and IRB review. Applications have embedded guidance and links that assist the investigator in the application writing process.
Cayuse IRB Library (SharePoint)
c. Researcher Guidance
The IRB provides guidance on various research topics, such as: Informed consent form template, Demographic questionnaires, Vulnerable and protected populations, Parental consent and child assent, Data security and storage, and much more.
Research Protocol Guidance (SharePoint)
4. Review Timelines
Deadlines do not apply to the majority of research. Please review our normal timeline and plan accordingly.
Other Situations
a. Classroom Projects
Students required to complete a research project as part of a course requirement (except for theses/dissertations) within the semester are fully under the supervision of their professor and do not require IRB review. Faculty are encouraged to use the Student Form, when research is about human subjects, and require students to submit these forms for faculty review prior to research commencing. The absence of IRB review does not mean an absence of research ethics.
Student Form for Classroom Project (SharePoint)
b. Reliance Agreements for Cooperative Research
Reliance Agreements should only be considered when a Sacramento State affiliate will be working with an external investigator to conduct research. These agreements should only be entered when both campuses are:
- Collecting informed consent,
- Collecting data (identifiable or not), and/or
- Analyzing identifiable data.
This agreement involves the cooperation of both campuses, and administrators of both IRBs must be included in the communication and routing of this form.
Reliance Agreements (SharePoint)
c. External Investigators
If you are not affiliated with Sacramento State and would like to enroll participants from our campus, please email your IRB approval letter and approved informed consent form(s).