University research ethics approval

Approval process and documents

All research projects at the University are required to secure ethical approval before they are allowed to proceed.

  • Before you start your application

    Before you start filling out the application form, there are a few preliminary steps that will help you prepare a quality application. 

    You will not be expected to provide proof of these in your EthOS application but completing them will greatly help you in correctly planning your research. 

    Some of the links provided in this section will only be accessible to staff members, and supervisors are advised to provide support for any students who might need to access them. 

    • Make sure you have completed the necessary training. All research active staff and postgraduate research students are asked to complete our Research Integrity Training module and text, which you can find on your Moodle account. You might also be asked to complete data protection or health and safety training – more information on these can be found on the intranet pages for legal and health and safety.
    • Although the concept of data might be significantly different for you depending on your academic discipline, all research projects should have a plan for handling their data. You can find information and help for building a data management plan (DMP) on the Library website.
    • If your project involves any type of personal data that can identify a living individual, you are expected to complete a data privacy impact assessment (DPIA) process. Read the DPIA guidance.

    If your project involves any type of increased need for IT security you are expected to complete an information security project form. Read the information security guidance.

  • Where to apply

    Ethical applications are submitted and processed via EthOS. 

    Use your standard university credentials to log in (ID number and password).

    Access EthOS and find guidance.

  • Documents you may be required to upload
    • Protocol template for non-medical research:‌ A research protocol outlines the full details of the research plan for a project, something that the EthOS application form can never fully contain. The protocol is the researcher’s main tool in delivering good project management and demonstrating research integrity. It is also the document against which your research will be insured, monitored and audited by the University and other relevant regulatory authorities. As always in research governance, deviation from protocol requires amendment of ethics approval, which can be applied for at any time during the project.
    • Participant information sheet template: The information sheet is an important part of recruiting research participants. It ensures that the potential participants have sufficient information to make an informed decision about whether to take part in your research.
    • Consent form template:Clear evidence must be obtained that the participant has given informed consent to take part in the study. The University expects that this will normally be in the form of a signed consent form although other evidence of clear affirmative action will be accepted if approved under review.
    • Insurance checklist Insurance questions are integrated into the EthOS form and the majority of users will not need to use this form or upload it to their application. However, there might be occasions when your reviewers ask you to provide a separate insurance checklist for your research – you should do so by using this template.
    • Health and safety risk assessment: Depending on the type of research proposed, some applicants might be asked by reviewers to upload a risk assessment to their EthOS application. Staff members can find templates and user guides for the risk assessment form on the Health and Safety Intranet page. Students will not be able to access these.

  • Other helpful resources