Academic Programs

Independent Studies Involving Human Participants

The Commence Form for Independent Studies Involving Human Participants must be used for cases in which research data will involve one or more of the following: 

• Identifiable private information about an individual or a group of individuals;
• Graphic, written, or recorded information derived from individually identifiable human participants; or
• A risk of harm to the participant(s), whether physical, mental, emotional, social, or political.

If the student has answered in the affirmative to the question regarding the use of human participants, then the student, with the mentor's assistance, will prepare a brief proposal including the following:

• A brief description of the research to be undertaken;
• A statement about the steps being taken to ensure that participants will be informed about the research and how the data collected will be used;
• Procedures to ensure that the identity of the participants and institutions will be protected (Note: this may involve disguising the identity of the site of the project);
• A sample of the form that secures the participants¢â¡Á written consent to participate (Note: sample letters of consent can be found on this site); and
• A statement that the student will keep letters of informed consent available and accessible for five years after the research is completed.

The proposed research may not begin until a member of the Integrative Master's Project Committee has approved the student's research plan and the Commence Form has been submitted to the Registrar's Office. The pre-approval process is as follows:

• The above materials are sent to the chairpersons or another designated IMP Committee member.
• One of the chairpersons or another designated IMP Committee member will respond via e-mail to both the student and the mentor.
• If the plan satisfies the requirements, the student picks up the signed form in the Graduate Suite and proceeds to the Business Office.
• If the plan does not satisfy the requirements, the student must re-submit the plan to the chairpersons with the requested modifications (repeat steps 1 and 2).
• After presenting the signed, completed form to the Business Office with the required payment, the student brings the signed copy to the Registrar's Office.

The student may formally begin the research process once these steps have been completed.

• Sample Consent Forms
• IMP Glossary