If your research involves data collected from human participants, the Research Ethics Board will need to review it.
Research includes theses, course assignments, and major projects or other endeavours of systematic inquiry. You can't begin research involving human participants until the review has been approved.
Research ethics policy
Find guidelines in the research ethics policy to identify research that requires ethical review.
This policy applies to research and scholarship conducted by all faculty, staff, research associates, research assistants, visiting scholars, graduate and undergraduate students, regardless of the present source of their salary or stipend.
In addition, the Office of the Vice-President Academic and Provost needs to approve any research projects, which seek to use Royal Roads as a site of investigation, according to the research projects using Royal Roads University policy.
Request an ethical review
To have your research project reviewed by the Research Ethics Board complete the request for ethical review form.
Faculty and staff
Email your completed form to ethicalreview@royalroads.ca. Please allow four weeks for the Research Ethics Board's decision.
Students
Send your completed form to your academic supervisor, who will submit it to the Research Ethics Board. Please allow four weeks for the Research Ethics Board's decision.
Resources
- Tri-Council policy statement: ethical conduct for research involving humans - TCPS 2 (on which Royal Roads University's Research Ethics Policy is based)
- TCPS 2: Course on research ethics
- Tri-Agency framework: responsible conduct of research
- Privacy information basics guide
Faculty and staff
- Academic integrity and misconduct policy — RRU faculty members and staff
- Academic integrity and misconduct procedures — RRU faculty and staff
Students
- Guidelines for ethical editing of student texts
- Academic integrity and misconduct policy — students
- Academic integrity and misconduct procedures — students
Multi-jurisdictional research in BC
If your project involves a BC institution that is part of the Research Ethics BC network, you may be required to submit your ethics application via the Provincial Research Ethics Platform (PREP). Please connect with the Office of Research Ethics for further instruction.
*RRU students working with Island Health, please see this Student Guide.
Other types of research
Research involving radioactive materials, biohazards or other hazardous materials is typically not undertaken at Royal Roads.
Research involving animals cannot be carried out under the auspices of Royal Roads, unless the research is reviewed by an animal care committee from an organization that holds a Certificate of Good Animal Practice from the Canadian Council on Animal Care. If you're planning to undertake this type of research email us for more information.
Research Ethics Board
The Research Ethics Board includes the following members:
- Dr. Niels Agger-Gupta, School of Leadership Studies
- Dr. Willow Allen, School of Education and Technology
- Dr. Mary Bernard, College of Interdisciplinary Studies, REB Chair
- Dr. Kathy Bishop, School of Leadership Studies
- Dr. Tasha Brooks, School of Business
- Dr. Catherine Etmanski, School of Leadership Studies
- Dr. Brigitte Harris, Faculty of Social and Applied Sciences
- Dr. Cheryl Heykoop, School of Leadership Studies
- Dr. William Holmes, School of Business
- Dr. Marnie Jull, School of Humanitarian Studies
- Dr. Leslie King, School of Environment and Sustainability
- Dr. Rick Kool, School of Environment and Sustainability
- Dr. Hilary Leighton, School of Environment and Sustainability
- Dr. Deb Linehan, School of Business
- Dr. Wanda Krause, School of Leadership Studies
- Dr. Mark Lokanan, School of Business
- Dr. Eva Malisius, School of Humanitarian Studies
- Dr. Kathleen Manion, School of Humanitarian Studies
- Dr. Pedro Márquez, School of Business
- Dr. Ann-Kathrin McLean, School of Tourism and Hospitality Management
- Dr. Robin Mueller, School of Education and Technology
- Dr. Tam Pozzobon, School of Leadership Studies
- Dr. Carolin Rekar-Munro, School of Business
- Dr. Phillip Vannini, School of Communication and Culture
- Dr. Hassan Wafai, School of Business
- Dr. Christine Webster, College of Interdisciplinary Studies
- Dr. Rebecca Wilson-Mah, School of Tourism and Hospitality Management