Proposal Submission Process

Before You Begin

All three steps must be followed before any human subjects research can be conducted at TCCD.

1. Obtain final IRB approval from your degree-granting institution before you submit a TCCD IRB proposal.
   • Why this is important: If we approve the research first and your school changes your research subject, method, or focus, you would have to submit a new proposal to TCCD's IRB.
2. Obtain site approval at each institution/location where you will do research if you have multiple locations where you wish to do research.
   • Why this is important: If you get IRB approval first but then ask the department, college, program, etc. and they do not want you to work with their program and/or population, the IRB approval is moot.
3. After you have final IRB approval from your degree granting institution and site approval, then submit an IRB proposal to the TCCD IRB (and any other institution's IRB, if at more than one site location).

For more questions, read our frequently asked questions.

Step 1: Training

Individuals planning to submit a research project through the IRB must complete training prior to any IRB submissions for approval. As of September 2018, training is no longer offered online through the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Several Human Subjects Research training courses are offered elsewhere and will be accepted by the IRB.

TCC IRB also accepts CITI Training Certification, if it is still current.

The Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) developed a course since the NIH course is no longer free. While the ACRP training is geared towards clinical research and TCC is more social-behavioral, the ACRP training is still a good substitute and the IRB will accept it. The ACRP training consists of 5 modules and takes about 3 hours to complete. The ACRP training emphasizes the ethics of research.

There is no cost, unless you need the contact hours, and you do not have to join ACRP to take the course. ACRP does not provide a certificate of completion for this training so you must take a screenshot of the completion page.

To enroll, visit the ACRP Ethics and Human Subject Protection registration site and:

1. Add the course to your cart.
2. Checkout.
3. Register for an account, if you do not already have one.
4. Complete registration information.
5. Submit order details and register for the course.

Once you have completed the course,

1. Take a screenshot of the course completion page.
2. Email the screenshot to irb.irpe2@tccd.edu.

All training are certificates are valid for 3 years and may be renewed by taking the training again.

Step 2: Site Approval

Site permission is required at TCCD to conduct research. You need IRB review and approval after you have obtained site permission before any research, data collection, or interviews can begin.

Our Institutional Review Board does not give permission to conduct research on our campuses. The IRB only approves the method by which you perform your research as it relates to the protection of human subjects. Permission to conduct research is granted by the appropriate location, campus, department, or program depending upon where the research is being conducted.

You need to first ask that program/department/campus if they are willing to participate in your proposed research, whether the dean or chair or whomever is over the subject of proposed research.

Keep in mind a request for site permission may or may not be granted, and even if a program agrees to participate, individual faculty/staff/student participation in any research is strictly voluntary, and individuals may or may not wish to participate.

Internal researchers (employees of the College) should be reminded that fair usage does not allow them to use any internal documents. The District's Acceptable Use Guidelines state: "All systems and people using TCCD Resources, whether on campus or remotely, are using the property of TCCD. TCCD Resources are to be used for business purposes in serving the interests of the college, and our students in the course of normal operations."

A research proposal, such as for a dissertation, is not TCCD business.

Until site permission is granted, you cannot proceed to Step 3: Submitting a Proposal.

Step 3: Submitting a Proposal

The Quick Reference Guide provides the step-by-step process that TCCD employees and students should follow in regard to submitting IRB research proposals. A full description of IRB processes is available in the IRB Charter.

• Categories of IRB Review
• Quick Reference Guide (PDF)Listen
• Do I need to submit an IRB proposal? (PDF)Listen
• Proposal Submission Process (PDF)Listen
• Charter (PDF)Listen

All proposals must be submitted with a signed informed consent and other necessary forms.

Dual Credit and Early College High Schools

Dual credit and early college high school (DC/ECHS) students are a sensitive population and special rules apply.

Dual Credit and Early College High School Subjects Research Policy and Guidance (PDF)Listen

Step 4: Proposal Review

The IRB attempts to review proposals within four weeks of their receipt. Proposals submitted during the summer or during District holidays may be delayed. Because proposals may need to be revised prior to IRB approval, researchers should allow sufficient time for the IRB to re-review proposals. TCCD's IRB meets on an as needed basis and meetings can be conducted in person or via telephone conferences.