Research students and research ethics review
It is University policy that all research carried out by research students (registered for an MPhil/PhD, PhD or EdD) which involves human participants should be submitted for research ethics review. Research ethics review is carried out by the University Research Ethics Committee (UREC) or, for those conducting research on patients, staff, carers or a study on NHS premises, by an NHS Research Ethics Committee.
Taught postgraduate and undergraduate students should follow the procedures as set by their Department / Faculty, copies of the forms are available to download.
Which projects need research ethics review?
All projects carried out by students registered for an MPhil, MPhil/PhD, PhD or EdD which involve people as research participants require research ethics review and approval. This includes projects where:
- only a part of the research involves people as participants;
- contact with participants is through email or letter;
- participants are contacted outside the UK.
At what stage is ethics review required?
Students must have full ethics approval before any attempt is made to recruit participants and collect data. Research ethics review can take up to eight weeks to complete and students should allow sufficient time for this in planning their work.
What is the process for research ethics review?
You must submit your application for research ethics review on the UREC Form E2U which can be found on the research ethics review form section of the website. Applications to UREC should first go through Faculty ethics review procedures and be signed off by the Faculty Research Ethics Officer. The Committee has a multi-disciplinary membership that includes academic researchers (staff and students) across all Faculties and non-research lay members from within and outside the University so please do think about the content of the form. The lay description should be just that, so it can be completely understood by all disciplines and the research methodologies should be well set out so the Committee can easily understand your techniques.
Students whose research involves patients, carers or staff in the NHS (i.e. students who plan to gain access to their research participants through the NHS) should apply to the appropriate NHS research ethics committee. Details on how to apply to the research ethics committees in Oxford can be found here.
- A complete copy of the application (original, signed E2U form plus supporting documents) should be sent to the UREC Administrator, Louise Wood, in RBDO, Room BG03, Buckley Building - by midday two weeks before the Committee meets. Alternatively, 15 copies of the application (completed original E2U form plus supporting documents) should be sent to Louise Wood by midday on the Friday 11 days before the Committee meets
- Committee meeting dates are available on the UREC section of the website.
What should be included in the application?
The application form asks for specific information in relation to the research and the way in which it will be conducted. But please note:
- Where research involving human participants constitutes only one component of the study, it is important that this component be set in the context of the wider study, including its aims and methods. The contribution of this component to the broader aims of the study and the way in which the data will be used in progressing the study should be made clear.
Where can I get further information?
The University Research Ethics web site:
It provides a range of information, including the Oxford Brookes University Code of Practice and guidelines on how to write an Information Sheet and Consent Form
There is a page with details of Codes of Practice of a number of other professional organisations, including: Association of Social Anthropologists of the UK & the Commonwealth, British Educational Research Association, British Psychological Association, British Sociological Association and the Social Research Association.