Research Ethics

Mount Royal University believes in maintaining high ethical standards when it comes to research and scholarly activities. If you are an MRU researcher or if you are someone that wishes to conduct research here at MRU, you need to secure ethics clearance for your research if you are conducting a study that involves human participants or animals.

Human Participants

Mount Royal University maintains a Human Research Ethics Board (HREB) that is compliant with the Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS) on human research ethics. You can find out more about the TCPS at http://pre.ethics.gc.ca/eng/policy-politique/tcps-eptc/readtcps-lireeptc/.

Mount Royal's HREB

reviews all human behavioural research activities that either originate at MRU and/or that take place at MRU
does not review biomedical studies that involve biomedical treatments or interventions (MRU has an arrangement with the University of Calgary’s CHREB to review biomedical projects, so please contact the MRU Office of Research Services for more information and help if you are planning on conducting a biomedical study with human participants)

In terms of the general ethics review process at MRU

you need to secure ethics clearance for your study before you begin to recruit and/or gather data from your participants
clearance generally takes between 2 and 8 weeks, depending on the complexity and risk inherent in your study
once you have ethics clearance, you also need to seek further clearance from HREB if you wish to make any changes to your processes, procedures or documents, during the study
such clearance for modifications/extensions often takes as little as 1-2 days
you must also follow all appropriate legislation, procedures, laws and policies that apply to your study from granting bodies, the institution and/or provincial or federal governments
HREB accepts ethics applications at any time (but does not process them during June-Aug)
HREB works with you to secure ethics clearance for your study
To help facilitate a relatively speedy review, it is very important that you submit your application well before you want/need it cleared (at least 4 weeks beforehand) and that you hand in an application that is clear, concise and comprehensive

The Human Research Ethics Review Process

To help you prepare for and navigate through the ethics review process, we have prepared a guide that you should read. This guide covers more than just the ethics review as it also includes academic integrity and risk management issues. It shows you how the human research ethics review fits into the overall “research ethics” process at MRU. Follow the path through the document that matches your specific needs.

The Human Research Ethics Application

Once you have read through the process and are ready to submit an ethics application (if that is what you should do), please download the application below. Please note that this document is interactive i.e. depending on the choices you make new questions may pop up. As well, there is contextual help in most sections. Please read the contextual help if it applies to you, and send us feedback (to hreb@mtroyal.ca) on whether you found it helpful and/or whether other information would also be of help. If you have any questions at all, do not hesitate to contact either Glynis McCance (403-440-6069) in the Office of Research Services or Dr. Sean Maw (403-440-6590), the current Chair of HREB. They would be happy to assist you. The other members of the HREB can also be approached for assistance.

Membership

Name	Department	E-Mail	Phone
Sean Maw (Chair)	Math, Physics and Engineering	ac.layortm@wams	(403)440-6590

Harpreet Aulakh	Justice Studies	ac.layortm@hkaluah	(403)440-5907
David Aveline	Sociology and Anthropology	ac.layortm@enilevad	(403)445-3949
Marie Barnes		ac.atreblau@1senrabm
Erin Delamont	Students Association	moc.crmas@cimedacapv	(403)440-6402
Don Fetherston	Management	ac.layortm@notsrehtefd	(403)440-6840
Debra Jensen	Humanities	ac.layortm@nesnejd	(403)440-6542
Robert Jones	Students Association	moc.crmas@lanretxepv	(403)440-6404
Samanti Kulatilake	Sociology and Anthropology	ac.layortm@ekalitaluks	(403)440-8758
Allison MacKenzie	Public Relations	ac.layortm@eiznekcama	(403)440-8748
Sinclair MacRae	Humanities	ac.layortm@earcams	(403)440-6543
Janice Miller-Young	Math, Physics and Engineering	ac.layortm@gnuoymj	(403)440-6030
Ellen Murray	Child and Youth Studies	ac.layortm@yarrume	(403)440-6439
Margaret Quance	School of Nursing	ac.layortm@ecnauqm	(403)440-5525
Stephanie Stone		ac.cg.csdhr-cdsrh@enots.einahpets	(403)604-0042
James Taylor	Psychology	ac.layortm@rolyatcj	(403)440-6016
Michelle Yeo	Academic Development Centre	ac.layortm@oeym	(403)440-6494

Animal Subjects

Due to the small number of animal research projects that would involve ethics review that are currently being conducted through MRU, and due to the need for stringent methodology and facility reviews by specialists, such work must take place off-campus at this time. However, should you wish to conduct such research you should contact the Office of Research Services to keep track of your intent and interest so that such review processes can eventually be put into place at MRU, and to facilitate you securing such facilities and ethics reviews elsewhere. The ORS will do whatever it can to help you with such work.

Documents

March 11, 2010 - The spring deadline for ethics applications is May 12. Ethics applications are not reviewed from June 15 to August 15, so to prevent an overload of applications before the summer break we have set a deadline date. To ensure your application is reviewed prior to June 15, you must submit it by May 12. HREB will process the first 20 applications in the queue on that date. Any remaining applications may have to wait until mid-August.

January 25, 2010 - Both the HREB ethics application process document and application form have been updated. Send us feedback (to hreb@mtroyal.ca) on whether you found it helpful and/or whether other information would also be of help.

HREB Ethics Application Process

Application Form for Ethics Review

Progress Report Template

Completion Report Template

MRU HREB Reviewer Endorsement Form

POL 585-1 Ethics of Research