All those who submit a research project to the IRB should be familiar with The Belmont Report for the ethical treatment of human subjects, Fordham's Guidelines and Procedures for the conduct of research with human subjects, and those federal regulations promulgated by the Office of Human Subjects Research  (Title 45 CFR Part 46).

To apply for approval, submit the IRB Protocol (initial review) form to the IRB via email.  Enclose the completed protocol and any informed consent letters as MS Word attachments to IRB@fordham.edu.  You must also send copies of any supplementary electronic materials, including site approval letters, to the IRB via email.  If you wish to send additional hard copies of materials, please send via mail to Room 203-C, LL, Lincoln Center campus.

If you are a student researcher, your protocol must have the relevant box checked.  This informs us that your faculty sponsor has previously read your submission in its entirety.  If your research will be used as part of your dissertation, please indicate the date of your successful dissertation proposal defense as well.

If you are uncertain what qualifies as research, please review the Definitions section of Guidelines and Procedures. The judgment about whether or not your research is exempt from review or qualifies for expedited review is an IRB decision. Therefore, all research, including research you believe exempt, must be submitted for review by the IRB.

If you have any questions, please contact us by phone (212-636-7946), FAX (212-636-6482), e-mail (IRB@fordham.edu), or by selecting Contact Us in the left margin.

Once you submit your protocol, an IRB Board member will contact you within 10 working days to discuss the protocol and inform you if: 
(1) your research qualifies for expedited review or 
(2) needs to be reviewed by the full IRB. 

If full review is required, a secondary reader is also assigned.
*Please note: all full board continuing reviews must return to the full board 

Many research activities qualify for expedited review.  Under expedited review, the member of the Board assigned as the primary reader approves your research.

If a full review is required, you will need to submit 12 additional copies of the protocol and all supplementary materials to the IRB.  Your research protocol will be placed on the agenda of the next meeting of the full IRB (see Schedule of Meetings) and you may have to make yourself available on that date to discuss your research either in person or by phone. 

If your research is externally funded, it will always require full review by the IRB. You are required to sbmit a copy of the grant application or the study cannot be reviewed.  

A Report of Action is sent to the researcher after a review.  If changes are required, the report will detail them and indicate the IRB action as "approval pending."  Once the recommended changes are made to the satisfaction of the primary reader, the review process is complete and IRB approval is given.  

Following approval, you must notify the IRB of any changes in the structure, methodology, or application of your research.  Each approved project is reevaluated annually if an extension in approval is needed.