Engagement FAQs | Human Research Protection Program

I am an MSU student conducting research I designed for my thesis but the research takes place at a non-MSU location and does not involve any employees of MSU. Do I need to submit anything to the MSU IRB?

MSU students who are engaging in human subject research that is student-driven (e.g., designed by the student to satisfy the requirement for an MSU course, degree or certification) would be engaged on behalf of MSU and would need to obtain MSU IRB approval, an exempt determination from MSU, or submit a request to rely on an external (non-MSU) IRB. If you have any questions about whether an MSU IRB submission is needed, please contact: ORRS.irbreliance@msu.edu.

4/3/2026

I am an MSU student conducting research at a non-MSU location with non-MSU investigators and in order to meet a course requirement, the research will be modified to include an additional survey that I designed. Do I need to submit anything to the MSU IRB?

MSU students (including medical students) who are engaging in human subject research that will be modified for the purposes of the student (e.g., adding survey questions, adding experiments, or revising the study’s objectives to satisfy the requirement for an MSU course, degree or certification), would be engaged on behalf of MSU and would need to obtain MSU IRB approval, an exempt determination from MSU, or submit a request to rely on an external (non-MSU) IRB. If you have any questions about whether an MSU IRB submission is needed, please contact: ORRS.irbreliance@msu.edu.

4/3/2026

I am an MSU student conducting research at a non-MSU location with non-MSU investigators to satisfy a course requirement and the non-MSU IRB requires that I be added as a study team member and be listed in the consent form. Do I need to submit anything to the MSU IRB?

MSU students (including medical students) who are engaging in human subject research conducted by non-MSU investigators at a non-MSU location when being added as research staff, without the research being modified for the purposes of the student (e.g., adding survey questions, adding experiments, or revising the study’s objectives to satisfy the requirement for an MSU course, degree or certification), would not be engaged on behalf of MSU and would not need to submit to the MSU HRPP.

4/3/2026

I am an MSU student working with a non-MSU mentor on a research project we co-developed to satisfy a course requirement. Do I need to submit anything to the MSU IRB?

MSU students who are engaging in human subject research that is student-driven (e.g., designed by the student to satisfy the requirement for an MSU course, degree or certification) would be engaged on behalf of MSU and would need to obtain MSU IRB approval, an exempt determination from MSU, or submit a request to rely on an external (non-MSU) IRB. If you have any questions about whether an MSU IRB submission is needed, please contact: ORRS.irbreliance@msu.edu.

4/3/2026

I am an MSU student assisting or volunteering at another university, school, or institution conducting research to gain experience that is not part of a degree program at MSU. Do I need to submit anything to the MSU IRB?

MSU students who assist or volunteer at another university, school or institution and engage in human subject research to gain experience that is not part of a degree program at MSU would not be engaged on behalf of MSU and would not need to submit to the MSU HRPP.

4/3/2026

I am an MSU student who is also employed by another institution conducting research as an employee of that institution. Do I need to submit anything to the MSU IRB?

MSU students who are employed by another institution and engage in human subject research as an employee of that institution would not be engaged on behalf of MSU and would not need to submit to the MSU HRPP.

4/3/2026