Training in Ethics Research

Training for PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS and co-PIs:

The Principal Investigator and co-PIs on covered NSF, NIH, and NIFA proposals shall complete the requirement for RCR training before the Office of Sponsored Projects will release an award. Training is accomplished through:

  1. Completion of an online course delivered through Canvas; and
  2. Completion of an online RCR course through the CITI website.

It is highly recommended that training is completed soon after a proposal is submitted to minimize delays in awarding. The Principal Investigator will receive notification from the Office of Sponsored Projects regarding this training requirement upon the submission of a proposal.

  • To Self Enroll in Canvas:
    1. Go to myState
    2. Click on the menu button (Triple bar) and go to the Classroom tab
    3. Click the drop down for Select a course... under Canvas Course Self Enrollment
    4. Select the course you want to enroll in
    5. Click the Confirm Enrollment slider to select Yes, then click Self Enroll
    6. Go to Canvas to confirm the course is available to you on the Dashboard. Note - you might need to scroll down past any announcements.

The Canvas training takes approximately 15 minutes to complete and is intended to give PIs and co-PIs an overview of their responsibilities.

  • To enroll in CITI:
    1. Go here for step-by-step instructions

Training for OTHER PROJECT PERSONNEL:

Other project personnel should complete the RCR training requirement via one of two options:

  1. CITI online certification in RCR plus attendance at 4 one-hour seminars covering ethical issues (8 sessions for NIH projects); or
  2. Enrollment in an approved 1-hour or 3-hour credit course in Research Ethics. The course must be face-to-face; it cannot be online.

Other project personnel should complete the on-line CITI training component within the first 90 days of appointment to a covered project. The face-to-face training component should be completed within the first 12 months of appointment to a covered project.

Refresher Training:

Refresher training is required only for covered NIH projects. NIH states that "[a]cceptable programs generally involve at least 8 contact hours and be undertaken at least once during each career stage, and at a frequency of no less than once every four years".