Ethics clearance and training for research

Failing to adhere to established standards in the conduct of research with human or animal participants is an offense. Go to the Office of Research Ethics for details.

Ethics clearance and ethics training requirements for:

PSYCH 264 and PSYCH 464

PSYCH 264 - Research Apprenticeship (see courses needing application forms)

PSYCH 464 - Research Apprenticeship (see courses needing application forms)

Research involving human participants

If 'new' ethics approval is required for student involvement in PSYCH 264 or PSYCH 464, the student must complete the online Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS) 2 Tutorial Course on Research Ethics (CORE) before the research ethics application on which he/she is named is submitted for approval, and before he/she begins work on the research project. The tutorial will take approximately 2 hours to complete.

Bonus marks for completion of the CORE tutorial is not applicable to PSYCH 264 or PSYCH 464 because the course is graded on a CR/NCR (credit versus no credit) grading basis.

Research involving animals

The course supervisor for PSYCH 264 or PSYCH 464 must consult with the following people regarding the procedures necessary for obtaining ethics clearance for student involvement in the research project:

Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies, Psychology Department:

Stephanie Denison

Acting Chief Ethics Officer, Office of Research Ethics, University of Waterloo:

Julie Joza
Email: jajoza@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: (519) 888-4567, ext. 38535
Location: EC5, 3151

back to top

PSYCH 483 and PSYCH 484

PSYCH 483 - Directed Studies: Natural Science Research (see courses needing application forms)

PSYCH 484 - Directed Studies: Social Science Research (see courses needing application forms)

Research involving human participants

If 'new' ethics approval is required for student involvement in Psych 483 or PSYCH 484, the student must complete the online Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS) 2 Tutorial Course on Research Ethics (CORE) before the research ethics application on which he/she is named is submitted for approval, and before he/she begins work on the research project. The tutorial will take approximately 2 hours to complete.

Bonus marks for completing the tutorial is at the discretion of the course supervisor. The student must present the certificate of completion for the CORE tutorial to the course supervisor in order to receive the bonus marks (if applicable).

Research involving animals

The course supervisor for PSYCH 483 or PSYCH 484 must consult with the following people regarding the procedures necessary for obtaining ethics clearance for student involvement in the research project:

Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies, Psychology Department:

Stephanie Denison

Acting Chief Ethics Officer, Office of Research Ethics, University of Waterloo:

Julie Joza
Email: jajoza@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: (519) 888-4567, ext. 38535
Location: EC5, 3151

back to top

PSYCH 499A/B/C

PSYCH 499A/B/C (Honours Thesis) is an optional course.

For the prerequisites for enrolment as well as the instructions regarding ethics clearance and training, go to the Honours Thesis Handbook on the PSYCH 499 website.

Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA)

Go to how to obtain research experience for the application instructions for the USRA.

Research involving human participants

The Psychology Department requires all USRA holders involved in research with human participants (not just those cases where there are new applications for ethics clearance) to complete the Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS) 2 Tutorial Course on Research Ethics (CORE). Proof that training has been completed must be submitted to the research supervisor by the beginning of the USRA term. The tutorial does not count for academic credit and will take approximately 2 hours to complete.

Research involving animals

None of the current USRA supervisors conduct research with live, non-human vertebrate animals. In those cases, USRA holders would have alternate ethics training requirements.

back to top