Human Subjects Research
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
The Institutional Review Board (IRB) committee at Tennessee Tech University is responsible for reviewing research that involves human participants to ensure it is conducted ethically, safely, and in accordance with federal, state, and university regulations and policies. The IRB protects the rights and welfare of research participants by evaluating study methods, risks, benefits, and consent processes before research can begin.
The Tennessee Tech IRB is committed to protecting the rights, welfare, and dignity of individuals who participate in research conducted by our faculty, students, and staff. Our mission is to foster a supportive environment where high-quality research can thrive while upholding the highest standards of human subject protection. Any project involving data collection from human participants including interviews, surveys, interventions, secondary data analysis of identifiable information, classroom-based studies, and externally funded research, may require IRB review before research can begin.
The Application for Research Involving Human Subjects form and all supporting documents must be submitted, in a single packet, to the IRB Office at IRB@tntech.edu. All IRB-related forms can be accessed here.
Research and Creative Inquiry Day
Research Day events - including posters, oral presentations, and abstracts - are considered forms of public dissemination. When a project involves human participants, any sharing of data, results, or interpretations outside the research team may meet the federal definition of “research involving human subjects.” Therefore, projects that include human participant data must receive appropriate IRB review and approval before they are presented at Research Day. This requirement helps ensure that ethical standards are upheld, participant rights and privacy are protected, and the university remains compliant with federal regulations. If you are unsure whether your project requires IRB review, please contact the IRB Office at IRB@tntech.edu for guidance.
Resources and Information
» Getting Started
» Review Process
» Review Procedures
» IRB Forms
» Training
» Administrative Policies
» Certified Departmental Reviewers
» IRB Definitions
» Departmental Review
» Collaborative Research and IRB Reliance
» Guidelines for External Researchers
» Focus Group Research
» Informed Consent
» Student Activities Involving Human Subjects
» Levels of Review and Criteria
» Policy for Extra Credit as Inventive
» Online Research & Social Media Policy
» Special Populations and Situations
» TN Tech Student Data Requirements
» ETSU-TN Tech Doctorate of Nursing Practice Process
» Public Use Data Sets