The Institutional Research Board (IRB) oversees all research conducted by United’s students, faculty and staff that involve human participants as the subject of research. The purpose of the IRB is to facilitate the research on human subjects ensuring that their well-being and rights are protected during the participation of research. As members of the body of Christ, we aim to protect each person to our greatest capacity.

United Theological Seminary’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) serves to protect the rights and well-being of participants in human subjects research using the requirements established by the Belmont Report. United’s IRB strives to ensure the priority of ethical standards when students, faculty and staff undertake research with human participants. All research projects involving human subjects may not proceed without the approval of the IRB, who has the authority to review, approve or deny any research project done under the auspices of United.

Anyone supervising students doing human subjects research or doing such research themselves must pass the online training certification provided by Protecting Human Subject Research Participants (https://phrptraining.com). For more information, including United’s Standard of Procedures, please contact irb@united.edu.