Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Effective Fall 2023, the CSUDH IRB requires that all new protocols be submitted through Cayuse.

Using Cayuse will streamline and simplify the submission process and help the IRB facilitate your proposed study’s approval.

Eligible PIs (faculty, administrators/staff, and doctoral students) should be able to access Cayuse through the single sign-on process. If you believe you are eligible to serve as PI and do not have Cayuse access, please contact irb@csudh.edu for support.

CSUDH Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the Protection of Human Subjects

Remember: Subject recruitment and data collection must not be initiated prior to formal written approval from the CSUDH Institutional Review Board.

The CSUDH Institutional Review Board (IRB) is a committee comprised of faculty, staff, and community members who review research studies that involve the use of human subjects. The purpose of the IRB is to protect the rights of human research subjects by ensuring compliance with university and governmental regulations as specified by the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP).

Where do I start?

Step 1: Verify whether your project requires IRB review.

If you're unsure whether you need to submit a full protocol for IRB review, complete the following brief intake form and the IRB will reach out to you. (If you already know that you need to submit your study for IRB review, you can skip this step.)

Does My Research Project Need IRB Review?

Step 2: Complete the online training course in Human Subject Protections.

Personnel engaged in human participant research are required to take a CITI course for Human Subjects Research.
Register at this web link, type and select California State University Dominguez Hills in the Organization Affiliation box.
- Make sure to use your CSUDH email address when you register! You can include another email as a secondary address if you like, but your primary registration must use your @csudh.edu email.
Having trouble? Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to register for CITI.
You can choose the Biomedical, Socio-Behavioral, or Educational course based on the type of research you typically conduct.

Please note that the IRB Office requires a minimum score of 80% on the final score and the scores of all the individual modules.

Be aware that completing the required modules for Human Subjects Research takes about two to three hours; all modules do not have to be completed during a single online session. To re-enter the course, remember to save your username and password.
After completing your course, save a copy of the Completion Report. Your study will not be reviewed until your CITI training has been verified.
Contact the IRB office at 310-243-2136 or irb@csudh.edu for any questions.

Step 3: Determine when to submit your proposal.

It is best to submit at least four weeks before you plan to begin recruiting subjects to allow time for any required revisions.
In some cases, the protocol must be reviewed and approved by the full board. The IRB meeting schedule is shown below. Your proposal should be in the IRB office two weeks before the board meeting to be placed on the agenda.
IRB 2024-2025 Meeting Schedule [pdf]
Principal Investigators (faculty or staff) must read proposals written by students prior to submission to the IRB. Proposals with numerous grammatical/spelling errors or unclear research methodology will be returned to the Principal Investigator for further review/revision.

Step 4: Complete the protocol submission process in Cayuse Human Ethics (HE).

Follow the instructions linked below to complete, certify, and submit your protocol in Cayuse HE.

Getting Started with Cayuse [pdf]
Creating a New Study [MS Word Document]
New Submission Template [MS Word Document] - do not submit this, it will not be reviewed! This template is just a tool for you to use if you prefer to do your protocol writing offline; you'll still need to transfer your responses into the Cayuse platform in order to submit.

Consent Forms - customize the appropriate form for your protocol based on whether or not you plan to collect a signature from your participants.

- Informed Consent Template [MS Word Document]
- Information Sheet Template [MS Word Document]

Other Possible Forms Needed - Check with the IRB office or a faculty advisor to determine need.

Parental Permission Form (if minors are involved) [MS Word Document]
Child or Adolescent Assent Form (if minors are involved) [MS Word Document]
Child or Adolescent Information Sheet (if minors are involved) [MS Word Document]

For Study Modifications or Continuing Review (will move to Cayuse in Fall 2023):

Continuing Review Form (only for projects lasting more than 12 months) [MS Word Document]

For Biomedical Research Protocols:

Other Documents and Websites You May Want to Examine:

For more information contact Judy Aguirre, Research Compliance Officer at (310) 243-2136 or irb@csudh.edu.