When undergraduate students within the Media Studies department want to conduct research as part of a course, and their research involves human participants, they need to get ethical approval for that research. The Media Studies department has a process for vetting undergraduate research projects which has been approved by VIU's Research Ethics Board (REB).

Media Research Process
In support of the stated research and scholarship goals of the department, the department establishes the following guidelines and process for students engaging in media research:

1. No student shall be permitted to engage in research involving human participants until they have completed formal instruction in research ethics. This instruction will be the online tutorial housed on VIU’s REB website (http://www.pre.ethics.gc.ca/english/tutorial/).
2. Students planning to engage in media research involving human participants shall:

   
   1. a. Submit two copies of the Application for Departmental Review Process to their instructor. A template is available from faculty, and in time will be on the department website. Instruction on the use of the form will be reviewed in either the classroom of the instructor supervising the research, or on a one-to-one basis with a faculty member familiar with the form. (Students should allow two weeks for completion of the departmental review.)
   2. b. Not begin any aspect of their research project until they have received formal approval from either the departmental or institutional review process.


3. The department chair (or designate) and the instructor responsible for the course involving the research assignment shall review all applications and shall make one of the following determinations:
   
   • a. That the project meets all requirements for DRP  approval as outlined below and is approved. Requirements for departmental level approval of undergraduate research are:
     
     • i. the research is part of a formal course requirement.  (This does not include research that has been funded);
     • ii. That the research does not involve deception;
     • iii. That the research does not exceed ‘minimal risk’ as defined by VIU Policy 31.03; and, 
     • iv. That the research does not involve vulnerable populations.

   • b. That the project does not meet all requirements for departmental approval as outlined above.  In this case, the student(s) shall be instructed to submit their proposal to the CRIHS REB for expedited or full review.
   • c. That the project is deficient or incomplete in some manner. In this case the student(s) shall be instructed to resubmit or reconsider the application.  At any point during the departmental review process, the DRP subcommittee may contact the Ethics Officer for advice as questions arise that fall outside the DRP subcommittee expertise.

Record Keeping
Faculty shall keep copies of all formal applications for DRP for one (1) year. After this period, applications will be forwarded to the Ethics Officer to be stored for a period of five (5) years, after which applications will be shredded.

APPLICATION FOR DEPARTMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS (DRP) CHECKLIST