Responsible Conduct of Research Training for Students and Postdoctoral Fellows (Revised Spring 2020)

1. Any undergraduate JHU student and any non-WSE master’s student from any division of JHU being paid from non-NIH funds by the Whiting School of Engineering must complete the online Responsible Conduct of Research course (AS.360.624) offered through CITI at the first available opportunity.

The hiring department is responsible for:

– Notifying students of this requirement when starting the hiring process.

– Confirming the completion of the online course prior to placing the student on payroll.

Notes:

– Once per semester, the office of the registrar will download CITI reports and post the course on the transcripts for any WSE/KSAS student.

– WSE Undergraduate students who must complete Responsible Conduct of Research training will not receive a diploma until course completion is verified by the student’s academic department.

2. Any undergraduate JHU student and any non-WSE master’s student from any division of JHU being paid by the Whiting School of Engineering through formal NIH training grants or fellowships must complete the in-person training course (AS.360.625) at the first available opportunity but may be placed on payroll before the course is completed. This course is offered at multiple points during the year. (A course description can be found in SIS.) During the appropriate online registration periods, students can register for the in-person course via SIS. Outside of the online registration periods, students must visit the Office of the Registrar to enroll.

For these students on formal NIH training grants or fellowships, the in-person course must be completed at each level funding is received (i.e., the course must be re-taken as a master’s student even if the student took the RCR in-person as an undergraduate student at JHU).

The hiring department is responsible for:

– Notifying students of this requirement when starting the hiring process.

– Confirming the completion of the in-person course.

– Completing semesterly compliance reports with the Office of Graduate Academic Affairs and the Engineering Business Office.

Note: WSE undergraduate students who must complete Responsible Conduct of Research training will not receive a diploma until course completion is verified.

1. All WSE master’s students primarily enrolled in a full-time, residential program must complete the online Responsible Conduct of Research course (AS. 360.624) before the end of their first semester of enrollment. Individual students may have additional in-person RCR training requirements based on the funding sources of any research they do while in their master’s program (see II. below).

Notes:

– Students are notified of the online RCR completion requirement in the online orientation materials sent over the summer prior to their initial matriculation;

– The student’s department is responsible for tracking compliance and will complete a semesterly report for the Engineering Business Office and Office of Graduate Academic Affairs.

– Once per semester, the office of the registrar will download CITI reports and post the course on the transcripts for any WSE student.

– WSE master’s students will not receive a diploma until course completion is verified.

2. Master’s students funded through formal NIH training grants or fellowships must also complete the in-person training course (AS.360.625) at the first available opportunity but may be placed on payroll before the course is completed. This course is offered at multiple points during the year. (A course description can be found in SIS.) During the appropriate online registration periods, students can register for the in-person course via SIS. Outside of the online registration periods, students must visit the Office of the Registrar to enroll.

For these students on formal NIH training grants or fellowships, the in-person course must be completed at each level funding is received (i.e., the course must be re-taken as a master’s student even if the student took the RCR in-person as an undergraduate student at JHU).

The hiring department is responsible for:

– Notifying students of this requirement when starting the hiring process.

– Confirming the completion of the in-person course.

– Completing a semesterly compliance report with the Office of Graduate Academic Affairs and the Engineering Business Office.

Note: Master’s students will not receive a diploma until course completion is verified.

Master’s students who must complete Responsible Conduct of Research training will not receive a diploma until course completion is verified.

All WSE doctoral students, as well as all non-WSE doctoral students paid by the Whiting School of Engineering to conduct research, are required to complete the in-person training course in Responsible Conduct of Research (AS.360.625). WSE doctoral students are expected to complete the course by the end of their first year of enrollment.

This course is offered at multiple points during the year. During the appropriate online registration periods, students can register for the in-person course via SIS. Outside of the online registration periods, doctoral students must visit the Office of the Registrar to enroll. 

Failure to comply with this requirement by the end of the first year of enrollment may result in the inability to conduct research and received the associated stipend/salary. 

Notes:

– The course will appear on the student’s transcript automatically as it is a registered course through SIS.

– The student’s department is responsible for tracking compliance and will complete a semesterly report for the Engineering Business Office and Office of Graduate Academic Affairs.

– Lack of compliance and a timeline for completion should be included in a student’s annual review.

– PhD students will not receive a diploma until course completion is verified.

The hiring department is responsible for:

– Notifying students of this requirement when starting the hiring process.

– Completing a semesterly compliance report with the Office of Graduate Academic Affairs and the Engineering Business Office.

Notes:

– If the doctoral student completed the in-person course previously as an undergraduate or master’s student at Johns Hopkins, verification of course completion can be re-used, with one exception: for those doctoral students on formal NIH training grants or fellowships*, the in-person course must be completed at each level funding is received (i.e., the course must be re-taken as a doctoral student).

– For those doctoral students on formal NIH training grants or fellowships, in-person training must occur at a frequency of no less than once every four years within each level.

– Doctoral students who intend to depart JHU after completing the master’s degree are subject to the master’s student requirements found above.

– Biomedical Engineering doctoral students are permitted to meet this requirement using either the “Course on Research Ethics” or the “Introduction to Research Ethics I” and “Introduction to Research Ethics II” classes. (These will not appear on a transcript, but the student must provide certification of completion.)

If a student cannot attend the course before you expect to complete degree requirements, please contact Christine Kavanagh in the WSE Office of Academic Affairs.

All WSE postdoctoral fellows, as well as all non-WSE postdoctoral fellows paid by the Whiting School of Engineering to conduct research, are required to complete the in-person training course in Responsible Conduct of Research (AS.360.625) as soon as possible upon (but no later than 6 months after) the start of their appointment/work with the WSE.

This course is offered at multiple points during the year. During the appropriate online registration periods, postdoctoral fellows must visit/contact the Office of the Registrar to enroll. Failure to comply with this requirement by the end of 6 months may result in the inability to work and be paid.

The hiring department is responsible for:

– Notifying postdoctoral fellows of this requirement when starting the hiring process.

– Tracking compliance of all program postdoctoral fellows twice annually.

– Completing an annual compliance report to the Office of Graduate Academic Affairs and the Engineering Business Office.

Notes:

– If the postdoctoral fellow completed the in-person course previously as a student at Johns Hopkins, verification of course completion can be re-used, with one exception: for those postdocs on formal NIH training grants or fellowships*, the in-person course must be completed at each level funding is received (i.e., the course must be re-taken as a postdoc).

– For those postdoctoral fellows on formal NIH training grants or fellowships*, in-person training must occur at a frequency of no less than once every four years within each level.

– Biomedical Engineering postdoctoral fellows are permitted to meet this requirement using either the “Course on Research Ethics” or the “Introduction to Research Ethics I” and “Introduction to Research Ethics II” classes. (These will not appear on a transcript, but the postdoctoral fellow should provide certification of completion.)

If you cannot attend the course before you expect to complete your appointment, please contact Christine Kavanagh in the WSE Office of Academic Affairs.