The Social Research Ethics Committee (SREC) is one of three ethical approval committees at UCC (social research, animal experimentation, and clinical research). UCC staff and postgraduate research students can apply to SREC when undertaking social research where the methodology is not clinical or therapeutic in nature and proposes to involve:

• Direct interaction with human participants for the purpose of data collection using research methods such as questionnaires, interviews, observations, focus groups etc.
• Indirect observation with human participants for example using observation, web surveys etc.
• Access to, or utilisation of, anonymised datasets.
• Access to, or utilisation of, data or case files/records concerning identifiable individuals.
• Conducting Internet Research or research online.

As a policy SREC does not accept applications from non UCC applicants, taught postgraduate or undergraduate students. In general, applications from taught programmes should be dealt with at School/Department level. However, the University SREC will process complex or high-risk ethics applications arising as part of undergraduate and taught postgraduate programmes in exceptional circumstances. In these circumstances, the high-risk nature of the research should be clearly outlined in an email from the supervisor and included with the ethics application.

SREC at UCC considers itself an enabling committee, promoting strong research ethics amongst UCC’s community of staff and student researchers. We are open to all types of research in the social research domain.

Data Protection Impact Assessment

To help researchers to ascertain whether a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is required, every SREC applicant is required to complete the DPIA Screening Tool for Social Research. The Tool (internal access only) will assist in assessing and minimising any data protection risks associated with your research study and determine whether a full DPIA is required. A copy of the completed Screening Tool should be retained by you (the researcher). You may be asked to produce it for audit purposes by the University’s Data Protection Officer (OCLA). 

Note: Where this Tool indicates that a DPIA is required you should contact UCC's Data Protection Officer (ResearchGDPR@ucc.ie) and allow a minimum of 21 days for a review. The review of your DPIA will run alongside your ethics application. You do not need to submit your DPIA to SREC or include a copy of the DPIA with your ethics application. 

This screening tool is based on the HSE's Screening and Record Tool and the HRDPN template.

Application Forms and Templates

Guidelines

• Read the updated UCC Code of Research Conduct and complete the DPIA Screening Tool for Social Research before completing the SREC Application Form.
• Email the completed SREC application form (see below) and associated documents as one pdf document to srec@ucc.ie
• Ensure that the application is signed by the applicant and, if under academic supervision, the supervisor(s) also. 
• Sample informed consent form/assent forms/information sheet templates are provided below (you are not obliged to use these templates).
• Applicants should ensure that they give themselves a good lead-in time in applying for ethical approval. Once applications are logged for review, applicants should expect to have feedback from SREC within 2 to 4 weeks, with a decision within 6 to 10 weeks. 
• For comprehensive advice on data collection, storage, and sharing, see page 6 of the SREC application form below and our FAQ section.
• Note that due to a high workload, we are currently unable to provide a consultation service. You can access the SREC video training series below, with essential information to help you develop your application. These cover: 1) common application errors, 2) virtual data collection platforms, 3) secondary research and archival research, 4) informed consent, 5) research with vulnerable participants, 6) advice for doctoral students and academic supervisors.
• To help you prepare your application, please read and follow our Guidance for SREC Applicants.

Downloads

• SREC Application Form
• SREC Ethics Amendment Request Form

• Sample Research Forms
  • Sample Survey Information Sheet and Consent Form
  • Sample Focus Group Information Sheet and Consent Form
  • Sample Interview Information Sheet and Consent Form
  • Sample Experiment Information Sheet and Consent Form
  • Sample Assent Form Children and Young People and Parental Consent

The content provided in these sample templates are made available for general informational purposes. The forms are provided in good faith by SREC. While every effort has been made to provide accessible, good-quality, and useful content, SREC does not provide warranties or guarantees about accuracy and completeness. If there is a difference between content in these forms and updated UCC research policies, UCC's policies will take precedence.

Training Videos

This series of short videos (hosted on Panopto) are designed to help you prepare your SREC application. The videos should be viewed in conjunction with the most up-to-date SREC Application Form and the UCC Code of Research Conduct.

The content provided in this video series is made available for general informational purposes. The series is provided in good faith by SREC. While every effort has been made to provide accessible, good quality, and useful content, SREC does not provide warranties or guarantees regarding accuracy and completeness. If there is a difference between the content in these videos and UCC research policies, UCC's official policies will take precedence over the content in these videos.

• About the SREC Committee
• Learning from Common SREC Application Issues
• Virtual Data Collection Platforms -VDCPs
• Secondary Research and Archival Research
• GDPR, Data Protection and DPIAs
• Including People with Communication Disabilities and Differences in Research
• Research Skills Training Programme (November 2024): Research Integrity and Ethics

Global Ethics Day Event Recordings

• Research Ethics in Our Times: Big Data and Data Sharing Webinar
• Research Ethics for Disasters & Humanitarian Settings: Empowering Ethical Research
• University Collections and Colonial Histories: Navigating Ethical Responsibilities with Prof. John Oates and Prof. Ciraj Rassool

Postgraduate research and staff-led research applications

For postgraduate research and staff-led research applications, please contact:

• Social Research Ethics Committee
• Chair: Dr. Claire O' Neill
• Applications should be submitted to: srec@ucc.ie

FAQs

An FAQ section has been produced to answer the key questions researchers have about ethical review.

Contact

To contact the Social Research Ethics Committee, please email srec@ucc.ie. All correspondence with the committee is by email only.