The process of consent is one of the most important parts of human subjects research. Participation in research must be voluntary, and the process of informed consent must assure that the potential research subject understands the study, the risks and benefits, and what will happen if they agree to participate.

Informed consent is always required, though how that looks can vary from project to project. For example, you do not always need a participant’s signature to meet informed consent regulations. Please visit this link for more information.

Your informed consent materials, no matter the form of presentation to the potential participant, must include information about how to contact the researcher and the CUWAA IRB, and if appropriate for the study, how to access any relevant CUWAA resources (for example, researchers exploring questions about mental health must provide the contact information for the Concordia Counseling Center to their participants).

Consent forms and templates

If you have any questions, please contact IRBhelpdesk@cuw.edu.