Conducting Research within the ELRC
Thank you for your interest in conducting research with University Schools. We look forward to supporting innovative research as a collaborative partner.
To schedule an observation or visit to a University School, a service learning partnership, a course-based partnership, or an internship/volunteer experience, please contact the school directly.
Approval to conduct research:
For students, faculty, or staff seeking approval to conduct any research activities
in the University Schools, such as for a thesis or dissertation, or faculty with new
or existing projects, all researchers must submit an application to the University
Schools Research Consortium (USRC). A subcommittee of the USRC, including the Chair
of the USRC and appropriate School Director, will review your proposal and provide
a decision and/or feedback regarding school-level approval for your research. As needed,
researcher(s) may also be asked to meet with the subcommittee to discuss the application.
To discuss a potential research project seeking input from the schools or still under
development, please contact us directly at universityschools@memphis.edu.
Research will be approved on a one-year basis. Multi-year projects must seek renewal from the USRC. Researcher(s) should reach out to the Chair of the USRC for their renewal at least one month prior to the expiration of their current approval.
The USRC application process now takes the place of meeting directly with school leadership or school faculty for formal approval to conduct research in any of the University Schools.
USRC Application Process & Timeline:
The USRC research application process is separate from any submissions that are applicable to your research (ex: submission to the University’s Office of Sponsored Programs, IRB for Human Subjects Research and grant agencies).
For new research proposals, researchers are encouraged to complete the USRC application process prior to submitting a formal full proposal to other agencies (e.g., OSP, IRB, grant agencies). However, if the research is in a collaborative planning stage or other preliminary processes, such as a Letter of Intent or initial proposal application prior to an invitation for full proposal submission, researchers should wait to submit a formal application to the USRC until they are prepared with a full proposal submission. In these initial development stages of a proposal, you are also welcome to reach out to us directly at universityschools@memphis.edu.
Applications can be submitted to the system on a rolling basis; however, the review process may take up to 2 weeks—please allow sufficient time for review prior to any other submission deadlines.
If research requests exceed current capacity at the school(s), projects that align to any of the University Schools’ priorities will be given the strongest consideration.
Step 1: Complete a Research Proposal Application
When you are prepared to submit your full research proposal to USRC, please use the link below to complete the application:
Complete University Schools Research Project Application >
Next Steps
2. A subcommittee of the University School Research Consortium will review your research application and make a decision regarding school-level approval. The review process may involve a meeting with the subcommittee, questions or clarification, and/or feedback regarding your proposal. Please allow sufficient time to complete this process. Proposals will be reviewed and a decision will be provided within a two week period.
3. Researchers may submit an IRB determination form during the USRC application process. As feedback or potential revisions may be requested from the USRC, researchers may prefer to wait for a decision from the USRC prior to submitting to other units, such as the UofM Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), full IRB application, or granting agencies. For questions about these steps, please contact the appropriate office:
Office of Sponsored Programs >
IRB >
4. After completing all applicable process for your research project, researchers will be asked to submit their final research proposal, OSP award and/or IRB determination or approval, along with their IRB-approved protocol, to the USRC and the School Director through DocuSign below.
Upload necessary documents via DocuSign >
5. After submitting all documents via DocuSign, researcher(s) will be asked to schedule a meeting with the school director to confirm the timeline for conducting the research. Research can only begin after all applicable documents are received and by formal email confirmation from the School Director (or designee).
Questions? Contact universityschools@memphis.edu.