All research undertaken during the Master's, including essays and dissertations, must comply with the Warwick ESRC DTP Ethics Policy. You must ensure your work complies with the full rules detailed below.

Warwick ESRC DTP Research Ethics Policy

The Warwick ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership (Warwick DTP) is committed to supporting the highest academic and ethical standards in all its research activities.

The Warwick DTP policy and procedure for the ethical scrutiny of all research is guided by the following statements:

• The University’s Research Code of Practice
• The Economic and Social Research Council’s Research Ethics Framework
• The Faculties of Social Science and Humanities research guidance
• The Concordat to support research integrity
• The Warwick DTP’s guidelines for the ethical conduct of research (see ethical procedures 1, 2 and 3 below)

As per the guidance on the Humanities & Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee (HSSREC), the Warwick DTP, as a HSSREC Department, will be responsible (where appropriate - please see below) for ensuring the ethical review of all student research in accordance with the following Guidelines for student research.

The HSSREC is responsible for overseeing processes and procedures within relevant Departments that ensure the ethical conduct and approval of research, by students, involving human participants, their data or tissue.

It is expected that all Postgraduate Students (taught and research) whose research involves human participants, their data or tissue, will have their work ethically approved by a member of staff other than their direct supervisor to ensure an independent review. This person could be the Head of Department or a nominated ethical expert/advisor within the department.

Ethical Review Procedures

If you are seeking ethical approval please follow the appropriate procedure below.

1. Master's students - ESRC DTP Core Training Modules

For research undertaken as part of the core training modules it is vital that the ethical review must take place before any participant recruitment or fieldwork commences. This may be related to carrying out, as part of a core module assessment, a trial run or ‘pilot’ of one of the methods you might later use during your PhD research project.

If you should wish to undertake research involving participants (however small the sample) then you must seek approval from the Warwick ESRC DTP. The process is as follows:

• Student completes the HSSREC Application Form form and any relevant templates such as a Participant Information Leaflet and Consent Form.
• Student submits the Ethics Form and attachments to the Warwick ESRC DTP Centre Administrator via the departmental resource account ESRCdtp@warwick.ac.uk
• Centre Administrator logs the submission so that it can be reported to HSSREC when requested and the application is forwarded to the ESRC DTP Course Director;
• Decision returned as: ‘Approved – no amendments required’, ‘Conditionally Approved – minor/major amendments required’, ‘Resubmit – needs to be resubmitted with substantial amendments’, ‘Rejected – ethically unsound’.

Further information on Participant Information Leaflets and Consent Forms can be found here: How to Apply to HSSREC. 

You may choose to discuss completion of the form with your supervisor or the module convenor.

2. Master's students - Pathway optional modules and Pathway Dissertation

For research involving participants which is undertaken as part of your dissertation, you should follow the guidance provided by your supervisor. It is expected that approval would be sought via the pathway department.

Should you be required to undertake research as part of your optional module assessment then it may be appropriate to follow the process outlined above (1). However, this decision would be reviewed on a case by case basis. Please contact the Warwick ESRC DTP Centre Administrator on ESRCdtp@warwick.ac.uk.

3. PhD Students - Funded by the ESRC DTP

Once students progress onto an ESRC DTP Funded PhD it is expected that students will adhere to the Ethics Policy within their home pathway department.

The ESRC DTP may request evidence that Departmental Ethical Approval has been granted for any research that is funded by the DTP.