Before you can conduct research through GCU, you will first need to complete training modules through CITI. The steps for registering and completing CITI training can be found through the following links:
- CITI Training Information in the DC Network (only accessible by doctoral researchers)
- CITI Training Registration Guide in Center for Innovation in Research and Teaching (CIRT) website
- CITI Training Faculty Registration in the Center for Innovation in Research and Teaching (CIRT) website
Once you have registered for CITI training, you will need to affiliate your account with GCU before you can begin your training. See the Affiliating with GCU header below for instructions.
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To affiliate your account, start by logging into CITI Program.
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From the Home page, scroll down to "Affiliate with Another University."
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From the drop-down menu, select Affiliate with Another University.
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Enter Grand Canyon University and click the boxes next to I AGREE to the Terms of Service of accessing CITI Program Materials and I affirm that I am an affiliate of Grand Canyon University, then select Continue.
After completing this training, you will then apply for IRB approval through iRIS. For more information on that process, see our Help Center section on iRIS.
The training courses in CITI are assigned based on your responses to a series of questions from your initial registration. Most students need to complete the following:
- RCR FOR SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE DOCTORAL LEARNERS
- Students in Social/Behavioral Research
If these modules do not appear, you can try re-answering the initial questions to generate the correct modules. See the header below for instructions.
- First, log into CITI.
- Click View Courses next to Grand Canyon University.
- Scroll down until you can see the "Learner Tools for Grand Canyon University". Then select Add a Course.
- You will be prompted with a series of questions. Answer them according to the instructions below:
- For question 1, select "Yes, I conduct social or behavioral research".
- For question 2, select, "Yes, I am required to complete RCR FOR SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE DOCTORAL LEARNERS."
- For question 3, select, "I am not required to complete the IPS course at this time"
- For question 4 you don't need to select anything.
- Click Submit at the bottom.
CITI Training Validation Error
Once an application for research has been submitted, iRIS checks the CITI website to confirm that the required modules have been completed. You may see the following error message in iRIS if there is a problem with your CITI training validation.
“Training validation failed”
There are three potential causes for this training validation error. See the menus below for instructions on resolving each of the three possibilities.
For your application to be validated, it must be submitted using your GCU email. Please note, you may have created a username to log into your CITI account that is different than your GCU email. As long as the GCU email address is associated with your account, it will validate your application.
If the email address you provided when registering for your CITI account is not your GCU email, you can update it with the following steps:
- Log into CITI at citiprogram.org
- Click on the down-arrow icon next to your name, then click on Profiles. After updating the email, allow 6-12 hours for CITI and iRIS to register the updated email.
Once you have waited 6-12 hours, enter iRIS and retract the application. To retract the application:
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Click on My Studies.
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Click on the Pencil and Pad icon to open your application.
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Click on Retract Submission.
Once the application has been retracted, resubmit the application and the training validation will be cleared.
If you are receiving the training validation error message, confirm that you have passed both of the following modules in CITI as well as all other investigators included on the application:
- RCR FOR SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE DOCTORAL LEARNERS
- Students in Social/Behavioral Research
If you or any of the other investigators in your application have not passed these modules, you will need to retract the application and complete these modules.
To retract the application:
- Click on My Studies.
- Click on the Pencil and Pad icon to open your application.
- Click on Retract Submission.
After retracting, you can resubmit the application and the training validation will be cleared.
If you are receiving the training validation error message, check to ensure that you did not accidentally add your chair as a co-investigator on your iRIS application. If your chair is listed as a co-investigator, iRIS thinks they need to complete CITI Training too. To correct this problem, you will first need to retract the application.
To retract the application:
- Click on My Studies.
- Click on the Pencil and Pad icon to open your application.
- Click on Retract Submission.
Once the application has been retracted, access the "Grant key personnel access to the study" page and remove your chair listed as co-investigator. Then resubmit your application and the training validation will be cleared.