The ethics of research involving human participants

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the principles and practice of research ethics, focusing on research involving human participants. It explores how ethical standards have developed, why they matter, and how they guide responsible research from conception to dissemination.   

Across four interconnected modules, learners will build a solid understanding of ethical principles, governance frameworks, and practical responsibilities:   

• Module 1: Foundations of Research Ethics – Learn the core principles underpinning research ethics, their historical development, and how they apply to studies involving human participants.  

• Module 2: Research Ethics in Context – Explore aspects of research governance, the role of Research Ethics Committees, and how to prepare for and manage ethics review processes.  

• Module 3: Embedding Ethics in Research – Discover how to integrate ethical thinking into research design, conduct, and dissemination, ensuring responsible and reflective practice at every stage.  

• Module 4: Participant Information and Researcher Safety – Examine the importance of informed consent and participant communication, and learn strategies for maintaining researcher safety, particularly in lone-working contexts.  

By the end of the course, learners will be able to recognise and address ethical challenges in their own research, understand their responsibilities , and apply ethical principles throughout the research lifecycle. 

This course focuses on emotionally challenging and sensitive research, exploring its definitions, complexities, and the associated risks and benefits for both participants and researchers. 

The course covers:

• definitions of emotionally challenging or sensitive research 
• complexities, risks, and benefits of undertaking such research 
• positionality its influence on research involving emotionally challenging or sensitive topics 
• challenges posed by both primary and secondary data in this context 

By the end, learners will be able to conduct emotionally challenging or sensitive research responsibly, balancing considerations such as vulnerability, context, positionality, and power dynamics, and applying sound judgement when navigating complex ethical dilemmas. 

This course examines ethical responsibilities in conducting research with children and young people (CYP).  

The course covers:

• legal definitions of children and young people, and how research involving them has changed over time 
• key ethical principles in research with CYP, and what they mean in practice  
• the concepts of consent, assent, and dissent, and how they apply when researching CYP 
• why and how participatory methods are often used to ensure children and young people’s voices are heard in research  
• important considerations when using digital or online tools to conduct research with CYP 
• key ongoing ethical debates and challenges in research with CYP 

By the end, learners will be equipped to conduct research with children and young people in a respectful, inclusive, and ethically responsible manner – recognising children as competent, active participants throughout.