Program Requirements

In keeping with the University of Southern Mississippi’s commitment to the integrity of research, scholarship and creative activity, all graduate faculty, graduate students and select undergraduate students and staff are required to participate in the University’s Research and Scholarly Integrity Assurance Program (IAP, formerly “RCR Training”). The program includes both online course modules and on-campus forums and workshops. 

Online courses are offered through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI). All program participants must complete one of the “Common Courses”; different Common Courses are required depending on an individual’s discipline of interest and relationship to the University (faculty, graduate student, staff, undergraduate).

Additional courses may also be required. All researchers submitting proposals to the University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) must complete a designated course. Researchers submitting grant proposals to any branch of the Public Health Service (PHS), such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), must complete the course on Financial Conflicts of Interest.

Courses require 2 – 5 hours to complete and can be finished in multiple sessions. A cumulative score of 85% or higher on the quizzes at the end of each module is a passing grade. CITI sends completion certificates to USM’s Office of Research Integrity (ORI) and individuals should keep a copy for their own records. Certificates of completion showing passing scores for both the Common and IRB courses must be attached to all IRB submissions.

To enroll in CITI, see the .pdf below titled “CITI Program Instructions". For further information and assistance, contact Jo Ann Johnson, Integrity Assurance Program Manager: 601.266.5997, Joann.JohnsonFREEMississippi

• CITI Program Instructions [pdf]