Research and Sponsored Programs

Responsible Conduct of Research

St. Cloud State University is committed to fostering an environment of responsible conduct of research, and its training requirements follow federal, state, university, and funding agency guidelines for principal investigators, key personnel, students and associated stakeholders. St. Cloud State University requires certain categories of NSF and NIH principal investigators, undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers to complete Responsible conduct of research (RCR) training.

St. Cloud State University uses the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) to provide the online training component for various learner groups.

  • New CITI User: Register
  • Existing CITI User: Log In
    • Add the Responsible Conduct in Research course to your trainings
    • Select the appropriate learner group
    • Complete the required modules
    • Save a copy of your completion certificate

NOTE: There is no charge for taking this course if you are a current SCSU student or employee and you register with your campus email.

Training Requirements by Funding Agency

Funding Agency Training Requirements Apply to: CITI Training Modules Funding Agency Guidelines
National Science Foundation (NSF)
  • Undergraduate Students
  • Graduate Students
  • Postdoctoral Researchers
  • Senior Personnel
  • Subawardees

Students (4 required modules)

Faculty and Staff (8 required modules)

Exclusions are limited to:

  • Academic scholarships or stipends (unless a research component is included)
  • Conferences
  • Symposiums
  • Workshops
  • Travel

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
Administration on Aging (AoA)
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Federal Occupational Health (FOH)
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Indian health Service (HIS)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Public Health Service Commissioned Corps
  • Trainees
  • Fellows
  • Participants
  • Scholars
 Students, Faculty and Staff (8 required modules)

Requirements apply to all individuals or organizations funded, including:

  • Training grants
  • Career development awards
  • Research education grants
  • Dissertation grants

Online training alone is NOT considered adequate. Instruction should include substantive contact hours between trainees, fellows, scholars, participants and the participating faculty.

A minimum of 8 contact hours (in addition to the online training component) is required.

Additional Resources