Graduate Students
Basic Science Graduate Students — GRAD 214
The Graduate Division coordinates an annual course, GRAD 214, entitled "Foundations in Ethical Research Responsible Conduct of Research" (RCR). This course meets the NIH requirements for training in the Responsible Conduct of Research required of all graduate students. In 2024-2025, GRAD 214 attendance will take place fifty percent in person and 50% remotely. Lectures will occur in September, October, January, February, March and April from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at either the Mission Bay or the Parnassus campus; in person attendance will be required on the campus at which the student’s graduate program is housed. In addition to the monthly lecture, a faculty led small group discussion session will be presented by program faculty; specific dates and times will be established by each graduate program.
Basic Course Information
Lecture Meeting Dates and Times
September 6 (during New Student Welcome - time TBA), October 7, January 13, February 3, March 3 and April 7.
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Course Locations
(Attend class in person when lecture is on your home campus)
September 6, January 13, and March 3 - Mission Bay (in-person), Parnassus (Zoom)
October 7, February 3, and April 7 - Parnassus (in-person), Mission Bay (Zoom)
Discussion Sections Meeting Dates and Times
Graduate Faculty led discussion sessions will be held in the same week as the monthly course lecture. Led by graduate faculty, students will spend 90 minutes in small groups discussing cases related to that month’s RCR lecture. Dates and times will be set by individual programs; attendance will be recorded.
The GRAD 214 RCR course will use lecture and case study formats, and this course is designed to address key issues affecting the responsible conduct of scientific research, including:
- Scientific Misconduct and Ethics in Science
- Biomedical Research and Human Subjects
- Scientific Record Keeping and Data Management
- Animals in Research: Animal Rights and Welfare
- Diversity and Equity
- Publication, Responsible Authorship and Peer Review Practices
- The Art of Mentoring and Being Mentored
- Conflicts of Interest: Science Outside of the Academy
This course is required for first-year graduate students enrolled in UCSF’s basic science PhD graduate programs. Graduate students will be prompted to register for the course by their program administrators.
Contact Information
Jennifer Nazareno, PhD
Associate Dean of the Graduate Division
GRAD 214 RCR Course Director
[email protected]
Questions regarding the GRAD 214 course? Please contact:
Nancy Street, PhD
Contracted Associate Dean of the Graduate Division
[email protected]
Or
Alexzandria Simon, PhD Graduate Student and Rosenberg-Hill Fellow
GRAD 214 Course Manager
[email protected]
Social Science Graduate Students
Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research is required for all learners funded by NIH training grants, including those in the social sciences. Please work with your program faculty and administrators to determine the best course of RCR instruction, either the Human Subject RCR course or the Graduate Student RCR course.
RCR Refresher Course for 5th Year Graduate Students
NIH mandates that trainees on an NIH institutional research training grant, individual fellowship, career development award (institutional or individual), research education grant, dissertation research grant, or other grant programs that have a significant training component have a minimum of eight hours of formal instruction at least once during each career stage and at least every four years. Training is expected to be in-person, interactive, and iterative (i.e. not a repetition of earlier training).
At UCSF, advanced students meet this requirement by signing up and attending either the Human Subjects RCR Course or the Basic Science RCR Course, depending on research area.