Procedure  for writing up a research protocol

Students are required to attend one of the TNM 800 modules before starting their research project. This module assists students in going through all the steps necessary to complete a research protocol, which is a first step towards conducting research. Students may not commence with their research protocols before having completed at least half of the required course work.

Each student follows the steps presented below.

1. The student submits his or her topic via the track coordinator.
2. The student, with the help of the track coordinator, finds a supervisor. All students must have an internal supervisor, while an external co-supervisor is optional. If the co-supervisor is not an academic staff member of the University of Pretoria Academic, a copy of the CV of the co-supervisor must be submitted.
3. The student works on the research protocol with the supervisor, who will ensure quality and appropriateness of the research proposal. An outline structure of a protocol is available from the “Research” pages of the SHSPH website as well as in the pre-reading pack of the TNM 800 module.
4. All Masters students must attend a TNM 800 module (Faculty requirement). During this module, students will refine the protocol for their research project. This may need further refinement in collaboration with the supervisor.
5. Following the approval of the supervisor, the student submits the research proposal and accompanying forms to the Academic Programme Committee for approval.
6. There must be written approval by the Academic Programme Committee to support the protocol for submission to the Ethics Committee.
7. The student then personally submits the research protocol to the Faculty of Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee for approval.

More information is available in the Health Science Faculty Ethics page.