About Kuali IRB

Beginning 9/1/2020, MU IRB will be using Kuali as the new on-line system for managing IRB applications. All requests for approval of human subject research (e.g., new submissions, amendments, reportable events, and continuing reviews) must be submitted through the MU Kuali Protocols system.


Need help? View the training materials and/or sign up for a training session.

Ready to submit an IRB protocol? View the submit & manage protocols page. 

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Q) What is Kuali?

Kuali is Marquette University’s new web-based system for data entry and management of IRB applications. All IRB submissions (new, amendments, continuing reviews, and reportable events) are submitted in Kuali. 

Q) Why is the IRB switching to Kuali?

Kuali is designed to simplify and streamline the IRB review process by allowing researchers to search and create applications with easy to use templates, while having access to their protocols in a central place. The IRB will be able to review and communicate approval within Kuali.

Q) When do I have to start using Kuali?

Unless instructed otherwise by the IRB, beginning this fall, all IRB submissions must be submitted through Kuali.

Projects where MU IRB is being requested to defer/rely upon an external IRB, should consult with Ben Kennedy prior to submitting in Kuali.

Q) What about my active IRB protocol that was created prior to Kuali?

All active IRB projects have been migrated over into Kuali. Once logged in, you will see a list of any active protocols. If you plan to submit an amendment, continuing review, or reportable event, it must be done so using Kuali.

When a PI is submitting an amendment or continuing review for protocols created prior to Kuali, i.e., "legacy" protocols, the older amendment and continuing review forms can be attached to the submission within Kuali.

Q) Why can't a student be a PI?

In the past, when a student was listed as the Student Principal Investigator, MU IRB required a MU faculty/staff member to be listed as the advisor and signed off on the application prior to IRB submission. Kuali does not currently support approval routing before a protocol is submitted to the IRB. Therefore, the PI must be MU faculty/staff.

This functional change should not affect student led protocols, grant submissions, or authorship.

Students still have the ability to create the protocol and complete all necessary revisions during the IRB review.

Students can be added as "Co-PI or Student PI" in the People table of the form.

Q) Can a student or someone other than the PI create a protocol?

Yes. Anyone* with a Kuali account is able to create a study. However, only the individual identified as the "Principal Investigator" is able to "submit" the protocol initially to the IRB. After the initial submission, other members of the team who have editable access can submit (e.g., revisions/modifications to the IRB).

*See FAQ below regarding undergradute students and Kuali.

Q) Why aren't all students found in Kuali? (E.g., undergraduate students not found in Kuali)

If an undergraduate student wants to create a protocol or is being added to the People table (e.g., in order to create, edit, view, and receive notifications) the student must complete the Update Kuali Research Student Group: Undergraduate form and submit it to the Office of the Registrar in order to grant permission to allow undergraduate student information to be stored in the research software.

Q) Do I need to create a special account to use Kuali?

Kuali can be accessed using your Marquette username and password. This information is pulled directly from the HR database. All faculty, staff, and graduate students should be able to log in. Undergraduate students who have not done so already, will need to complete a FERPA release form to have their information pulled into Kuali.

Q) Is there training available?

The hope is that Kuali is intuitive enough that minimal training is required. However, training is available in visual, documented, and in person.

Q) Can I print out the protocol or export it?

A printer friendly version of the entire protocol once it has been completed is accessible. However, due to the logic which determines the fields being displayed, the formatting may not be ideal.