Policies and compliance

Office of Scholarship Support

As a faculty member or student at University of Phoenix, the Office of Scholarship Support (OSS) provides you with information and resources to aid you in developing, funding, executing and disseminating your research.

The mission of the OSS is to develop and provide resources for faculty and students to produce quality research projects — inside and outside of the University. The resources include financial, intellectual and technological support, as well as ethical guidance. The OSS also provides institutional communication with other scholarly and research organizations and documents the results of scholarship and research for the University.

The OSS oversees the University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Committee on Research (COR). It also administers the Learning Fellowship program, General Research program, Faculty Honoraria and Excellence in Publication Award.

Committee on Research

Requests to conduct research at University of Phoenix are reviewed by the COR on an ongoing basis. If you’d like to conduct research involving University of Phoenix, please submit a Proposal to Conduct Research form.

Institutional Review Board

All studies that involve using human research subjects and are supported by the University must be submitted to the IRB for approval.

The guidelines the IRB uses in evaluating studies are based upon the Belmont Report Regulation and Ethical Guidelines for the protection of human subjects of research. The evaluations involve consideration of the following:

1. Informed consent by subject participants
2. Assessment of risks and benefits to those participating
3. Fair procedures and outcomes when it comes to the selection of research subjects

The IRB applies the principles above to the research review process as they approve, disapprove or modify all research studies that involve human subjects in the University of Phoenix community.

Intellectual Property at University of Phoenix

All University of Phoenix (UOPX) students and faculty members own the intellectual property that is created by them as a solely academic endeavor, subject to a license back to Apollo Group, Inc., the parent company of UOPX. For example, even when UOPX is funding the research, the intellectual property belongs to the student or the faculty member doing the research. With respect to intellectual property rights, there is no difference between a full-time and part-time faculty member. Special circumstances regarding academic research that may require review include research projects that are expected to be funded by multiple institutions, or research that is not a solely academic endeavor. Intellectual property that is developed by employees and/or using UOPX or Apollo Group resources (excluding resources accessed and used entirely as part of a student or faculty academic endeavor) is owned by Apollo Group, Inc. In addition, intellectual property that contains company proprietary information or that relates to the business of the company is owned by Apollo Group, Inc.

Interested in expanding your role in academia? The Office of Scholarship Support is currently looking for peer reviewers as well as content, methodological and technological thought leaders who are interested in working with University of Phoenix faculty. If you are interested in volunteering your expertise, please contact us at oss@phoenix.edu.