The following is a description of the Research Administration Management Program in its original format. The highly regarded classroom based program, known as RAMP, enjoyed a very successful 5-year run at the University. To take advantage of new technologies and online software programs, RAMP has been placed on hold as we reinvent it. We expect in the future to offer RAMP with a combination of online instruction and classroom workshops providing the knowledge, skills and experience needed to earn a certificate in research administration management.
While we retool RAMP, the staff members in the Office of Research Administration are, as always, available to help and support faculty, staff and students as needed.
RAMP
The Office of Research Administration's Research Administration Management Program (RAMP) is a comprehensive, certificated training program developed to meet the research administration needs of our campus. The goals of this program are:
- to provide the campus with an improved understanding of regulations, policies, and procedures
- to strengthen internal controls
- to provide staff with access to important resources and contacts when they need help
Who should participate?
RAMP is designed for staff, faculty and students who are involved in the administration of research, training or other sponsored projects that are funded by extramural or internal sources, including un-sponsored or departmentally-funded projects.
Program Description
RAMP consists of 15 courses that are scheduled multiple times during the year at the main campus and at UCIMC. Courses are offered in a classroom setting. Each course includes a web-based assessment of the participant's comprehension of the course's key topics. In order to earn the RAMP certificate, participants are required to take a total of ten courses: seven required core courses designed to build competencies in basic research administration topics and their choice of three optional courses. This combination allows participants to personalize their training by choosing from eight optional courses geared towards more specific or advanced topics. Individuals may register for any module once they have completed the "Principles of Research Administration" course (C-1). It is not necessary to complete the courses in any particular order; however some courses may have required prerequisites. Prerequisite requirements are noted in the course descriptions.
Assessments
After attending each course, participants will receive an e-mail notification that they are now authorized to take the course assessment. Each assessment consists of 20 multiple choice questions. The correct responses may be found in the participant's class notes or the handout materials provided during the course. To receive credit for the course, participants must correctly answer all of the assessment questions. If a participant does not answer all of the questions correctly on the first attempt, he/she will be given the list of questions that were not answered correctly and will be instructed to re-take the assessment. The assessment questions will be reshuffled to appear in a new sequence. If the participant does not correctly answer all of the questions in 3 attempts, he/she will be temporarily locked-out of the assessment process and will be asked to contact the RAMP staff for assistance. The RAMP staff will provide coaching and will re-set the participant's test lock-out status so that he/she can retake the assessment.
Assessment Recommendations
- Complete your assessments as soon as possible after your attendance.
- Set aside uninterrupted time, close your door or minimize interruptions whenever possible so you may complete the assessment at a comfortable pace.
- Have your notes and supplemental handouts readily accessible should you need to refer to them.
- The questions are shuffled for each assessment and are given in random order. Please do not use your back button on your browser as this will not allow you to complete the assessment.
- Each time you enter the assessment for a course, it is counted as one attempt, therefore, try not to enter the assessment portion of the site until you have adequate time for completion.
- There is a 30 minute time limit imposed by the server; if your computer sits idly for 30 minutes or more, you will be timed-out and this will count as an attempt.
Earn a certificate
A Certificate of Completion is issued to individuals who attend and successfully complete assessments for all seven (7) of the Core Courses and three (3) of the Optional Courses.
Request more information
If you would like to receive a copy of the full-color RAMP brochure, please send your request with your name and complete mailing address to rampup@uci.edu.
Core Curriculum Course
Course C-1 - Principles of Research Administration
This introductory course provides an overview of the RAMP and lays the foundation for later courses. Discussion focuses on the UC and campus research rankings, research infrastructure, shared responsibilities, and the general legal principles and policies that guide research and creative activities. This course is a required prerequisite for all other courses in the program.
Course C-2 - Introduction to Proposal Preparation
This course provides an overview of how to prepare a proposal, secure appropriate UCI approvals, and submit the proposal to the funding sponsor. Topics covered include: identifying funding opportunities, P.I. eligibility, how to interpret sponsor guidelines, and preparing proposal application forms and UCI interal forms. Exercises reinforce proper completion of proposal-related forms. Course focuses primarily on preparing grant and contract proposals to federal, state, nonprofit and industry sponsors.
Course C-3 - Proposal Budget Preparation
In this course, participants will learn about the processes related to project budgeting and how those processes lead to the development of a final proposal budget. Topics covered include: cost components that make up a budget, universal cost principles applicable to preparing project budgets, budgeting techniques and practices, calculating F&A costs, and budgeting tools and resources. The course will also include hands-on budget preparation exercises. Prerequisite: Introduction to Proposal Preparation.
Course C-4 - Pre & Post-Award Administration
This course will lead participants through the sponsored award management process from award acceptance through expiration and closeout. Discussion will focus on preaward negotiations and actions such as budget revisions and pre-award spending, the award acceptance process including the proposal-to-protocol match, post-award management issues such as project changes, re-budgeting, subawards and subaward monitoring, meeting cost sharing obligations, and project closeout actions such as fulfilling project reporting obligations. Prerequisites: Introduction to Proposal Preparation and Proposal Budget Preparation.
Course C-5 - Introduction to Human Subjects Protection
This course summarizes the fundamental regulatory requirements for research using human subjects. Topics covered include: determining when IRB review is required, ethical principles for human subject protection, protocol application processes, principles of informed consent, subject recruitment and compensation requirements, reporting of unanticipated problems/adverse events, procedures for modification of ongoing studies, and a review of other approvals that may be required prior to initiation of a human research study.
Course C-6 - Ethical Care and Use of Animals
This course reviews the fundamental regulatory requirements and ethical principles for the care and use of laboratory animals involved in research. Participants will learn about the contributions of animal research to science and medicine, federal regulations governing animal use, and UCI’s program of laboratory animal care, with emphasis on protocol application, renewal and management, animal procurement and transfer, and veterinary oversight and services.
Course C-7 - Conflict of Interest in Research
This course reviews regulations and policies related to conflict of interest including terminology, concepts, and procedures for disclosing and reviewing a financial interest. Numerous examples and role playing allow the class to complete forms, and identify and assess factors that increase concerns related to a personal financial interest. Key resources are identified for answering questions raised by researchers.
Optional Courses
Course O-1 - Clinical Trials
This course covers the unique and complex issues that arise in the conduct of a sponsored clinical trial. Discussion will cover the life cycle of a trial from the initial and pretrial stages through the final closeout obligations. Topics include: primary concerns and goals of the sponsor, confidentiality agreements, contract negotiation, development of a budget, use of Master Agreements, record management and retention, audits, trial termination, and award close out. Prerequisites: Introduction to Human Subjects Protection and Advanced Human Subjects Protection Issues.
Course O-2 - National Institutes of Health
This course applies core concepts provided in the prerequisite courses to programs funded by the National Institutes of Health. Discussion focuses on policies, procedures, and regulations specific to NIH. Topics covered include preparing applications for submission, the modular grant concept, the just-in-time process, and post-award management. Demonstration of the modular budget calculator and the NIH eRA Commons is included. Case studies focus on developing knowledge and comprehension of policies, regulations, and practices as they relate to NIH proposals and awards. Prerequisites: Introduction to Proposal Preparation, Proposal Budget Preparation, and Pre & Post-Award Administration.
Course O-3 - National Science Foundation
This course applies core concepts provided in the prerequisite courses to programs funded by the National Science Foundation. Discussion focuses on policies, procedures, and regulations specific to NSF. Demonstration of FastLane is included. Case studies focus on developing knowledge and comprehension of policies, regulations, and practices as they relate to NSF proposals and awards. Prerequisites: Introduction to Proposal Preparation, Proposal Budget Preparation, and Pre & Post-Award Administration.
Course O-4 - Understanding Contracts and Other Agreements
This course provides participants with an in-depth discussion of issues related to managing projects funded by contracts and the impact that other types of agreements may have on UCI's research programs. Topics include University policies and practices related to industry sponsors, UCI's off-site research policy and the administration of off-site research agreements, nondisclosure agreements, and equipment loan agreements.
Course O-5 - Advanced Human Subjects Protection Issues
This course addresses some of the most commonly misunderstood aspects of human subject protection requirements such as: additional protections for special subject populations, unique challenges presented by social and behavioral research, reporting of suspected abuse or imminent harm, consent writing and the consenting process, privacy and confidentiality, use of registries, and data sharing. Prerequisite: Introduction to Human Subjects Protection.
Course O-6 - Recombinant DNA Research Responsibilities
This course summarizes the fundamental regulatory requirements for the use of recombinant DNA (rDNA). Topics include: defining rDNA, determining when rDNA techniques are used in research, complex uses of rDNA such as human gene transfer experiments (a.k.a. gene therapy), and creation of transgenic animals, a review of the IBC protocol application process, and protocol management.
Course O-7 - Intellectual Property
This course provides a basic understanding of intellectual property in its many forms as it relates to the administration of research at UCI. Topics include: ownership of research records, invention disclosure, publishing, copyrights, patents, trade secrets, material transfer agreements, and tangible research products (tissue, animal models, cell lines, viruses, chemical compounds, transgenic animals).
Course O-8 - Gifts, Grants or Whatever
This course reviews the classification of awards as gifts, grants or contracts. Instructors will provide an overview of the award classification and gift acceptance processes. The course will also offer participants the opportunity to work through case studies designed to develop knowledge and comprehension of the gift acceptance process.
