Any systematic investigation (including pilot studies, program evaluations, qualitative research), that is designed to develop or contribute to generalizable (scholarly) knowledge, and which uses living humans or identifiable private information about living humans qualifies as human subjects research. See Definition of Human Subjects Research for more information.
The UCI Office of Research cannot make an official determination of whether a study requires IRB approval via email or over the phone. In order to receive a written response from the IRB confirming whether an IRB approval is required, please submit a Request for a Determination of Non-Human Subjects Research Form. If you do not need a formal written response from the IRB, you may use the form as a guide to determine whether you need to submit to the IRB for your particular project. See Definition of Human Subjects Research for more information.