Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS)

Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) are hour-long group study sessions led by an upper-year student and offer a collaborative environment for extra practice and revision where no grades are taken. Each session will cover material from the previous week in a manner that focuses on course concepts and study skills. Session attendance is anonymous to the instructor, so it’s a great opportunity to meet classmates, study challenging material, and practice what you’ve learned! 

PASS is also a great way to meet people enrolled in the same course as you, and make new connections. It doesn't matter how you are doing in the course, everyone is welcome to join! Offered by the Canaccord Learning Commons (CLC). 

Every term, sessions begin approximately the 2nd or 3rd week of class. No need to sign up to attend! 

Courses partnered with PASS in Winter Term 1 2026:

• COMM 190
• COMM 191
• BUSI 291
• COMM 293
• COMM 295
• COMM 298
• COMM 320
• BAAC 550
• BABS 550

 If you're taking any of the above courses, check your course's Canvas PASS page for details on session dates and times.

FAQs

Q: I feel like I understand the content well enough, should I still come?
A: Yes! PASS targets historically difficult courses, and it’s not necessarily remedial – all are welcome! Even if you feel confident, it’s a great place to meet new people and to get some studying done together.

Q: Is it anonymous? Is it required?
A: We never share any names of students in attendance with the instructor. It is not required at all, just encouraged! We do take attendance, but solely for reporting purposes so the CLC can make an end-of-term report.

Q: I can’t attend the live session, can you record them instead so I can watch later?
A: PASS follows the Supplemental Instruction (SI) framework, and sessions are meant to be attended live, to best facilitate collaborative, problem-solving, group-based review and revision. Recording sessions and posting them also infringe on the privacy of students who are putting themselves out there, in a sometimes vulnerable way. We want to respect the privacy of those who attend, and posting the videos on Canvas would ultimately go against the anonymity to the instructor principle that SI is grounded in.

Q: Do I need to prepare anything beforehand? Do I need to register?
A: No, the PASS Leader will provide all practice problems and there is no need to register or sign-up. It certainly helps if you’re up-to-date on class readings and assignments.

Q: Can you help with homework and assignments?
A: No, PASS is supplemental to the lecture. We also do not want to put ourselves in the position of helping with graded assignments, as this could be viewed as an academic integrity concern. 

Q: How is this different from office hours or TA sessions?
A: PASS focuses on collaboration, and it is not a Q+A. We might work in pairs or small groups to solve a problem. Please note that PASS Leaders are not necessarily experts in content, we are responsible for facilitating discussion. If you ask us a question, it’s normal for us to redirect that to the larger group, and if no one is able to answer, we might redirect you to your TA or professor.

Q: Can you give me an example of a partner or small group activity? I usually like working alone.
A: We like to use small groups because this gets more people actively involved in asking questions and learning together. What you learn in the sessions, feel free to apply in your time studying solo! Some activities we might do are peer-editing, think/pair/share, breakout room discussions, jigsaw activities, and more. The purpose isn’t to force you to talk to each other, the purpose is to get the most out of meeting as a group!

TESTIMONIALS

"[The Leader] was very prepared, and the small group setting is amazing for my learning. I am super grateful for these sessions!”

"[The Leader was] super approachable in the way she tutors and doesn’t make people feel silly for asking questions!"

“The slides are easy to understand and I like how topics are simplified and [the Leader] always makes sure that we understand everything. The PASS sessions are always really helpful and good for my understanding. It is a welcoming environment and I feel encouraged to participate and collaborate whenever comfortable.”