PASS Program FAQs

Please check our schedule for the list of courses we support and the weekly session times and locations for each course.

Please note, the PASS program only operates throughout the Fall and Winter semesters.

Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) are an anonymous student support service. Course instructor(s) do not receive PASS attendees student information. In order to continue to deliver the best services possible for our students, we take attendance solely to evaluate how often students use our services.

You cannot receive extra credit for attending PASS because the course instructor(s) cannot verify that you have participated in our anonymous service.

Yes, you can!

PASS supports one or more sections of a course with identical material and pacing. Our PASS Facilitators attend only one section of weekly lectures for their course and base their workshop content off of those lectures. If the section of the course you are enrolled in is not listed for support, you are still welcome to partake in our free study service!

Please note that if your section is not listed on our schedule, the content in the PASS workshop may not directly match the content your section is currently covering.

While we try to make our PASS sessions as accessible as possible, unfortunately, we will not be able to match every schedule.

We encourage you to use our weekly worksheets found on Brightspace as an independent study tool and you are welcome to email your Facilitator for minor worksheet-related questions. Please check back during critical points in the term, as we may increase the number of sessions as well as offer an office hour which may fit your schedule!

If you require additional support, please contact your Professor, TA, Department, or some of the many other services offered on campus.

PASS is an anonymous service, however, we must track how often our services are being used in order to continue to deliver the best programming possible for our students.When you submit to our attendance records, the system does not share your individual student details with any faculty members. By participating in our attendance tracking, you are supporting the continual delivery of PASS for future students.

PASS Facilitators are not involved in creating or grading any assignments, exams, or tests in your course. PASS Facilitators are not Teaching Assistants or Instructors.

No, PASS Facilitators are not Teaching Assistants.

PASS Facilitators do not teach, instruct, or re-lecture content. PASS Facilitators do not see or grade any student work. Your PASS Facilitator cannot change your grade, extend deadlines, or provide any further information on assignments or tests. PASS is a supplementary student support service which does not replace tutorials, labs, or lectures. Instead, PASS Facilitators act as student leaders and role models, assisting collaborative group study sessions for specific courses.

Please contact your course instructor(s) and teaching assistants with questions or concerns on course details and accommodation needs.

A PASS Facilitator is a fellow student who has taken the course previously and has achieved a grade of A- or higher. Our PASS Facilitators are highly trained to use a variety of activities and study strategies to meet the diverse needs of our student body. PASS Facilitators do not re-lecture or teach, but instead encourage students to collaborate with one another in order to achieve independent learning.

PASS Facilitators are not teachers, instructors, or tutors; they are not meant to be subject experts. PASS Facilitators are student leaders who support collaboration and active learning. If your PASS Facilitator is not able to answer your questions, please ask your course instructor(s) and/or teaching assistant(s) for additional help.

Peer Assisted Study Sessions are a collaborative, peer-to-peer learning environment. To obtain the answers to any worksheet or mock exam questions, students must attend the sessions and work with their peers to uncover the answers. Answer keys are not given out to students by PASS Facilitators.

If you are unable to attend a session, we still encourage you to use our worksheets and mock exams as independent study tools. If you require clarity on specific questions on a worksheet or mock exam, please ask other peers who attended the session for further support. If you are still unable to receive the required information, you may email your PASS Facilitator for assistance. Facilitators will not provide answers either in person or via email, but will guide you to find the answer independently.

PASS may be hosted online or in-person. Please check our schedule for details on your supported course.

In-person sessions may be pivoted online in particular scenarios such as inclement weather or illness.

Yes you can! However, you must be taking at least 0.5 credits as an undergraduate level student at Carleton University during the term you want to be employed as a PASS Facilitator.

PASS Facilitators must be returning undergraduate students enrolled in a minimum of 0.5 credits per term of employment. If you are graduating and no longer taking classes or are moving on to graduate studies, you do not qualify to apply for this position.

If you are graduating and returning for another degree as an undergraduate student with 0.5 credits of enrolment, you may still apply!

Yes, you are required to submit another application. We encourage you to apply again!

Your letter of interest is a place to showcase the past experiences and skills you possess that you think would make you a good PASS Facilitator!

This should be single spaced and one to two pages in length. We highly recommend writing your Letter of Interest in a word document and then copying and pasting the response into the text box on the application form.

Yes, PASS Facilitators will only be slotted to facilitate courses which they are qualified for and have indicated their interest in supporting. To be qualified to facilitate a course, candidates must have taken the course and received an A- or higher as a final grade.

No, initial applications do not require a resume or references.

If you are chosen to complete an individual interview, you will be asked to submit a resume a minimum of 24 hours before your interview occurs so that our Professional Staff can learn more about you!

You will receive a confirmation email after submitting your application.

If you are a successful applicant, you will be contacted sometime in June to confirm your attendance at an interview. Please note that due to the high volume of applications, we are only able to contact successful candidates.

Successful candidates will receive a contract offer sometime in July.

Yes, as per the direction of the The Office of the Vice-President (Students and Enrolment), all student employees are required to have a valid Police Record Check for the duration of their employment.

You are required to submit a Vulnerable Sector Check, which is an enhanced Police Record Check for employees and volunteers who are in positions of trust or authority over children or otherwise vulnerable persons. The cost of obtaining a Vulnerable Sector Check is the responsibility of the employee and will not be reimbursed.

Should you be successful, your employment contract will outline the details regarding obtaining a Vulnerable Sector Check.

PASS Facilitators cannot be online only. PASS Facilitators may be asked to host either in-person or online sessions throughout their employment. PASS Facilitators are required to reside in Ottawa for the duration of their employment as there are both in-person and online job requirements.