Be a mentor. Build community. Grow as a learner.
Faculty of Arts and University of Calgary offer unparalleled student success and a rich campus experience. Explore all the ways to make the most of your time here.
Academic Peer Mentoring Program
Some of the most meaningful learning happens in the conversations students have with fellow students a little ahead of them in their university program. As a peer mentor, you'll be that student: helping fellow students engage with the material, navigate university-level learning, and feel a stronger sense of belonging in the classroom.
The Academic Peer Mentoring Program is co-delivered by the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Science. Senior undergraduate students enrol in a for-credit course, ARTS 507 (Faculty of Arts) or SCIE 511 (Faculty of Science), that prepares and supports them to serve as peer mentors across campus. This work-integrated learning course blends educational theory like, learning science, inclusive pedagogy, and facilitation skills, with a 48-hour supervised practicum. You'll spend approximately four hours per week mentoring in an undergraduate course you've previously taken, working alongside an experienced instructor.
Peer mentors are not tutors or teaching assistants. Your role is about connection and helping students reflect, grow, and feel like they belong. You won't be grading, lecturing, or expected to have all the answers.
Peer mentors take on a relational, near-peer role in a host course. Day-to-day, this can include:
• Supporting active engagement and critical thinking during class
• Co-facilitating in-class activities and discussions
• Co-leading out-of-class study sessions or review groups
• Helping students reflect on their learning and develop study strategies
• Offering a friendly, approachable point of connection for students with questions
• Building classroom community and a stronger sense of belonging
The specific shape of the role is co-designed with your host instructor, so it fits the course, the students, and your own developing strengths as a mentor.
Becoming a peer mentor is an opportunity to grow as a learner, a communicator, and a leader. As a participant, you'll:
• Develop transferable skills in communication, active listening, facilitation, and reflective practice
• Deepen your understanding of a course you've already taken
• Gain insight into how learning works and how teaching is designed
• Work closely with an instructor as a partner in course delivery
• Contribute to a more inclusive, welcoming classroom community
• Join a community of peer mentors across faculties
• Build a foundation for future graduate teaching, mentorship, or facilitation roles
ARTS 507/SCIE 511 is grounded in Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and is a space where you can ask questions, try new approaches, and learn from mistakes without worrying about being judged or penalized. You'll be supported throughout the semester through course content, reflection, and ongoing coaching.
ARTS 507 / SCIE 511 — Collaborative Learning and Peer Mentoring
A half-course equivalent (0.5 FCE) open to third- and fourth-year students. Through this work-integrated learning course, you'll read and reflect on collaborative learning, mentorship, and inclusive pedagogy in higher education, and apply what you learn through a supervised practicum in a host undergraduate course.
• Course commitment: approximately four hours per week in your host course, plus a 75-minute seminar once a week
• Practicum: 48 supervised hours over the semester
• Eligibility: open to senior undergraduate students who have successfully completed 48 units
• Credit: ARTS 507 (Faculty of Arts) or SCIE 511 (Faculty of Science)
To apply or learn more, contact Lisa Stowe at lstowe@ucalgary.ca or Kyla Flanagan at kyla.flanagan@ucalgary.ca).
Make the most of your education
The future is yours to discover
Start conducting research as soon as possible. At UCalgary, we can help make that a reality as early as your first year of studies.
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Arts advisors are available through appointments, drop-ins, and email. For general inquiries, you can email us or visit our virtual front desk during open hours.
Language Processing in Minds and Machines
Dr. Brian Dillon, PhD, presents Language Processing in Minds and Machines, exploring how linguistic science and artificial intelligence shape our understanding of human language. The evening includes a reception and a showcase of student research.
June 16, 2026 | 6 p.m.
Contemporary Calgary