At PAL sessions, you can come together with other students on your course to revise course materials, practise vital skills and improve your confidence. Sessions take place weekly and are led by trained PAL Leaders who are in the year above who know what it’s like to tackle the difficult parts of your course and make it through the other side.
Find out more about becoming a PAL Leader
PAL is a supportive and confidential space to focus on parts of the course that everyone struggles with and ask the questions you don’t want to ask your lecturer. Your attendance is never shared with staff in your department.
PAL stands for Peer Assisted Learning and isn’t exclusive to Bath – thousands of students attend PAL sessions around the world every week. At the University of Bath, we work closely with the European Centre for SI-PASS.
Do I have PAL on my course?
PAL currently runs in a number of departments for 1st or 2nd-year students. All PAL sessions are timetabled, so you can check your timetable to find out when your session is. We also have a list of the PAL schemes we support.
If your department doesn’t have a PAL scheme but you think it should, you can speak to the Peer Support team to discuss your ideas.
Language PAL
You can also attend PAL sessions to help if you are learning a language. These sessions are led by PAL Leaders who are native speakers of a language, who run informal and fun activities to give you opportunities to practice speaking and listening in your new language.
Find out more about Language PAL
PAL Leaders are students who have previously completed the year or unit PAL is linked to. They volunteer their time to plan and lead sessions, facilitate discussions and activities and support their peers. If you've attended a PAL session or have PAL on your course, you can become a PAL Leader!
Becoming a PAL Leader is likely to be one of the most rewarding experiences during your time at University. All PAL Leaders work in pairs or small groups to run sessions and will have support from their department, the Peer Support Team and former PAL Leaders so you won't be on your own in the role.
All you need to do to become a PAL Leader is complete a short application form demonstrating why you would make a great PAL Leader. We recommend reading the role description and outlining the skills and experiences you have that are relevant to the role.
Successful candidates are invited to a training day in Freshers Week, where our new PAL Leaders will develop the skills and qualities they need to run effective PAL sessions with support from the Peer Support Team.
Please note that only students who have studied a programme or unit with a PAL scheme can apply to become a PAL Leader.
Read the Role Description
Apply now to be a PAL Leader
Current PAL schemes
Senior PAL Leaders act as a mentor for new PAL Leaders, facilitating weekly debriefs and supporting Leaders to plan sessions, develop activities and resolve issues. They also work with the Peer Support Team to run training and personal development opportunities for PAL Leaders and help develop PAL across the University.
Why should I become a Senior PAL Leader?
Being a Senior PAL Leader is a great way to build on your experience as a PAL Leader and support new leaders as they take on the role. As a Senior PAL Leader, you can…
- Develop valuable skills that employers look for, including leadership, communication and facilitation skills, problem-solving and organisation to boost your C.V.
- Develop mentoring experience by supporting new PAL Leaders
- Have the opportunity to deliver training and development activities for students
- Have the opportunity to attend PAL events and conferences, including the European PAL Leader Conference.
Alex's story
How do I become a Senior PAL Leader?
In order to become a Senior PAL Leader, you need to complete a short application form demonstrating why you would make a great Senior PAL Leader. We recommend reading the role description and outlining the skills and experiences you have that are relevant to the role. You must also have previous experience as a PAL Leader – current and previous PAL Leaders are both welcome to apply.
Applications are open over the summer and successful applicants will be invited to a training session around Freshers Week, where new Senior PAL Leaders will develop the skills and qualities they need to complete the role with support from the Peer Support Team.
Read the Role Description
Apply now to be a Senior PAL Leader