FAQ about Being a P2L Peer Coach

What does a Peer Coach do?

Peer coaches plan and lead structured study sessions for students that emphasize collaborative learning and active study strategies. Peer coaches also attend the class they support, participate in trainings throughout the semester, and meet regularly with course faculty to decide what material to cover in sessions.

Which courses can Peer Coaches support?

The P2L program supports a variety of STEM courses. Please check here for our current list of supported courses.

What are the requirements to become a Peer Coach?

Students must have earned an A or B in the course, preferably taken at UVA. Students also must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours.

What is involved in the application process?

Interested students fill out the online application and will be notified via email if they are selected for an interview. The application is posted at the top of this page when it is available. We typically start the hiring process in March for fall semesters and October for spring semesters.

What is the time commitment involved in being a Peer Coach?

Peer Coaches work 8-10 hours per week. Time each week is spent attending class, planning and creating materials for sessions, leading sessions, and meeting with course faculty. Coaches also attend a few staff meetings throughout the semester.

There are also Peer Coach positions for P2L Pop-Up! sessions for Math1190, Math1210, Math1310, and PHYS1425. These positions require 4-8 hours of work per week.

What is the difference between the traditional Peer Coach position and the P2L Pop-Up Peer Coach position?

The P2L Pop-Up! program is only available for Math1190, Math1210, Math1310, and PHYS1425. While traditional P2L sessions allow students to practice and review material from the previous week's lecture, P2L Pop-Up! sessions review specific learning targets or challenging topics from earlier in the semester. Peer coaches and course faculty work together to select which topics are covered for each session. Unlike traditional P2L sessions, the Pop-Up! sessions are not held every week, so coaches can generally expect to work less hours than they would if they were leading traditional P2L sessions. The specific session schedule depends on the exam schedule for the course. 

Who can I contact with questions about becoming a Peer Coach?

Please email Laura Devlin, Assistant Director of Academic Support, at [email protected] if you have any questions.

How can I learn more about the P2L program?

Please visit our main program website for more information about P2L.