University of Calgary

Student Success Seminars

Attend free, weekly seminars on a variety of topics related to your academic success. Led by trained SSC facilitators, the focus of these sessions is to provide you with the advanced academic strategies and study skills you need to ease your university transition or increase your success here at U of C.

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Our Vision
Skills for Success
Enrol in the Skills for Success Certificate Program
Attend a minimum of seven Student Success Seminars and receive the Skills for Success Certificate and credit on your Co-curricular Record.

Our Mission
Don't Cancel that Class
Don't cancel that class (for faculty and staff)
Faculty and instructors, find out more about the Student Success Centre's Don't Cancel that Class program, which allows students to gain valuable study skills in a class that might otherwise be cancelled.

Upcoming Seminars

Students can access seminars on the following topic areas:

Click here to download a pdf of upcoming Success Seminar dates.

Student Life

  • Balancing Your Life as a Student

    Is your life completely out of balance? This seminar is designed to help you manage your many commitments so that you can be effective in all areas of your life.

  • Show Me the Money: Winning Awards and Scholarships

    This seminar will introduce you to strategies for winning awards and scholarships in University.

  • Getting involved at U of C

    Learn how to take advantage of some of the great extra-curricular programs and activities that exist at U of C. This seminar will focus on what fun and rewarding opportunities U of C has to offer students as well as how these opportunities can help you develop your social, personal and professional goals.

  • Goal Setting

    This seminar will lead you through an effective process for developing and attaining your personal and academic goals.

  • Netetiquette

    Communicating online with professors, TAs and professionals outside of the university can be tricky. This session introduces some basic dos and don'ts for texting, emailing and facebooking in academic settings and beyond.

Study Skills and Strategies

  • U of C students' top ten strategies for academic success

    Listen to successful University of Calgary students share their own secrets to success in this one hour session featuring former first year students' perspectives on "What I wish I knew..."

  • Learning from lectures: Taking a good set of notes

    Starting out with a good set of lecture notes is essential to successful study practices. This seminar will introduce you to some effective strategies for ensuring that your lecture notes are clear and complete.

  • Problem Solving for Math and Science Students

    Becoming a creative problem solver is an essential skill. This session will take you through some problem solving activities to help you develop a critical and reflective approach to problem solving in your discipline.

  • Reading Strategies for University Students

    Becoming a skilled and thoughtful reader is essential to enhancing your academic success. This session will introduce reading strategies that will help you tackle your academic reading more efficiently and effectively.

  • Study Smarter, not longer

    The key to effective studying is being aware of your strengths and weaknesses. This session will help you to understand what type of learner you are, and reveal study habits that successful students often employ. You will learn how to create study strategies that are suited to your learning style and how to make your study sessions more efficient.

  • Oral Presentations

    Practice makes perfect: Become more confident and effective in your oral presentation skills with this session.

  • Working in groups

    This seminar will offer tools and strategies for completing a successful group project. Learn how to organize your group resources efficiently, develop effective communication strategies and resolve conflicts as they arise.

  • Technology Tools for Learning

    Enhance your learning, save time and stay organized! This session will cover some of the top free learning tools currently available online as well as some specific online programs accessible to you as a U of C student.

Preparing for tests and exams

  • Exam Preparation

    Turn that overwhelming task of studying into a simple, efficient, easier-to-tackle plan. This session will introduce you to a process for developing an effective study plan as well as study strategies for self-testing that will help you to become better prepared for your upcoming exams.

  • Writing Essay Exams

    This session will provide you with practical strategies for writing strong essay exams, and offer tips on how to avoid common problems, such as lack of direction and examples.

  • Reducing Test Anxiety

    Did you know that too much anxiety during tests can result in lower grades? Through relaxation techniques and cognitive strategies, you will learn how to manage your anxiety during tests so you can feel more in control and perform better.

Time management and developing regular study habits

  • Time Management and Avoiding Procrastination

    Time management skills are essential to making the most of your time here at U of C. Learn some tips to battle procrastination and start managing your time as effectively as you can.

  • The Study Cycle

    Develop a solid study strategy which will help distribute your workload, build your understanding and memory of material and avoid the last minute exam cram.

  • Avoiding Procrastination

    Not sure why you procrastinate? During this seminar you will work to understand your procrastination, learn strategies to keep motivated, and set priorities to help you overcome your procrastination.

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