Preparation for academic success in your studies
Our Academic Skills team, ASK@Regent, delivers a module called PASS: Preparation for Academic Success in your Studies.
PASS is your foundation for strong study habits and confidence at university. This interactive course, which you can complete at your own pace, covers essential academic, English, and digital skills needed for all modules.
What the PASS course covers
Here are some valuable topics that you will explore within PASS:
- Critical reading: Learn how to analyse academic texts and spot key arguments.
- Harvard referencing basics: Build confidence in using in-text citations and reference lists correctly.
- Effective notetaking: Discover simple techniques for capturing key information in lectures and seminars.
- Paraphrasing skills: Practise rewriting ideas clearly and avoiding plagiarism.
- Digital literacy essentials: Understand how to use Teams, college email, and cloud storage to stay organised.
Course content
Academic Skills
Learn the strategies that help you study smarter, from finding reliable sources to reading critically and taking effective notes. PASS guides you through essential topics such as research skills, academic reading, Harvard referencing, paraphrasing, and academic integrity.
Academic English
Strengthen the building blocks of academic writing. You’ll practise essay structure, common academic tenses, sentence types, spelling rules, and skills for giving confident academic presentations.
Digital Skills
Get comfortable with the digital tools you’ll use every day. Explore essential features of Word and PowerPoint, learn to navigate your college email and Teams, and build digital literacy to stay organised and connected.
What you need to do
The PASS programme is organised into short, manageable topics. After you complete the learning materials for each section, you will take a brief quiz to assess your understanding.
To pass each section, you need to achieve a score of 70%. You have three attempts to reach this score, and you can revisit the materials at any time to reinforce your learning.
Once you pass a section, you will earn a digital badge that appears under the Credentials section in the course menu. Collect all three badges to complete the PASS programme and celebrate your progress.
Need help?
Contact the team at academicskills@rcl.ac.uk for advice and support, or book a one-to-one appointment.
