Study groups with SI leaders
Study groups, also known as supplemental instruction sessions, take place in almost all the University’s faculties. Groups of students on courses traditionally viewed as more difficult meet with a more experienced student to discuss course content and lectures. You can read more about SI sessions and how to take part here.
The study groups are also called SI sessions. SI stands for supplemental instruction. They are study circles connected to challenging courses. The SI sessions are led by a senior, more experienced student who designs activities in which students on the course work in groups to explain and clarify difficult course material.
There are currently around 160 courses that have SI sessions, in various subject areas across seven of the nine faculties at Lund University. Over 4,000 students participate each year. SI sessions are open to all students on the selected courses and participation is optional.
How an SI session works
The sessions are organised and led by an SI leader – a student who has previously studied the course in question, completed it with a good result and progressed in the subject.
The SI leaders meet with students at SI sessions approximately once a week, just before or after a lecture. SI leaders have good knowledge of the course, lead discussions, and act as a sounding board and mentor rather than assuming a teaching role. At the sessions, the group might for example discuss difficult concepts, questions, or problems related to the course content and literature.
To help you feel comfortable as a participant in discussions and exercises, large groups are usually divided into smaller ones. The participating students themselves are the ones who determine the agenda for the sessions.
Contact information
For general queries about SI at Lund University:
SI activities at Lund University
si-pass [at] stu [dot] lu [dot] se
For specific questions about SI at your faculty or department:
Visit your faculty or department website. If you have difficulty finding contact details, you are welcome to email si-pass [at] stu [dot] lu [dot] se.
Advantages of SI sessions
Taking part in SI sessions has many advantages. Participation can, for example:
- Help you to improve your study results
- Give you a deeper understanding of the subject
- Strengthen your performance, regardless of prior experience, background or knowledge
- Teach you to develop good study strategies
- Make you more independent in your studies
- Give you the opportunity to discuss with, and to get to know, your coursemates
Good support that gives you self-confidence in your studies.
– Previous participant in SI for One-Dimensional Analysis
Participate in SI sessions
How to go about participating in SI sessions differs between the faculties. To find out how it works within your faculty or department, contact their SI unit.
Faculties and departments that offer SI sessions
You can find contact details on each faculty or department website:
- Department of Business Administration (School of Economics and Management, LUSEM) – fek.lu.se (in Swedish)
- Faculties of Humanities and Theology – ht.lu.se (in Swedish)
- The Faculty of Engineering, LTH – student.lth.se
- Faculty of Medicine (Ulla Wingren, ulla [dot] wingren [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se and Karin Stenkula, karin [dot] stenkula [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se)
- Faculty of Science – science.lu.se
- Department of Sociology (Faculty of Social Sciences) – soc.lu.se