Frequently Asked Questions
REGISTRATION
- How do I register for OIC?
- I have registered on the OIC site. How do I join the courses and when?
- I tried to register but I am unable to. OR I have not received any e-mail.
- How can I register for the Hifdh courses?
- Are the classes only for those in the US?
- How can I convert class timings to my local city?
- Can I join any course at any time? Is it possible to join if the class I am interested in has already started?
PAYMENT
- What if I can't pay the course fee?
- Do I need to have a PayPal Account to register? Can I send a money order or check?
- Do you offer discounts for people in the same family?
COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS
COURSES
- Are there any prerequisites for the courses?
- Are the lectures translated into English?
- Are all the lectures live?
- Will there be help if I don't understand something?
- How much time per week does each course require?
- Can I enroll in the course and choose not to participate in the team project?
- How do students take exams?
- How long does each course last, i.e when will the course finish?
- Will the timings of lectures change when daylight savings time begins or ends?
- Can you explain how the classes would work?
- I have registered for some classes but I have not recieved any e-mail invitation to join the classes.
- Can we record Audio?
QUESTIONS
REGISTRATION
A: To register, click on Admission and select Registration. Fill out all fields and click "Create My New Account". Insha'Allah, you should receive an e-mail with a link within a few minutes or at most within one day. Please note that joining the Albaseerah forum is NOT the same as becoming enrolled in the OIC.
Q: I have registered on the OIC site. How do I join the courses and when?
A: After registration, a link would be provided in a e-mail which would lead you to choose your courses. Click on the title of the course you wish to take, check the dates the course would be in session next, and if the dates are good for you, click on the PayPal link to pay through PayPal (you don't need a PayPal account).
Q: I tried to register but I am unable to. OR I have not received any e-mail.
A: Please contact the admin for Technical Issues: abuabdillah.albaseerah@gmail.com
Q: How can I register for the Hifdh courses?
A: Hifdh program is separate from OIC. Please visit Al-Haafidhun wa Al-Haafidhaat forum.
Q: Are the classes only for those in the US?
A: No. Anyone can join.
Q: How can I convert class timings to my local city?
A: You can use these sites to convert EST times to your time zone:
- http://www.worldtimeserver.com/convert_time_in_US-NY.aspx
- http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc
- http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html
A: Please email the assigned TA for that course to find out if it is possible for you to register and catch-up. See Contact Us for email addresses for TA’s.
PAYMENT
Q: What if I can't pay the course fee?
A: Albaseerah offers a Work-Study program for financial assistance. Please email scholarships@albaseerah.org to inquire.
Q: Do I need to have a PayPal Account to register? Can I send a money order or check?
A: You do not need to have a PayPal account because Paypal has other options to pay. You can also send a check or money order to: Albaseerah, P.O. Box 6551, Long Island City, NY 11106.
Q: Do you offer discounts for people in the same family?
A: At this point we are not offering any family discounts.
COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS
Q: What computer requirements are needed for the online courses?
A: Students must have access to the Internet (preferably fast Internet), speakers, and MS Word or a similar program. MS PowerPoint is also required in some classes.
COURSES
Q: Are there any prerequisites for the courses?
A: No, there are no prerequisites for OIC courses. Courses are open to all students.
Q: Are the lectures translated into English?
A: Yes, all lectures Arabic/English i.e. they are translated into English during the session.
A: At this time each course will have pre-recorded lectures previously hosted by Albaseerah.org. However, there will also be live Q & A sessions with the mashaykh. This is to ensure that the course runs smoothly in the early stages and we will gradually add live sessions until the entire course comprises live sessions by the permission of Allaah.
Q: Will there be help if I don't understand something?
A: Yes, there are teaching assistants that are assigned to each course. Their job is to help students get started on course and with assignments.
Q: How much time per week does each course require?
A: The actual classes are usually between 1 – 3 hours per session, and there may be one to two sessions per week. As for completing assignments, coordinating with team, and studying, we suggest between 3 – 5 hours per week.
Q: Can I enroll in the course and choose not to participate in the team project?
A: All OIC lectures are broadcast in Paltalk for those who want to benefit but cannot commit to the course. Any student who enrolls must fulfill all the requirements of the course. The team project is not optional, but in fact, an integral part of the course.
Q: How do students take exams?
A: The exams are all online. Once you are enrolled in the course, you will find out more about online assignments, quizzes, and the exam.
Q: How long does each course last, i.e. when will the course finish?
A: Each class is divided into weekly sessions, with one to two sessions per week. Each course may run between 6 to 10 weeks. See the Course Catalog for more details about each course.
Q: Will the timings of lectures change when daylight savings time begins or ends?
A: The class timings are EST, local to the USA. Please note that for students outside of USA, there will be a time change due to daylight savings. This would be in effect from 8th March to 1st November 2009, when the class times will be one hour earlier or later based on your time zone.
Q: Can you explain how the classes would work?
A: The class lectures are online on WiZiQ, which is similar to but much better than Paltalk. Once registered, you would receive an email invitation to join the class with a link to the class. At the time of the class you would click on that link and be directed to the classroom.
A: About a week before the scheduled start dates of the class, you should recieve an invitation to join the class on the start date. If the start date is within 2 days and you still have not gotten an invitation, please contact: abuabdillah.albaseerah@gmail.com
Q: Can we record audio during lectures?
A: No, all audio lectures are copyrighted. Free lectures will be available online. If you wish to purchase your own copy please email album@albaseerah.org
QUESTIONS
Q: Can we post general questions for the mashaykh?
A: Before submitting a question, please check to see if your questions has already been asked and answered. Then you can post your questions in the course forum.