Diploma Student Guide

Welcome to the IOU experience, the unique education experience of the millennium. Because of its unique style, presentation and content it demands a different study style from its students as well. And hence, this guide is to help you make the most of this Free Diploma Section and equip you well enough to achieve our vision 'Changing the nation through Education' in sha Allah. Your first step- Seeking divine knowledge is an obligation on us which thus makes it an act of worship. And no act of worship is accepted by Allah (the One above all imperfections) except that which is done solely for Him. Therefore the first key to a successful path of knowledge is to purify your intentions for the sake of Allah, and this purification process is a never-ending one that will only end with the last breath of yours on this earth.

Online Studies has its own hurdles and the keys to overcome them are:

  1. Du'a- Success comes from Al-Fattah (the One Who grants success). Therefore don't forget to ask Allah, Al-Fattah to grant you success in this noble journey that you have embarked on. And in your du'as does your success lie.
  2. Patience- You are now no more an ordinary student who studies for the mere name of education. You are now a student who studies for life, for ornamenting himself with beautiful character and over all to please Allah. Therefore, you must be patient at all times during your studies. There may be no one monitoring you, but always remember that Allah is All-Watching. And so, when any problem arises during your study, hold onto the path through patience. Verily after every hardship comes ease.
  3. Hardwork- There is no alternative or shortcut to success except for hardwork. You will only receive that which you invest in sha Allah. You are provided with a treasure of Islamic knowledge, however it's now upto you to make the most of it through your du'a and hardwork. Always remember, that procrastination will not only stop you from enjoying the hereafter but will also not let you enjoy your dunya, and indeed the enjoyment of the dunya is kept in learning and practicing Allah's Deen.
  4. Consistency- The most beloved deed to Allah is that which is done consistently even if it is small. Hence, you must ensure that you are studying regularly in order to attain the expected success in sha Allah.

Quick Tips to make the most of the Diploma Section

  1. Enroll yourself in one course at a time and start with the Level 1 courses which is what we prefer for you, though you have the option otherwise.
  2. Make a separate study schedule. Start with a small time, probably 1 hour per day but be consistent on it. Because consistency is what will help you move forward inshaAllah.
  3. Make note copies for each course.
  4. Make a separate folder in your desktop naming Diploma or anything similar to organize all your study materials.
  5. Now make separate folders inside the Diploma folder with the names of the courses.
  6. You can now access the course you enrolled into. You will find an audio (many a times video as well) and a module test for each module.
  7. Load or download the audio and start listening.
  8. Listen carefully for the first time.
  9. Listen for the second time and take quick notes to help you retain the information and for good revision.
  10. Now read the course text if any, and take notes from it as well.
  11. It's time to evaluate your understanding of the module. Hence, if you feel confident that you have mastered the audio and the text, go ahead with the test.
  12. Save the test by copy pasting in Microsoft word in the respective course folder for quick revision.
  13. Students should not attempt the Modules out of order. All student activity on the modules is recorded with date, time and number of hours spent on the various activities. Accessing modules out of order will confuse the grading of the student's performance.
  14. This is the way to continue till the end of the course.
  15. Certificate request process has been automated. Below the final exam of each course you will find a link to the certificate module from which you can issue your certificate once you attain the required grade. For courses which do not have this link, please email certificates@diploma.iou.edu.gm for the certificate. The required grade course overall is 80%. There is no passing grades for individual modules. Successful candidates will be sent an electronic, printable certificate signed by Dr. Bilal Philips.
  16. Time delay between first and second attempt of the same test is 3 days , while time delay between later attempts on the same test is 24 hours.
  17. You may take help of the specific course facilitators whose names are given in each course page by emailing them your question.
  18. You may also enhance your understanding of the course by answering our weekly fun quiz in the course forum.
  19. Our students' forums are to help you discuss various course related issues with your fellow students, hence we request you to make the most of it as well.
And there you are, ready to embark on this path of Divine Knowledge, that will inshaAllah take you closer to your Lord, Allah, and worship Him better.
Last modified: Tuesday, 3 October 2023, 12:54 PM