Administrative & Course Policies

Transfers

To request a course transfer, submit a ticket at the SunniPath Helpdesk within two weeks of the semester start date. There is no extra charge for a transfer out of one course and into another. No transfers will be made after two weeks from the semester start date unless requested by your instructor. Please note that the policy for short courses differs: there are no transfers after the course begins.

Withdrawals

To receive a full refund less a $40 withdrawal fee, you may withdraw from a course within two weeks of the semester start date by submitting a ticket at the SunniPath Helpdesk. If you withdraw after two weeks but within four weeks of the semester start date, you will receive a 50% refund less the withdrawal fee. You may not withdraw for a refund after four weeks.

For short courses, there are no withdrawals after the course begins. A $25 withdrawal fee applies to withdrawal from a short course before it begins.

Incomplete

If due to extenuating circumstances you are unable to complete your course work in time, you may request special consideration. We will take all requests into consideration, but we cannot guarantee that they will be satisfied. It is up to your teacher to provide this extension. The request must be made before the semester officially comes to an end.

Repeating Course

It is your responsibility to ensure that you do not enroll in a course for which you have already earned credit. However, from session to session, recordings may change and you may choose to enroll in a new recording of a course. Or you may choose to repeat the course for review. You may repeat the course for 50% off the course's regular tuition.

Course codes and course names can sometimes change. Contact the SunniPath Helpdesk if you are unsure whether you have taken a certain course before or to determine if you are eligible to take a specific course.

Requests for Transcript or Official Receipts

The Academy does not offer an automatic transfer of university credit. However, in order to assist students who wish to test out of certain requirements or prerequisites at an educational institution, we can issue a formal letter detailing objectives met by completing the relevant Academy course. A $10 fee applies. Please submit a ticket at the SunniPath Helpdesk to request this.

Access to Course Materials after Semester End Date

At the end of the semester, students will no longer have access to self-study drills, assignments, exams, or the teachers/teaching assistants. For one additional year, students will have access to the lesson recordings, discussion forum archives (no new questions/posts will be answered), and journals. After one year from the end of the semester, students will no longer have access to any part of the course, including their journals. So be sure to copy any notes into Microsoft Word or similar word processing software to save.

Please note: in order to earn credit for a course, all requirements must be completed by the deadlines given. Continued access for an additional year does not allow students additional time to complete course credit requirements unless they re-register and repeat the course.

SunniPath Course Policies

By registering for this course, you acknowledge and agree to the policies outlined below.

1. Copyright

Q. By registering for a course on SunniPath Academy, do I own the content on the course web pages?

A. No. Ownership of course content remains with SunniPath or with whoever has granted SunniPath the right to use their material. When you register for a course, you are merely obtaining the right to use the material on the course web pages in the manner outlined in these policies.

Q. What usage rights do I have over the content on the course web pages?

A. Registering for a course gives you the right to to view, hear, and print material from SunniPath Academy course web pages as long as:

(a) The material is used for information only.

(b) The material is used for non-commercial purposes only.

(c) Copies of any material include the respective copyright notice.

Q. Is material on the course web pages subject to copyright?

A. Yes. Everything on SunniPath Academy course web pages is copyrighted. The copyrights of all non-student work are owned by SunniPath Academy except in cases where the original creator retains copyright of the material. Copyrights to external links are owned and/or the responsibility of those external sites.

Q. Am I allowed to post material from SunniPath Academy course web pages on another website?

A. No. Material on the course websites is copyrighted and may not be mirrored or reproduced on any website without the expressed written permission of SunniPath. This includes posting word-for-word transcripts of lesson recordings.

Q. Am I allowed to record the audio or video material on the course web pages for my personal use?

A. No. By registering for the course, you have the right to listen and view the audio and video material on the course website, but you don't have the right to record it. All audio and video content on the course web pages may only be heard or viewed through the course web pages. Students may not copy, record, or retain this material.

Q. What about material on the course web pages other than the audio and video content: am I allowed to retain copies of that material?

A. Yes. You may, for example, print and save copies of course slides, notes, and texts, provided that:

(a) The material is used for information only.

(b) The material is used for non-commercial purposes only.

(c) Copies of any material include the respective copyright notice.

2. Sharing Courses

Q. Are my friends and family allowed to use my login information to participate in the course if they have not registered for the course themselves?

A. No. By registering for the course, you have purchased the right to use the course material in the manner outlined in these policies. Your friends and family have not purchased these rights and hence may not participate as course students without independently registering for the course themselves. It is religiously and contractually unlawful for you to allow friends or family to participate in the course unregistered.

Q. Does that mean that no one is allowed to walk into my room while I'm listening to the lesson? Does my mother have to blindfold herself while walking past my computer screen so she doesn't see the course material?

A. No. What is impermissible is for your friends and family to participate as students without registering for the course. They are, however, allowed to listen to an interesting part of a lesson, view an interesting forum post, or listen to a live session in progress, as long as they are not commonly acknowledged to be participating as students. Occasional, brief, and irregular use is acceptable; long periods of use such that they would be commonly acknowledged to be participating as students is unacceptable.

Q. Are my family members eligible for a discount if they also want to register for the course?

A. Immediate family members who are living in the same household as you are eligible for a 60% discount, provided that they are taking the same course as you are and that they independently register for the course.

3. Payment

Q. How can I pay for the course?

A. You can pay online by credit card or PayPal, or you can mail us a check or money order.

Q. When will I be able to access the course?

A. You will be able to access your course when classes commence at the beginning of the semester, provided that we have received your payment. If we have not received your payment, your access to the course will be delayed until it is received.

Q. What if I register late or if my circumstances make it impossible for you to receive my payment before the start of classes?

A. We will try our best to accommodate special circumstances. Please send us a written request for early course access by submitting a ticket at our HelpDesk. Your request must state the date when you will mail your check.

4. Course Withdrawal

Q. How can I withdraw from a course?

A. You can request withdrawal from your course by submitting a ticket at the HelpDesk.

Q. Do I get my money back if I withdraw from a course?

A. Your entitlement to a refund depends on your date of withdrawal. Please refer to administrative policies above.

5. Course Transfer

Q. I changed my mind and want to take another course instead of this one. How can I do that?

A. You can request a course transfer by submitting a ticket at the HelpDesk.

Q. Can I apply the cost of my first course towards the cost of the course that I am transferring to?

A. Your entitlement to monetary credit for a course transfer depends on your date of transfer. Please refer to administrative polices above.

6. Course Duration

Q. Will I be able to access course material indefinitely?

A. No. SunniPath Academy courses run for the duration of the semester. Please refer to the administrative policies above for course access details.

Q. If I'm unable to complete the course before the end of the semester, can I get an extension?

A. The semester end dates are fixed and cannot be extended. You can, however, retake the course during a subsequent semester.

Q. Will I be able to retake the course for free if I'm unable to complete it in time?

A. All students may retake a course at a 50% discount. Students may retake a course for free if serious and unforeseen circumstances prevent them from completing the course on time. Serious and unforeseen circumstances include, but are not limited to, serious injury and the death of an immediate family member.

7. Code of Conduct

Q. Am I expected to follow certain rules of behavior?

A. Yes. All students are expected to follow proper Islamic conduct when dealing with teachers and fellow students. SunniPath Academy reserves the right to remove any student that it deems to have deliberately and knowingly committed a major violation of proper Islamic conduct. Such violations include, but are not limited to, showing disrespect to teachers or fellow students, inciting hatred, and using foul language.

Q. Am I entitled to a refund if I am removed from a course?

A. Students who are removed from a course are entitled to a refund proportionate to the remaining duration of the course.

8. Policy Violations

Q. What happens if I violate these policies?

A. SunniPath reserves the right to remove any student that it deems to have deliberately and knowingly committed a violation of SunniPath Academy course policies.

Q. Am I entitled to a refund if I am removed from a course?

A. SunniPath Academy will assess the monetary value of damages caused by the policy violation. Students who are removed from a course are entitled to a refund proportionate to the remaining duration of the course minus these damages. If this amount is negative, the policy violator owes SunniPath money.

9. Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Are copyright laws religiously binding?

A. Yes. Leading contemporary scholars have ruled that copyright laws are legally and religiously binding on Muslims. Violation of copyright constitutes harming the copyright holder and the Prophet Muhammad (God bless him and give him peace) said, "Wrongs are darknesses on the Day of Judgment".

Q. Why are you limiting the spread of knowledge by placing all these restrictions on your courses?

A. It is our intention to spread beneficial knowledge as far as possible; not to restrict it. Like all major projects, SunniPath incurs expenses that need to be covered in order for it to survive. By following these policies, you are helping us to continue our work. By violating them, you are harming us and preventing us from accomplishing our goals. The Prophet Muhammad (God bless him and give him peace) forbade harming others in the famous hadith, "Let there be no harm nor reciprocating harm."

Q. Why are your courses so expensive?

A. Each SunniPath course requires months of effort to produce. Given the amount of work that goes into our courses and the tremendous value that our students receive from them, our courses are very reasonably priced. SunniPath Academy is, however, committed to making its courses affordable and available to Muslims worldwide; to this end, we have set up a series of Special Tuition Rates catering to people in different personal situations and countries. Students of limited financial means can also apply for need-based scholarships to help pay for their tuition.

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