Flexible and Customized Study Plans
International Open University (IOU) understands students’ needs and circumstances, and wants to provide the best study guide possible; therefore, IOU offers an organized and structured yet flexible study plan for master of arts degree (M.A.I.S.). We want our students not only to graduate with our customized Islamic studies but also benefit from the knowledge gained at IOU. We expect them to implement it throughout their lives and disseminate it among others.

With this goal in mind, we have prepared flexible and customized study plans for our students to choose from. They are interchangeable each semester, meaning, if a student chooses one plan for a particular semester, he or she can switch to another plan in the next semester. The only obligatory requirement is that the student completes the entire program within a maximum period of four years.

SEMESTER PLAN 1: Full-time plan

Students with normal circumstances should take six courses each semester which lasts for approximately five months. In each module, there is one recorded lecture by the instructor and a supplementary session conducted by the faculty members. Ideally, a student following this plan should devote about four hours per week per subject—or at least three hours—to go through the given materials. Hence, this requires 18 to 24 hours per week of studying.

This plan is appropriate for students who want to complete their degree in two years and wish to gain knowledge in an organized and structured manner.

SEMESTER PLAN 2: Part-time study

Part-time students are one occupied with work, studies of other universities, family, children etc., and unable to devote the recommended time for the regular study plan. They are permitted to take as few as one course per semester. Nevertheless, they will have to complete the entire M.A.I.S. degree program in a maximum of four years (8 semesters).

For the part-time study plan, we recommend to take three courses and devote 9 to 12 hours per week to study. If a student is unable to take three courses in a semester and takes less, he/she will have to take more courses in the following semesters to complete the entire program within four years. Even though there is an option to pause studies for a semester or two, we do not recommend it; rather suggest choosing the part-time semester plan and continue to study at a slower pace.

SEMESTER PLAN 3: Accelerated study plan

Students following the accelerated semester plan should plan in the following manner:

up to nine courses in the first semester
up to seven courses in the second semester including Thesis Preparation and Research course, THS 501.
Students who are capable of devoting more time towards their studies and who wish to complete the MAIS degree in less than two years are thus allowed to take a maximum of nine courses in the first semester and seven courses in the second semester. Students following this plan of study will be able to complete the degree in one and half years. Such students will have to devote 27 to 36 hours per week to their studies.

NOTE:
1. We do not recommend this plan for all students.
2. Only students who are sure they are capable are advised to choose this plan.
3. Students taking seven to nine courses will have to pay the applicable fees for the semester, which are equivalent to fees for one semester plus 50%, depending on their country of residence. The fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. If the student, for example, pays for seven to nine courses and later decides to take only six, then the extra fees will not be transferred to the following semester.