Who may take a telebridge course?
Anyone 18 years or older may register for a Spiritual Education and Enrichment telebridge course. If you are younger than 18, please provide parental permission in writing prior to enrolling. No special preparation is needed. << Back to top
What is a telebridge course?
This is a class taught via a conference call. Talking on the phone is equivalent to being in the classroom. You will join other students and your instructor on the phone, and you will be able to interact, ask questions and share your insights. << Back to top
Do you have any legal guidelines?
Our "terms and conditions" are simple: This course is for use solely by the individual who registered and for whom a registration fee was paid. You may use the materials of this course to learn and grow in spiritual understanding. Read, view and answer the reflective questions, take quizzes and interact with your fellow students and instructor. You may not, however, let people who aren't registered in the course read or view pages or participate on the telebridge. << Back to top
If I have questions about enrollment, payment, credit, etc., where do I go and when?
For immediate answers, call Customer Service toll-free at 1-800-248-6489, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (CT). You may also e-mail us at customerservice@unityonline.org. We will strive to answer your e-mail questions within two business days of receipt. Your questions will be held in the strictest confidence.
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May I use a cell phone?
Cell phones do not work well with the telebridge because they easily pick up extraneous sounds. However, an occasional use of your cell phone due to travel may be permitted by your instructor. << Back to top
How do I enroll?
Enrollment for this course is processed through the Unity Online Bookstore. When you register, it's just like buying a book online: Place the product in your shopping cart and proceed to checkout. << Back to top
How much per course can I expect to pay?
Tuition and registration fees for each telebridge course are $125.00. << Back to top
How can I give a love offering?
Freewill love offerings by generous people like you help keep our educational programs affordable. Since its inception by the Fillmores, Unity has operated on a love-offering plan, encouraging people to determine the form and amount of their gifts and to continue God’s work. We invite those people taking our courses at a distance to participate in the flow of prosperity by sharing a love offering designated to Spiritual Education and Enrichment and mailed to Unity Institute, 1901 NW Blue Parkway, Unity Village, 64065-0001. << Back to top
How do I pay for the course?
Simply use your debit or credit card on our secure Web site. We accept MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover. Or if you prefer not to pay online, you may call our Customer Service Department at 1-800-248-6489. << Back to top
What happens if a course is cancelled?
We reserve the right to cancel any course and to change the content of any course at our discretion. If we cancel a course, you will receive a full refund. We also reserve the right to cancel the registration of any student. In this case, the student will receive a full refund. << Back to top
What if I want to withdraw from a course?
You may withdraw from a course at any time. We review each withdrawal on a case-by-case basis. If you withdraw during the first week, you will receive a full refund. If you withdraw after the first week through the end of third week, you will receive a 50 percent refund. You will receive a credit if you paid by credit card. Otherwise, expect to receive a check in the mail in approximately three to four weeks. No refunds will be given if withdrawal occurs after the third week. << Back to top
How often are the telebridge courses offered?
The courses are offered three times a year. Typically the classes start in January, April and August. << Back to top
How does the telebridge work?
The telebridge is essentially a conference call in which up to 20 people may participate at one time. Please know that at this time we limit our telebridge courses to 10 students.
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How long is a course?
A course is 8 weeks long and consists of one class per week. << Back to top
May I miss a class session?
We strongly discourage missing any sessions because the student loses the opportunity to interact with the instructor and the other students. However, since these calls are recorded and archived for two weeks after the session, we do allow a student to miss one session. The student is responsible for listening to the recording of the missed session. << Back to top
How long is the student on the phone per call?
Each class/call lasts 90 minutes. << Back to top
Who pays for the calls?
The cost of the call is paid for by the student. << Back to top
How am I graded?
Final grades are "Satisfactory," "Unsatisfactory," "NC" (No Credit due to lack of attendance) and "I" (Incomplete). << Back to top
What kind of homework will I have?
The homework varies from class to class. Typically you must read and contemplate the material. Some instructors will have you reflect on a question(s) between calls. You may have to write a paper or two. << Back to top
How many hours of homework will there be?
This varies from class to class and depends on the individual’s reading and writing skills. We typically aim for a minimum of 2-3 hours per week. As with any course of study, the more you invest yourself in the material, the more you will get out of it. << Back to top
What happens with my homework?
You retain the rights as the author of all your homework. You may utilize your homework in any way you wish. We will not use any portion of your homework without prior authorization by you. << Back to top
Do I need to buy the required books?
Absolutely. The books are the foundational material for the classes. You do not have to purchase any recommended books. These are intended as additional resources. << Back to top
How do I buy the books?
The books are available through our online bookstore or from our on-campus bookstore at 816-251-3578, Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CT) and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (CT). << Back to top
Will my records be kept confidential?
All your records will be kept private, and only Unity staff will have access to them.
Being enrolled in a telebridge course is much like being enrolled in an on-campus course. A confidentiality agreement can be made between students and the instructor. However, we have no way of preventing a student from inappropriately sharing information that they have heard during class. << Back to top
What is the procedure for calling in?
Calling in to the telebridge is very easy. You will be given a telephone number and a 6-digit access code for your call. When you call, the automated system will answer, and it will instruct you to enter your “pass code followed by the pound sign.” As each person dials in, you will hear a tone signaling his or her arrival. << Back to top
How can I help ensure that I have a successful telebridge call?
There are 10 easy steps to help create a successful telebridge call:
- Be sure you have the correct telebridge telephone number and access number before the time for the call.
- Eliminate distractions and loud background noises before the call.
- Turn off call waiting. Please contact your local telephone service if you are uncertain about the steps to disable your call-waiting feature.
- Use your mute button or the *6 function when you're not speaking to further eliminate background distractions.
- Do not use car phones, cordless phones and speaker phones. They frequently cause feedback and static that can disrupt the call.
- Call at the appropriate time. If you're the first person on the call, you'll hear "dead air." Don’t hang up. Just wait until the next caller comes on. You'll hear one short beep for people calling in and two short beeps for people hanging up.
- When you call, you will hear others on the line. Wait to be greeted before introducing yourself.
- When you speak, give your first name before making your comments. This applies to every time you speak. You may want to practice this step.
- Do not put the call on hold if your telephone has music on hold. If you do, the other participants will hear your music until you return. Either use your mute button or hang up and call back.
- If you leave the call before the end of class, please advise the facilitatorbefore you hang up. << Back to top
Are the classes recorded?
Yes, and they are archived for two weeks. Students may listen to the recorded class during those two weeks. You will be given instructions on how to access the recording once you sign up for the class. << Back to top
Can I mute my side of the call?
Yes, *6 mutes a call and then *6 unmutes the call. This feature is particularly useful if all of the sudden you have other sounds on your end of the call. << Back to top
Will I have access to my transcript?
Will anyone else? After purchasing credits for the course, your transcript will be updated to add this new information. You will receive a copy of the updated transcript in the mail. Your transcript will be available only to you and Unity faculty, administration and staff. Release of your records requires your written permission. << Back to top
What does it mean to take Spiritual Education and Enrichment SEE courses for credit?
Offers three programs of study that are based on 22 required courses and 3 elective courses. Each time a course is taken for credit, a student earns 10 credits.
- Spiritual Enrichment Program 1- If you are on your spiritual path, and simply want to learn for the joy of learning and do not want to do homework, you may enroll in our Spiritual Enrichment Program. You will earn a Certificate in Spiritual Enrichment if you complete all 25 classes.
- Spiritual Development Program 1- You may want to really engage the material and do homework, and perhaps you are working toward being a licensed Unity teacher. If this is the case, you will want to enroll in our Spiritual Deveolpment Program. You will take the same classes as the Spiritual Enrichment Program and earn 250 credits. The difference is that you will be required to do all of the reading and all of the assignments.
- Finally, you may know that you are interested in becoming a Unity minister. If that is the case, please contact our registrar at SEE@unityonline.org or 816-251-3535 to discover what classes you need to take as prerequisites for applying to the ministerial program.
Once you have completed the 250 credits of the Spiritual Education Certificate, you are eligible to take classes in our 120-credit (12-course) Leadership Development Program. You may take these classes simply to further your spiritual growth, or you may enroll in the Licensed Unity Teacher Program that is sponsored by the Association of Unity Churches International. << Back to top
How can I contact Unity?
Unity office hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CT), Monday through Thursday. You can reach Unity at 816-524-3550 or the Unity Institute office directly at 816-251-3535. The fax number is 816-251-3555, and the e-mail address for SEE is SEE@unityonline.org.
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