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If you are allowed to create Canvas courses, you can copy a course and create a new course shell. Copied courses are added to the same subaccount as the course that is copied.
Courses should be copied when you want to use or repurpose previously created content including course settings, syllabus, assignments, modules, files, pages, discussions, quizzes, and question banks. You can also copy or adjust events and due dates as well as bulk migrate quizzes from Classic Quizzes to New Quizzes. You can also copy or adjust events and due dates. Not all content can be copied as part of a course.
When you copy a Canvas course using the Copy this Course button, you will be added to the course as an instructor automatically.
Learn more about the Course Import Tool.
Notes:
- Course imports may not include all content. For more details, please see the import content section in the Canvas Basics Guide.
- Importing a course more than once may have unintended consequences. If you import content into a new course, edit the content in the new course, and later import the previous content again, the imported content will override the existing content.
- If the Copy this Course button does not appear in Course Settings, this feature has been restricted by your institution. However, if you already have access to a course shell, you can copy a course through the Course Import Tool.
- Copies of existing Canvas courses and course files reference the original Canvas course file quota and do not count against course file quotas.
- If you copy all content or include course settings in selected content, the grade posting policy from the original course will override the grade posting policy in the new course. Additionally, imported assignments will retain their assignment posting policy from the original course.
- If you are unable to find your course, it may be located under Courses in the Global Navigation.
- When a course is copied that includes a new quiz with an item bank, the item bank is shared with the new course automatically.
Open Course
In Global Navigation, click the Courses link [1], then click the name of the course [2].
Open Settings
In Course Navigation, click the Settings link.
Copy Course Content
Click the Copy this Course link.
Create Course Details
Enter the Name [1] and Course Code [2] for the new course. The name will be displayed on the Course Home Page and in Conversations. The course code will be displayed at the top of the Course Navigation menu and in the course card in the dashboard. Course code is also referred to as the reference code or short name.
Enter the Start date [3] and End date [4] for the new course.
Note: If the current course includes course override dates in Course Settings, the Start and End date fields will be populated with those dates.
Select Migration Content
To import all content from the course, select the All Content radio button [1].
If you want to select specific content, click the Select specific content radio button [2].
Note: If you select the specific content option, you are required to select the content you want to import; this action cannot be cancelled.
Bulk Migrate Existing Quizzes as New Quizzes
If allowed by your institution, you can bulk migrate existing quizzes into New Quizzes by clicking the Import existing quizzes as New Quizzes checkbox.
If your institution enables the quiz migration feature, question banks linked via a question group in Classic Quizzes will migrate to New Quizzes. If the quiz migration feature is not enabled by your institution, questions from question banks must be individually added before migrating to New Quizzes.
Notes:
- New Quizzes does not include a survey feature. Therefore, surveys migrated from Classic Quizzes come over as standard quizzes in New Quizzes.
- After migration to New Quizzes, multiple dropdown questions display as matching questions.
- Text No Question questions migrate to New Quizzes as Stimulus questions. An instructor must add a question in order for it to display in a quiz.
- Question groups with manually created questions will migrate as item banks in New Quizzes.
- If a quiz is migrated multiple times, Canvas uses smart merging to decipher the question bank content that should be retained. This process helps ensure all content is retained, such as in cases where multiple users may be making edits to a quiz at the same time.
- Practice quizzes from Classic Quizzes can be migrated to New Quizzes. Once migrated, by default, the practice quizzes are displayed as zero points possible and are hidden from the Gradebook and Grades page.
Adjust Events and Due Dates
If you want to adjust the due dates associated with the course events and assignments, click the Adjust events and due dates checkbox.
Copy Blueprint Course Settings
You can copy settings from a blueprint course into another blueprint course. Copying blueprint settings applies the same lock preferences to objects as the original blueprint course. To copy settings from a blueprint course, click the Copy Blueprint Course Settings checkbox.
Create Course
Click the Create Course button.
View Current Jobs
The Current Jobs section displays the status of your import. Running reports display a progress bar indicating the time remaining to complete the import [1].
If you chose to select specific content in your course, the current job will show as Waiting for Select [2], which means you must select the content you want to import.
The import may also display other status indicators as part of the import process. Learn more about course import statuses.
View the content from any completed imports by accessing any link in Course Navigation.
You can copy course content such as assignments, modules, pages, and discussions from previous Canvas courses into existing courses. You can also bulk migrate quizzes from Classic Quizzes to New Quizzes.
You can only copy content from courses in which you are enrolled as a user whose role has the Manage Course Content permission of Course Content - Add enabled.
The Import Course Content option allows you to copy content into existing courses. You may be able to copy content into a new course shell.
Notes:
- Course imports may not include all content. For more details, please see the import content section in the Canvas Basics Guide.
- Importing a course more than once may have unintended consequences. If you import content into a new course, edit the content in the new course, and later import the previous content again, the imported content will override the existing content.
- If you copy all content or include course settings in selected content, the grade posting policy from the original course will override the grade posting policy in the new course. The participation dates from the original course will override the participation dates in the new course. Additionally, imported assignments will retain their assignment posting policy and participation dates from the original course.
- When a course is copied that includes a new quiz with an item bank, the item bank is shared with the new course automatically.
Open Settings
In Course Navigation, click the Settings link.
Import Content into Course
Click the Import Course Content link.
Select Content Type
In the Content Type drop-down menu, select the Copy a Canvas Course option.
Search for a Course
In the Search for a course drop-down menu [1], select the course you would like to access. Courses are ordered alphabetically by most recent term. You can also choose to include completed courses by selecting the Include completed courses checkbox [2], which is selected by default.
To search for a course by name, enter the name or SIS ID in the Course Name field [3]. Click the name of the course when it appears.
Note: If you have access to more than 100 courses, the search page only displays the Course Name field.
Select Migration Content
To import all content from the course, select the All content radio button [1].
If you want to select specific content, click the Select specific content radio button [2].
Note: If you select the specific content option, you are required to select the content you want to import after you review the remaining page options. After you start importing the content, the import selection cannot be canceled.
Bulk Migrate Existing Quizzes as New Quizzes
If allowed by your institution, you can bulk migrate existing quizzes into New Quizzes by clicking the Import existing quizzes as New Quizzes checkbox.
If your institution enables the quiz migration feature, question banks linked via a question group in Classic Quizzes will migrate to New Quizzes. If the quiz migration feature is not enabled by your institution, questions from question banks must be individually added before migrating to New Quizzes.
Notes:
- New Quizzes does not include a survey feature. Therefore, surveys migrated from Classic Quizzes come over as standard quizzes in New Quizzes.
- After migration to New Quizzes, multiple dropdown questions display as matching questions.
- Text No Question questions migrate to New Quizzes as Stimulus questions. An instructor must add a question in order for it to display in a quiz.
- Question groups with manually created questions will migrate as item banks in New Quizzes.
- If a quiz is migrated multiple times, Canvas uses smart merging to decipher the question bank content that should be retained. This process helps ensure all content is retained, such as in cases where multiple users may be making edits to a quiz at the same time.
- Practice quizzes from Classic Quizzes can be migrated to New Quizzes. Once migrated, by default, the practice quizzes are displayed as zero points possible and are hidden from the Gradebook and Grades page.
Adjust Events and Due Dates
If you want to adjust the due dates associated with the course events and assignments, click the Adjust events and due dates checkbox.
Import Blueprint Course Settings
You can import settings from a blueprint course into another blueprint course. Importing blueprint settings applies the same lock preferences to objects as the original blueprint course. To import settings from a blueprint course, click the Import Blueprint Course Settings checkbox.
View Content Import Warning Message
When importing content, a message displays explaining that importing the same course content or export package more than once overwrites any existing content in the course.
Import Course
Click the Import button.
View Current Jobs
The Current Jobs section displays the status of your import. Running reports display a progress bar indicating the time remaining to complete the import [1].
If you chose to select specific content in your course, the current job will show as Waiting for Select [2], which means you must select the content you want to import.
The import may also display other status indicators as part of the import process. Learn more about course import statuses.
View the content from any completed imports by accessing any link in Course Navigation.
When I create a copy of a course from an existing course for a new year of asynchronous PD, the assignment submissions, and the participants from the previous course are being carried over. How do I copy all content from a course without copying over the people or assignment submissions from the previous year's course?
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Instructor
What is the purpose of this campaign?
This walkthrough guides Instructors on how to copy an existing course into a new shell, so a new course can be created using existing content.
Remember: After you import the campaign, you can customize your Walkthrough to meet the specific needs of your institute.
Find out where your walkthrough steps will show up
Support Articles
- How do I copy a Canvas course into a new course shell?
- How do I select specific content as part of a course import?
- How do I change the start and end dates for a course section as an instructor?
- How do I adjust events and due dates in a course import?
How can the impact of this campaign be measured?
Campaign engagement
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Views on support articles included in this campaign
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Monitors have been placed on the following pages/elements as data points to define the use of the tool
As an instructor, you can copy individual assignments in one course directly into any active course in which you are enrolled. You can also send assignments to other instructors at your institution. When you copy an assignment, any assets within that assignment (images, files, etc.) will be included in your assignment copy.
Notes:
- To share course content, you must have the Course Content - add / edit / delete permission enabled.
- Shared content does not count against course or user quotas.
- If you copy the same assignment to the same course more than once, the assignment you previously copied will be overwritten with the newly copied assignment.
Open Assignments
In Course Navigation, click the Assignments link.
Open Assignment Options
Locate the assignment you wish to copy, then click the assignment Options icon [1]. Select the Copy To... option [2].
Select Course
Enter the name of a course, SIS ID or course code in the Select a Course field [1].
Search results are sorted by term, with the default term first, followed by most recent term start date. Results for each term are sorted alphabetically and display the course name [2], course code [3], and term name [4].
Select the course into which you want to copy the assignment [5].
Note: The Select a Course drop-down menu only displays courses in which you have an active or future enrollment. Assignments cannot be copied to a concluded course.
Select Location
If you wish, you can copy the assignment into a specific module and location within a course.
Click or type a module name in the Select a Module field [1]. Then select the module for the copied assignment.
To select a location within the module, click the Place drop-down menu [2]. You can select to copy the assignment to the top of the module, before or after a specific module item, or at the bottom of a module.
View Copy To Content Warning Message
When copying content, a message displays explaining that importing the same course content more than once overwrites any existing content in the course.
Copy Assignment
Click the Copy button.
View Copy Notification
Canvas displays a notification when an assignment copies successfully [1].
When finished, click the Close icon [2] or the Close button [3].
View Copied Assignment
Copied assignments display on the Assignments Index Page in the Imported Assignments group for the course into which it copied.
As an instructor, you can copy individual quizzes in one course directly into any active course in which you are enrolled. You can also send quizzes to other instructors at your institution. When you copy a quiz, any assets within that quiz (images, files, etc.) will be included in your quiz copy.
Notes:
- To share course content, you must have the Course Content - add / edit / delete permission enabled.
- Shared content does not count against course or user quotas.
- If you copy the same quiz to the same course more than once, the quiz you previously copied will be overwritten with the newly copied quiz.
- By default, quiz copies will not include unbookmarked question banks. To ensure your question banks are included, you must bookmark your question banks.
- Currently, this feature does not support copying quizzes with linked question banks. To copy a quiz with linked question banks, you must use the Course Import tool instead.
Open Quizzes
In Course Navigation, click the Quizzes link.
Open Quiz Options
Locate the quiz you wish to copy, then click the quiz Options icon [1]. Select the Copy To... option [2].
Select Course
Enter the name of a course, SIS ID or course code in the Select a Course field [1].
Search results are sorted by term, with the default term first, followed by most recent term start date. Results for each term are sorted alphabetically and display the course name [2], course code [3], and term name [4].
Select the course into which you want to copy the quiz [5].
Note: The Select a Course drop-down menu only displays courses in which you have an active or future enrollment. Quizzes cannot be copied to a concluded course.
View Copy To Content Warning Message
When copying content, a message displays explaining that importing the same course content more than once overwrites any existing content in the course.
Select Location
If you wish, you can copy the quiz into a specific module and location within a course.
Click or type a module name in the Select a Module field [1]. Then select the module for the copied quiz.
To select a location within the module, click the Place drop-down menu [2]. You can select to copy the quiz to the top of the module, before or after a specific module item, or at the bottom of a module.
Copy Quiz
Click the Copy button.
View Copy Notification
Canvas displays a notification when a quiz copies successfully [1].
When finished, click the Close icon [2] or the Close button [3].
View Copied Quiz
Copied quizzes display on the Quizzes Index Page for the course into which it copied.
As an instructor, you can copy individual pages in one course directly into any active course in which you are enrolled. You can also send pages to other instructors at your institution. When you copy a page, any assets within that page (images, files, etc.) will be included in your page copy.
Notes:
- To share course content, you must have the Course Content - add / edit / delete permission enabled .
- Shared content does not count against course or user quotas.
- If you copy the same page to the same course more than once, the page you previously copied will be overwritten with the newly copied page.
Open Pages
In Course Navigation, click the Pages link.
View All Pages
Pages is designed to open to the front page for the course, if there is a front page selected. To select a page from the Pages Index, click the View All Pages button.
Open Page Options
Locate the page you wish to copy, then click the page Options icon [1]. Select the Copy To... option [2].
Select Course
Enter the name of a course, SIS ID or course code in the Select a Course field [1].
Search results are sorted by term, with the default term first, followed by most recent term start date. Results for each term are sorted alphabetically and display the course name [2], course code [3], and term name [4].
Select the course into which you want to copy the page [5].
Note: The Select a Course drop-down menu only displays courses in which you have an active or future enrollment. Pages cannot be copied to a concluded course.
View Copy To Content Warning Message
When copying content, a message displays explaining that importing the same course content more than once overwrites any existing content in the course.
Select Location
If you wish, you can copy the page into a specific module and location within a course.
Click or type a module name in the Select a Module field [1]. Then select the module for the copied page.
To select a location within the module, click the Place drop-down menu [2]. You can select to copy the page to the top of the module, before or after a specific module item, or at the bottom of a module.
Copy Page
Click the Copy button.
View Copy Notification
Canvas displays a notification when a page copies successfully [1].
When finished, click the Close icon [2] or the Close button [3].
As an instructor, you can copy a module in a course directly into any active course in which you are enrolled. You can also send a module to other instructors at your institution as well as copy individual module items to other courses. When you copy a module, any assets within that module (images, files, etc.) will be included in your module copy.
Notes:
- To share course content, you must have the Course Content - add / edit / delete permission enabled.
- Shared content does not count against course or user quotas.
- If you copy the same module to the same course more than once, the module you previously copied will be overwritten with the newly copied module.
Open Modules
In Course Navigation, click the Modules link.
Open Module Options
Locate the module you wish to copy and click the Options icon [1]. Select the Copy To... option [2].
Select Course
Enter the course code, SIS ID or course name in the Select a Course drop-down menu [1].
Search results are sorted by term, with the default term first, followed by most recent term start date. Results for each term are sorted alphabetically and display the course name [2], course code [3], and term name [4].
Select the course into which you want to copy the module [5].
Note: The Select a Course drop-down menu only displays courses in which you have an active or future enrollment. Modules cannot be copied to a concluded course.
View Copy To Warning Message
When copying content, a message displays explaining that importing the same course content more than once overwrites any existing content in the course.
Copy Module
Click the Copy button.
View Copy Notification
Canvas displays a notification when a module copies successfully [1].
When finished, click the Close icon [2] or the Close button [3].
As an instructor, you can copy individual announcements in one course directly into any active course in which you are enrolled. You can also send announcements to other instructors at your institution.
Announcements that have already been posted do not send notifications to users in the course where the announcement is sent. Announcements that include a delay posting date retain that date and send notifications when the announcement is posted.
When you copy an announcement, any assets within that announcement (images, files, etc.) will be included in the announcement copy. Announcement settings, including delay posting dates, are also included in the announcement copy.
Notes:
- The option to select a module displays when copying an announcement, but is not functional. You cannot place a copied announcement in a module.
- To share course content, you must have the Course Content - add / edit / delete permission enabled.
- Shared content does not count against course or user quotas.
- If you copy the same announcement to the same course more than once, the announcement you previously copied will be overwritten with the newly copied announcement.
Open Announcements
In Course Navigation, click the Announcements link.
Select Course
Type the course name, SIS ID or course code in the Select a Course field [1].
Search results are sorted by term, with the default term first, followed by most recent term start date. Results for each term are sorted alphabetically and display the course name [2], course code [3], and term name [4].
Select the course into which you want to copy the announcement [5].
Note: The Select a Course drop-down menu only displays courses in which you have an active or future enrollment. Announcements cannot be copied to a concluded course.
View Copy To Content Warning Message
When copying content, a message displays explaining that importing the same course content more than once overwrites any existing content in the course.
Copy Announcement
Click the Copy button.
Note: The Select a Module field displays when copying an announcement, but will not place the announcement in a module.
View Copy Notification
Canvas displays a notification when an announcement copies successfully [1].
When finished, click the Close icon [2] or the Close button [3].
View Copied Announcement
Copied announcements display on the Announcements Index Page for the course into which it copied [1]. Announcement posting dates are not included in announcement copies [2].
Note: The presence of the 'U' and the absence of the instructor's name on the copied announcements is valid.”
As an instructor, you can copy a module item in a course directly into another course in which you are enrolled. You can also send a module item to other instructors at your institution as well as copy an entire course module into another course. When you copy a module item, any assets within that module item (images, files, etc.) will be included in your module item copy.
Notes:
- To share course content, you must have the Course Content - add / edit / delete permission enabled.
- Shared content does not count against course or user quotas.
- If you copy the same module item to the same course more than once, the module item you previously copied will be overwritten with the newly copied module item.
Open Modules
In Course Navigation, click the Modules link.
Open Module Item Options
Locate the module item you wish to copy and click the Options icon [1]. Select the Copy To... option [2].
Select Course
Enter the course code, SIS ID or course name in the Select a Course field [1].
Search results are sorted by term, with the default term first, followed by most recent term start date. Results for each term are sorted alphabetically and display the course name [2], course code [3], and term name [4].
Select the course into which you want to copy the module item [5].
Note: The Select a Course drop-down menu only displays courses in which you have an active or future enrollment. Module items cannot be copied to a concluded course.
View Copy To Content Warning Message
When copying content, a message displays explaining that importing the same course content more than once overwrites any existing content in the course.
Select Location
You can copy the module item into a specific module and location within a course.
Click or type a module name in the Select a Module field [1]. Then select the module for the copied module item.
To select a location within the module, click the Place drop-down menu [2]. You can select to copy the module item to the top of the module, before or after a specific module item, or at the bottom of a module.
Copy Module Item
Click the Copy button.
View Copy Notification
Canvas displays a notification when the module item copies successfully [1].
When finished, click the Close icon [2] or the Close button [3].
View Copied Module Item
The copied module item displays on the Modules Index Page for the course into which it copied.