Cross Listing Assistant: Overview

The Cross listing Assistant is an OTLT-built tool that streamlines the cross listing process considerably. Generally, the traditional cross listing process involves info from multiple courses and historically causes confusion for users. This tool replaces the traditional cross listing process in Canvas Settings, which requires navigating into each individual section.

Where to Find the Cross listing Assistant

The tool is available from the Course Settings sub-menu.

Select Sections to Cross List

When opened, the tool will display the current course information at the top.

It also automatically identifies sections eligible for cross listing. These are sections within a course that matches the current course’s subject, course number, and term, and where you have instructor access.

For example, if you are enrolled as an instructor in BIOL1401-01_1_SP26 and BIOL1401-03_1_SP26, the sections in those courses would appear as options. A course like BIOL1402-01_1_SP26 would not appear because, although the subject is the same, the course number is different.

Select one or more sections using the checkboxes.

The selection bar at the bottom of the list shows how many sections are selected and provides a Continue button once at least one section is chosen. Use the Clear button to deselect all sections and start over.

Review and Confirm

After selecting sections and clicking Continue, the panel located in Step 2 populates with a summary of the sections being merged, including the section name and student count. Review this list carefully before proceeding.

Select Cross list Sections to open a confirmation prompt. Confirm to apply. A progress indicator will display while the operation runs. Once complete, a success message confirms the sections have been merged.

Note: As stated in the confirmation modal, cross listing can only be reversed by a Canvas Administrator. Be cautious when cross listing courses.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sections are eligible to appear in the list?

The tool surfaces sections that share the same course subject, number, and term as the course you launched the tool from, and where your Canvas account holds an instructor-level role (i.g., Teacher, Colleague, Librarian, TA, etc.) Sections from other terms, subjects, or courses you do not teach will not appear. A section will not appear if:

It is in a different term or has a different course subject/number
You do not hold an instructor role in that section
It has already been cross listed into another course.

If you believe a section is missing in error, contact Canvas SupportCan I undo a cross listing?

A cross listing can be undone, but only by a Canvas Administrator. It is strongly recommended to reverse cross listings before the course is published or graded, as reversing after grading may cause grade data issues.

Will students from all sections see each other after cross listing?

By default, yes — once sections are merged into a single course, all enrolled students share the same Canvas environment. If your sections meet separately (different times, locations, or modalities), you may need to configure section-level restrictions in Canvas to limit student visibility. See the FERPA Requirements for Cross listed Courses guide for details.

I don't see a section I expected. Why?

A section will not appear if: (1) it is in a different term or has a different course subject/number, (2) you do not hold an instructor role in that section, or (3) it has already been cross listed into another course. If you believe a section is missing in error, contact Canvas Support.

What happens to students who are already enrolled in the target course?

Their enrollment is unaffected. Cross listing adds the enrollments from the selected sections into the target course — it does not remove or alter existing enrollments.

Can I cross list sections from different courses or terms?

Not with this tool. The tool only surfaces sections that match the current course's subject, number, and term. You would need to leverage a traditional cross listing method. Cross listing across different courses or terms is not supported through this tool and is generally not recommended, as it can create grading and reporting inconsistencies.

Do I have to use this tool to cross list courses?

No. The traditional cross listing method(s) still exist and are not only available to use, but are still viable options to cross list courses.

The tool shows a loading spinner after I confirm. How long should it take?

Most cross listing operations complete in a few seconds. If the spinner persists for more than 30 seconds, refresh the page and check whether the cross listing was applied before retrying. If the issue continues, contact Canvas Support.

Can each section have a different participation start date?

Yes. Instructors can set different start dates and times for each section of students. Learn how to manage course access in six minutes.

Can each section have different assignment due dates?

Yes. Instructors can use the Manage Assign To options to set different due dates by section. Add as many assignments as needed to customize the experience. Note: removing an "Assign To" variable after entering grades will make those grades disappear from the gradebook. Always add new ones instead of deleting existing ones.

Can I cross list two different courses, and not just two sections of the same course?

Cross listing is typically used to combine two or more sections of the same course at UIW. If you are teaching different courses with separate course numbers, consult the Office of the Registrar to determine whether cross listing through Banner is more appropriate