End of Semester Canvas Course Checklist for Instructors

1. Finalize grades

• Click 'Assignments' in the course menu . Check to make sure all assignments are listed and in the correct category (if using assignment weights.)
• Click 'Grades' in the course menu. Make sure all graded assignments have a graded value. Enter a zero for any missing assignments to ensure grades are accurate. 

2. Post grades to CU-Sis

• To post grades, log into UCDAccess. Go to Faculty Center and locate the 'My Schedule' tab. Make sure the correct term is selected, and next to the course, select 'grade roster.' You can either manually enter grades or upload a .csv file. Note: the CSV must only contain two columns with no headers. Column A should be student ID numbers, and column B should be the letter grade in all caps. 
• Once you enter all grades, they must be approved and posted. Once you've reviewed each grade, change the grade roster action to 'Approved' and click 'Save.' To post the grades to students' records, change the action to 'Post.' When your grades post, the status will change to 'posted.' You will not receive a confirmation email. 

A Canvas course will conclude automatically. A concluded course is an archive of course content and student work. Students and faculty can continue to review the contents of the course, but can no longer participate or submit to it.

When do Courses Conclude? For students, the course automatically concludes on the last day of the semester. Students can access content from a concluded course in a read-only format. Tests/quizzes or anything that is locked using the availability feature remains inaccessible. For faculty, courses conclude approximately 6 months after the semester ends. TAs have access for 14 days after the semester ends. Concluded courses are available in a read-only state by going to the Courses menu in Canvas.

Change and/or Restricting Access to Courses. If you would like to change the start and end dates for all enrollments in a Canvas Course, follow these directions: How do I change the start and end dates for a course? If you would like to restrict students from viewing your course in a read-only state after the semester ends, follow these directions: How do I restrict student access to a course before or after the course dates? 

If you have a student taking an incomplete, you will need to request a new section be created in the course, so the student continues to have access to the course and assignments after the semester ends. Please email the OIT service desk ([email protected]) with the following information to set up an incomplete:

• Name of student and ID number (if available)
• Course and term
• Start and end date for access

Courses for the next semester are already available in Canvas. If you are not assigned to a course for the upcoming semester yet, you can always create a sandbox, which can be copied later by clicking on your account picture in Canvas and choosing “Create Sandbox.”

Attend a Training

The Division for Teaching Innovation and Program Strategy offers Canvas and related technology training for faculty, staff, and even students. To attend a training or schedule a time to meet with an expert, use the links below:

Training Schedule

Meet with an Expert

For just-in-time support, contact the OIT Service Desk or Canvas 24/7 Support which can be accessed via the 'Help' button in the Canvas navigation menu.