Cross-Listing Course Sections in Canvas

Describes the difference between Canvas cross-listing and Banner cross-listing and outlines the step-by-step process for cross-listing courses within Canvas.

Important Distinction: Canvas Cross-Listing vs. Banner Cross-Listing

Canvas cross-listing (described in this article) is a tool that allows you to combine multiple course sections within Canvas for teaching convenience. This is done by instructors and only affects how courses appear in Canvas- it does not change official enrollment records. 

Banner cross-listing is a separate Registrar process that affects official course enrollment and must be handled through your Registrar's office before the term begins. 

These are two completely different processes with the same name. If you need to officially cross-list courses for enrollment purposes, contact the Registrar. Use the Canvas cross-listing feature described below only if you want to merge sections for teaching purposes within Canvas after official enrollment is set. 

What is Cross-Listing?

Cross-listing allows you to combine multiple course sections into a single Canvas course (outside of Banner). This means you can teach all your sections from one course site, making it easier to manage materials, communicate with students, and track grades.

Example: If you're teaching HIST100-01 and HIST100-02, you can combine them so all students access the same course content, and you manage everything in one place.

Why Cross-List Your Sections?

• Simplify course management – Add materials once for all students
• Flexible grading – View all students together or filter by individual sections
• Differentiated deadlines – Set different due dates for each section if needed
• Enhanced interaction – Students from all sections can collaborate and discuss together

Important: Before You Begin

Please complete these steps before cross-listing:

• Confirm you're listed as Instructor in each section you want to combine
• Cross-list BEFORE adding course content to avoid duplication issues
• Complete cross-listing BEFORE the term starts – This prevents loss of student work like grades, discussion posts, and assignment submissions

Understanding Parent and Child Sections

• Parent Section = The main course you'll teach from (keeps its content and name)
• Child Section = Additional sections that will be merged into the parent section

What happens: When you cross-list, child sections adopt the parent section's name and content. Students in child sections will see the parent section's course name in their Canvas dashboard.

Step-by-Step: How to Cross-List Sections

Step 1: Choose Your Parent Section

Decide which section will be your main teaching course (the parent). This is typically your first section or the one you've already started building.

Step 2: Navigate to the Child Section

1. Open Canvas and go to the child section (the one you're adding to the parent)
2. Click Settings in the left course navigation

Step 3: Access the Sections Tab

1. Click the Sections tab at the top
2. Click on the section name (it will be a blue link)

Step 4: Initiate Cross-Listing

Click the Cross-List this Section button.

Step 5: Find Your Parent Course

1. In the search box, type the parent course name using the semester code format:
   Example: 202620HIST100-01
2. Click on the correct course when it appears in the search results

Step 6: Confirm Cross-Listing

Click the Cross-List This Section button to complete the process.

Step 7: Verify Success

1. Navigate to your parent course
2. Go to Settings → Sections tab
3. You should see all cross-listed sections listed there

Communicate with Your Students

After cross-listing, we suggest creating an announcement that explains to students which sections have been combined. This helps avoid confusion when they see a different course name than expected.

Example message:
"Welcome! This Canvas course combines sections 01 and 02 of HIST100. All students from both sections will access materials and submit assignments here."

Need Help?

If you encounter any issues or have questions about cross-listing, please contact the Canvas support through the help icon in the left navigation in any Canvas course.