Canvas Administrator Roles and Permissions

The chart below provides information on the permissions for school and departmental Canvas administrators.

To assign an administrator for your school or department, complete the Canvas Administrator Authorization Form. Requests must be submitted and authorized by a dean, director, department chair, or lead Canvas administrator as appropriate for the unit-level access requested.

 

Available to

  • Faculty 
  • Staff 

 

How to Request Service

Click the "Request Canvas Administrator Access" button to the right.

  • A dean, program or IT director, department chair, or lead Canvas administrator must fill out the Canvas Administrator Authorization Form to authorize the applicant’s request.  Once the request has been authorized, the applicant must complete FERPA training.  Northwestern IT Teaching & Learning Technologies will schedule training as needed. Upon confirmation that all requirements have been met, the appropriate privileges will be assigned 

 

Canvas Administrator Roles and Permissions

Permissions Course Viewer Course Admin Staff Admin Unit Admin Unit Admin Plus

Search for Courses

  Permission granted.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.

See a list of users in a subaccount

  Permission granted.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.

Enroll self or others into a course

  Permission denied.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.

View user login details

  Permission denied.  Permission denied.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.

View course content

  Permission granted.  Permission denied.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.

Build and edit course content

  Permission denied.  Permission denied with caveat.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.

Send messages to class or individual students in class via the Inbox

  Permission denied.  Permission denied.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.

Manage course settings

  Permission denied.  Permission denied with caveat.  Permission granted with caveat.  Permission granted with caveat.  Permission granted with caveat.

Manage account-level settings

  Permission denied.  Permission denied.  Permission denied.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.

Run account reports

  Permission denied.  Permission denied.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.

Manage Blueprint Courses or Subaccount Templates

  Permission denied.  Permission denied.  Permission denied.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.

Use account-level custom tools

  Permission denied.  Permission denied.  Permission denied.  Permission denied.  Permission granted.

* May need to enroll self in course to manage some course settings or content
Some permissions may vary by subaccount or unit

 

Course Viewer 

  • Primary Use: Individuals coordinating or supporting courses for their school or department who need to view course content. 
  • Account Level Permissions: Search for courses; view statistics. 
  • Course Level Permissions: View course content. 
  • Limitations: Cannot view or modify account settings. Cannot modify user, course, or account information. This role cannot enroll self or others in a course. 

 

Course Administrator 

  • Primary Use: Individuals coordinating or supporting courses for their school or department who need to enroll self or others in a course. 
  • Account Level Permissions: Search for courses and enroll users into a course. 
  • Course Level Permissions: View list of users. 
  • Limitations: Cannot view or modify user, course, or account settings. For additional course permissions (including viewing course content), Course Administrators must enroll themselves in a course. This role cannot view course content. 

 

Staff Administrator 

  • Primary Use: Individuals coordinating or supporting courses for their school or department who need to access and edit course content, manage course enrollments, and view report information for courses or people. 
  • Account Level Permissions: Manage courses, import and build course content; view user login details; search for classes; run reports. These permissions may vary by school/unit. 
  • Course Permissions: All course level permissions. 
  • Limitations: Cannot modify account settings. Cannot use account-level custom tools. 

 

Unit Administrator 

  • Primary Use: Additional lead Canvas administrator for a specific school or unit. 
  • Account Level Permissions: Manage courses, account level settings, and storage details; view user login details; search for classes; run reports. These permissions may vary by school/unit. 
  • Course Level Permissions: All course level permissions. 
  • Limitations: Cannot assign administrator roles or modify role permissions. Cannot use account-level custom tools. May vary by school/unit. 

 

Unit Administrator Plus 

  • Primary Use: Primary lead Canvas administrator for a specific school or unit. 
  • Account Level Permissions: Manage courses, account level settings, and storage details; view user login details; search for classes; run reports; use account-level custom tools. These permissions may vary by school/unit. 
  • Course Level Permissions: All course level permissions. 
  • Limitations: Cannot assign administrator roles or modify role permissions. May vary by school/unit. 

 

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