How to Crosslist Course Sections
What is it?
A feature in Canvas that allows you to move section enrollments from separate course shells into one primary course so you can manage content, assignments, grades, and communication in a single location. It is commonly used when you teach multiple sections of the same course and want one central course site. The section itself does not change names; it is simply moved into another course.
Why is it important?
Crosslisting reduces duplicate work and helps you manage multiple sections efficiently in one course shell. Instead of posting announcements, grading assignments, and updating content in several separate courses, you can do everything once in the parent course while still maintaining section-level distinctions. This streamlines your workflow, keeps materials consistent across sections, and minimizes administrative overhead so you can focus more on teaching. You can also choose whether students see classmates across all sections or only within their own section, giving you control over visibility and interaction. It is critical to crosslist before courses are published, since coursework remains with the course shell—not the section enrollments—and cross-listing after students have submitted work can result in lost submissions and grades.
How do I do it?
Best Practices: Crosslist all course sections (9 min) before publishing.