Why do I need to do this?
When a new course or organisation is created in Blackboard it is always set up as unavailable. On the Courses or Organisations page it will be labelled (Closed).
Instructors and other staff can access an unavailable course, but students cannot.
This is quite deliberate. It prevents students being frustrated by being given access to empty course spaces. It prevents students from accessing incomplete or out-of-date course sites which you are still in the process of developing. It also gives lecturing staff control over what students can see, and when.
This guide will show you how to make a course or organisation available, so that students are able to access it.
How to do it
From the Courses or Organisations page
Courses
On the Courses page, in the ‘more options menu’ for a course, select Course Settings.
Organisations
On the Organisations page, in the ‘more options menu’ for an organisation, select Organisation Settings.
From inside a Course or Organisation
At the top of your course or organisation you will see a pill icon, with the message ‘Closed’.
Click on either Course settings or the course status pill, and you will be taken to the course access area in course settings.
Change Course Access
Click the Close Course toggle OFF and this will open the course.
The message at the top of the course will now show Open.
Students will now be able to access the course or organisation.
Making courses or organisations unavailable to students
Courses
You should always leave courses from previous academic years available to students, so they can re-visit study materials and see their online assignment feedback.
Organisations
When an Organisation is no longer required, you can make it Complete, but please do consider whether this is needing to be kept for any longer than being used.
Complete Status
Please do not use the Complete Toggle status for previous years courses This could course complications for resitting students as it closes the course for editing and submitting.
Guide last updated on January 9, 2025
