Course Level Roles in Canvas
The roles outlined below are the default roles available in Canvas courses. Colleges and departments may have additional customized roles for their academic units; if you have questions about course roles not listed below, we recommend that you contact your department directly.
It is important to assign course roles to users as needed, especially when considering access to sensitive information such as student submissions/grades. We recommend that you identify minimal permissions needed to perform class duties before granting course access to a colleague or another user.
As a reminder, instructors should refrain from manually adding students to courses (unless there is a demonstrated need). Officially-enrolled students are automatically added to courses when they register. If, for some reason, you do need to add a user to your Canvas course, please add them by OUNetID (4x4) or OUID; adding by email creates a 2nd Canvas account for the user, which then requires a merging of accounts.
Roles
Teacher
Primary use: For instructors who need full access to the Canvas features for instruction.
Permissions: Teachers have all course-level permissions, including the ability to add, edit and delete all content in a course, edit course settings, and manually add individuals with active Canvas user accounts.
Limitations: Teachers cannot delete live (Banner-created) courses.
TA (Teaching Assistant)
Primary use: For users designated as graduate/teaching assistants in a course.
Permissions: TAs have permissions similar to the Teacher role. They have similar course-level permissions, including the ability to add, edit and delete content in a course, edit course settings, and manually add individuals with active Canvas user accounts.
Limitations: TAs cannot add other Teachers or TAs into the course, nor manage (add/edit/delete) course sections.
TA (Teaching Assistant)-Grader only
Primary use: For Teaching Assistants that grade student work but do not actually teach courses.
Permissions: Can view and grade assignment submissions.
Limitations: TA-Graders cannot add, edit, and delete content in a course, edit course settings.
Student
Primary use: Students enrolled in a course site.
Permissions: The student role has permissions to view course content and engage in course activities, including the ability to submit assignments, participate in discussions, and view the course roster (if enabled).
Limitations: Students do not have elevated permissions within a course/cannot view or modify settings for a course.
Designer
Primary use: For instructional designers/technologists (and staff with similar responsibilities) who write and manage course content, but do not actually teach courses or grade student work.
Permissions: Create course content, discussions, announcements, assignments, quizzes, and other content features.
Limitations: Designers cannot view or modify grades or add users to a course.
Moderator
Primary use: For external participants who are invited into the course to moderate and participate in discussions by Instructors.
Permissions: Moderators can create, post and view discussions. They can also view announcements and student groups.
Limitations: Moderator cannot access student grades, assignments or view/upload additional course content.
Observer
Primary use: For users who have no official role in the course but have been given permission to view course content and discussion forums.
Permissions: Observers have access to view course content. This role can be linked to a student enrolled in a course to monitor their progress.
Limitations: Observers have no permissions to edit or participate in course activities.