Canvas: Changing a Course Nickname

Question

How do I change the display name of my course in Canvas?

 

Environment

  • Canvas LMS

 

Information

In Canvas, both students and instructors have the option to customize how courses appear on their dashboard by changing the course "nickname." This feature allows users to create a personalized view of their course list without altering the official course name, code, or ID as set by Student Records. By using nicknames, users can avoid confusion with long or complex course names while ensuring that key systems, such as course evaluations, transcripts, and catalog records remain consistent and unaffected by any changes. This provides an ideal solution for maintaining institutional standards while giving individuals flexibility in how they organize their courses.

 

Answer

  1. Log In to Canvas.

  2. Once logged in, navigate to your Dashboard. This page displays all your enrolled courses.

  3. Find the course you want to rename. Each course will appear as a "card" on your Dashboard.

  4. In the top-right corner of the course card, click the three vertical dots .

  5. In the drop-down menu, you should see an text box labeled “Nickname.”

  6. In the text box that appears, enter your desired nickname for the course. This will only be visible to you and won’t affect the official course name.

  7. After typing your new course nickname, click Apply to save your changes.

  8. Refresh the page.

  9. Your new nickname should now appear on the course card in your Dashboard.

  10. Click into the course card. The nickname will also appear inside the course as well.

Important Notes:

  • Nickname Visibility: The nickname change is personal and does not affect the course name for other students, instructors or other systems.
  • Purpose: This feature allows you to personalize the names of courses within Canvas without interfering with the  course details assigned by student records. (e.g., Course Number.SectionID.TERM).
  • Best Practice: Decide upon a consistent personal naming convention for all of your Canvas course nicknames so that they remain organized and easy to find on your dashboard.
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