---
title: "Get Started in Canvas for Instructors"
canonical: "https://servicedesk.shu.edu/space/PUBLICKBA/2336686085/Get%20Started%20in%20Canvas%20for%20Instructors"
format: markdown
---
Get started with accessing and setting up your course in Canvas quickly. Below you will find basic instructions on accessing the course site, posting a syllabus, adding files, and publishing the course site.
**Get Started:**
> Macro (toc)
## Access a Canvas Course
1. Log into [PirateNet ](https://www.shu.edu/piratenet.cfm)using your Seton Hall credentials.
2. Search for and click on the Canvas app.
3. On your [Canvas Dashboard](https://setonhall.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PUBLICKBA/pages/3235250187), the card view will display course cards for quick access to all of your courses. The sidebar shows various activities from your courses.
*Note: If your course is not listed on your Canvas Dashboard, you might not be listed as the Instructor of Record in Banner. Please contact your department for assistance.*
## Post the Syllabus
To paste your syllabus:
1. Copy the content of your syllabus.
2. In the course navigation menu, click **Syllabus**.
3. In the right-hand sidebar, click **Edit**. This opens the rich text editor.
4. Paste your syllabus content, and then click **Update Syllabus**.
To upload a syllabus file:
1. In the course navigation menu, click **Syllabus**.
2. In the right-hand sidebar, click **Edit Syllabus Description**.
3. In the Content Pane, click the **Files** tab.
4. Click **Upload a new file**, and then browse for your syllabus file.
5. Click **Upload**. A link to the syllabus file will appear in the rich content editor.
6. Below the rich content editor, click **Update Syllabus**.
You can use the syllabus tool as an organizational tool by creating an interactive syllabus which links to other course components, such as readings, videos, modules, and assignments. With interactive syllabi, students only have to go to one page on your course to access all other content. Learn how to use the [Canvas Syllabus Tool](https://setonhall.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PUBLICKBA/pages/2343895051).
## Add Content
As an instructor, **Files **allows you to create a repository of files related to your course. You can upload one or multiple files, publish and unpublish files, and set restriction to files. Organize your files using the folders feature. [Learn how to upload files in Canvas](https://setonhall.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PUBLICKBA/pages/2342649857).
1. In the course navigation menu, click **Files**.
2. In the right-hand sidebar, click **Upload**.
3. Find and click the title of the file that you would like to upload, then click the **Open** button. You can also drag and drop files from a file window directly into the Canvas file repository.
## Validate Course Links
Before you make a course visible to students, verify links to course content throughout your course to ensure they are valid. You can check these links using the course link validator, which searches through course content and returns invalid or unresponsive course content links in both published and unpublished content. *Please note, some links flagged as unresponsive are inaccessible by Canvas servers but will still work for students.*
1. Click **Settings **in the menu.
2. On the right-hand sidebar, click **Validate Links in Content**.
3. Click the **Start Link Validation** button.
4. Canvas will list any pages that have invalid links. Click on a page title to edit the page and fix the link. (Note: Old Blackboard course links will no longer work within Canvas.)
5. Once you have updated the list, click the **Restart Link Validation** button.
## View the Course in Student View
The **Student View** feature allows you to determine what your course looks like from a student’s perspective. You can access the Student View button from multiple places within your course.
### Enable Student View
1. Go to **Settings **in your course navigation.
2. Click the **Student View** button.
3. Once you have click the Student View button, you will be able to access your course as a fully functional test student.
When you are viewing course content from the student view, you will see a pink border at the bottom of your screen. The **Reset Student** button will delete your test student's progress so you can reset and resubmit assessments that you are testing. To leave student view and go back to your instructor view, click the **Leave Student View** button.
## Publish the Course
When courses are initially created in the system, they are not published. Students are not able to view or access unpublished courses. Publishing your course in Canvas does not automatically publish all the content. Published content in Canvas will have a green check on the right side of the item. If an item has grey circle with a line though it, it is unpublished. Students will only be able to view published materials. In order to enable students' ability to access a course and its contents, follow the steps below:
### Publish an Item
1. When viewing an item, click the circle with the line through it on the right-hand side. This will publish the item and a green check will appear.
### Publish a Module
1. On the right-hand side of any module name, click the circle with the line through. A menu will appear.
2. From this menu, you can choose to publish the module and all its items, or just publish the module and leave individual items unpublished.
### Publish a Course
1. From your Canvas Dashboard, click into the unpublished course card.
2. In the right-hand sidebar, click the **Publish** button.
