Why Can’t I See My Canvas Course?

There are a number of reasons why you might not see your course in Canvas.

Find Your Course on Canvas

Note: School of Public Health continues to use CoursePlus for their courses.

The best way to check where and when your course will be offered is by logging on to SIS and looking at “My Class Schedule.” You will be able to see where your courses are taught and select the link to log in.

Possible Reasons

Once you have confirmed that your course is on Canvas and you are registered, here are the steps to figure out why you might not be seeing it.

  1. Make sure you are registered: Using the directions in the section above confirm you are registered for the course.
  2. Has the term started: In most cases, faculty publish their courses on the first day of class. (Some instructors might choose to open the course earlier.) Check SIS for “My Class Schedule” to confirm your course start date.
  3. Check if you are enrolled in Canvas Courses:
    1. Log on to Canvas through canvas.jhu.edu
    2. Select “Courses” on the global navigation menu
    3. Select “All Courses” in the panel that appears
    4. Review your courses to see which ones are upcoming and check the published status (yes or no). If a course says “No” under published then the teacher has not published the course yet for students and you will not be able to see it yet.
    5. Contact your instructor or your division help to learn more about when it will be published.
A screenshot showing the "All Courses" page in canvas. The listed course has "no" under published.
  1. Have you completed a required orientation, if applicable:
    • If you are part of Advanced Academic Programs, Carey Business School, Engineering Professionals, or School of Education, your school most likely requires an orientation course to be passed prior to accessing your academic courses.
    • You will most likely see an orientation on your Canvas Dashboard that you need to complete prior to accessing your academic courses.
    • Check your email for guidance from your school.
    • Once the required orientation is complete, it may take up to 24 hours for you to have access to your academic courses.
  2. The term started and I still can’t see my course:
    • A course is not visible to students until the instructor manually publishes the Canvas site.
    • If the term has already started, you are registered for the course, and you have completed step 3 above, then reach out to your instructor and ask if and when they will publish the course.
  3. I can’t see my course on my dashboard: You can’t see your course on your dashboard, but you do see it under all courses (following Step 3). It should show up on your dashboard once it is published. Courses will shift when each new term courses are created. You can manage what courses show on your dashboard by following the Canvas guide on customizing my Courses list.

Get Help

If this guide did not answer your questions, please contact your division’s help and support.