How to build weekly modules from a course outline in Canvas
Short answer: in Canvas, go to Modules → + Module, name the week, then use the + on the module to add each page and assignment. Repeat for every week. Canvas has no way to import an outline. Or open Course++ in your course and type: “Here is my semester outline. Make one module per week with a page for the reading and an assignment for each due item. [paste your outline]”
The problem
You have the whole semester on one page, and Canvas wants it one module at a time.
Canvas has no import for an outline or schedule. For a 15-week course you create 15 modules, then add, name and date every page and assignment inside them yourself.
one module at a timeevery item added by hand
The fix
Paste the outline. Course++ builds the weeks.
It shows you a plan first and waits for your approval. Then it builds the modules in order. Nothing is published until you say so.
paste onceyou approve the plan
Prompts you can copy
Open your Canvas course, open Course++ beside it, and paste one of these. Change the names and numbers to match your course.
Here is my semester outline: [paste it here]. Make one module per week, named Week 1 through Week 15 with that week’s topic. Leave everything unpublished.
The simple version: empty weekly modules from a pasted schedule.Build a module for each week of this outline. In each one, add a page with the week’s readings and an assignment for every item marked due. Class starts Monday, August 24, and work is due Fridays at 11:59 PM. [paste outline]
Modules, pages and dated assignments in one go.Use my attached syllabus PDF to build the weekly modules. Put each reading on a page and each assignment in the week it’s due.
When the schedule lives in a PDF. Save a Word syllabus as a PDF first.List every module in this course and tell me which weeks have no assignment or no due date.
A quick check after the build. It only reads; nothing changes.
How to make a module for each week in Canvas by hand
- In Course Navigation, click Modules.
- Click the + Module button.
- Type a name, such as Week 1: Introducing Psychology, and click Add Module.
- On the new module, click the + (Add Item) icon.
- Choose a type from the Add menu, such as Page or Assignment. To make a new one, click the Create link at the top of the list and type a name. Then click Add Item.
- Repeat for every item, then for every week. Set due dates by opening each assignment and clicking Edit.
- When you have checked everything, publish the modules.
Good to know
- Canvas can’t read an outline. Your outline is only text to Canvas, so the structure has to be typed in. This is the part Course++ does for you.
- Course++ can’t read Word files. Paste the outline as text, or save the document as a PDF and attach it (up to 10 MB).
- Check the contents. Course++ builds pages and assignments from what your outline says. If a week only says “Memory,” the page will be a short starting point for you to fill in.
- Next steps. Once the weeks exist, see how to set due dates in bulk or how to add module prerequisites.
Questions teachers ask
Can Canvas make modules from a syllabus or schedule?
No. Canvas has no import for an outline, so each module is created by hand. Course++ can read a pasted outline or an attached PDF and build the modules for you.
How do I make a module for each week in Canvas?
Go to Modules, click + Module, name it, and add items to it. You repeat that for every week of the term.
Will the new modules show up for students?
No. Course++ creates new modules, pages and assignments unpublished, so you can review them first.
Can I change the modules afterward?
Yes. You can edit them in Canvas as usual, or ask Course++ to rename, reorder or add items. Its History keeps each request, and most changes can be undone.
250 FREE credits to try it. No credit card.
Canvas steps checked against Instructure’s own Canvas guides in October 2026. Canvas changes its screens from time to time, and schools turn features on and off, so a button may be named a little differently in yours.