Merge Course Policy
Merge Course Requests
In general, disparate courses cannot be merged in Blackboard. However, there are times when Blackboard course merges are permissible and/or desirable. This page provides further information about when and how disparate courses could be merged and suggests alternative actions when they cannot.
FERPA Concerns
For students who have exercised their rights under FERPA to place a block on the release of any directory information, we are legally not allowed to show even the names of students to students in other sections. The US Department of Education (USDOE) does allow students within a course to see the names (but not contact information) for other students in the course - just as they would see them in the classroom - but does not allow this across courses.
Courses Cross-Listed in Banner
At this time, courses that are cross-listed in Banner do not automatically merge into Blackboard. Faculty who need multiple course sections combined in Blackboard must submit a Course Merge Request.
Submitting a request through IT Help Desk Portal Ticket Request ensures that:
- Department chair and dean approvals are captured.
- Requests are tracked in a triaged queue.
- Faculty receive confirmation once their merges are complete.
- Accurate data is collected to support future automation efforts.
Once two or more courses are merged in Blackboard, they cannot be unmerged. Please review your sections carefully before submitting a request.
Courses That Cannot be Merged
Per the Course Merge Policy, the following requests for merging sections are not permitted:
- Merging in-person course sections that meet at different times or in different places
- Merging two or more sections of online or hybrid courses.
- Merging or directing students from different sections to enroll in or log in to publisher or other electronic/digital platforms where students can see other students from different sections.
- Merging sections after any student work is submitted in the course.