What Course Copy Does and When to Use It

Course Copy in Blackboard Ultra lets you duplicate an existing course—including its content, structure, assignments, and grade settings—into a new course shell. You keep the original course untouched while creating an identical or nearly identical version. This is useful when you teach the same course multiple times, want to reuse a course design for a different section, or need to create a template for other instructors to work from.

The copied course arrives empty of student enrollments and grade data. You can copy into a brand-new shell that your institution creates for you, or into an existing shell that already has students enrolled. The process takes a few minutes to run, and Blackboard sends you a notification when it finishes.

Key Takeaways

  • Course Copy duplicates content, structure, and settings from one course into another, but does not copy student enrollments or grades.
  • You need instructor access to both the source course (the one you are copying from) and the destination course (the one you are copying into).
  • The copy process runs in the background; Blackboard notifies you by email when it is complete.
  • You can choose which content types to copy—for example, you can copy assignments but skip discussion boards if you want to start fresh.
  • If the destination course already has content, the copied material is added to it rather than replacing it.

Before You Start: What You Need

Make sure you have instructor or higher access to both courses. If you are copying into a new shell, your institution's course administrator must create that shell first and enroll you as an instructor. You cannot create a new course shell yourself from within Blackboard Ultra.

Know the course ID or name of the destination course—the place where the copied content will land. If you are unsure whether a destination course exists, ask your department chair or course administrator. Starting the copy process into the wrong course is the most common mistake, so double-check the destination course ID before you begin.

How to Start a Course Copy

Open the course you want to copy from (the source course). In the left navigation menu, scroll down and select Course Tools. Look for the option labeled Copy Course and click it.

Blackboard opens a panel titled "Copy Course Content." At the top, you will see a field asking you to enter the destination course ID. Type the course ID of the shell where you want the content to land. The course ID is usually a code like PSYCH101.202401 or similar—your institution assigns it. If you do not know the destination course ID, contact your course administrator before proceeding.

Once you enter the destination course ID, click the Submit button. Blackboard validates that the course exists and that you have access to it. If the validation fails, you will see an error message; check the course ID and try again.

Choosing What Content to Copy

After you submit the destination course ID, a second screen appears showing content categories with checkboxes. These categories include Course Content (modules and files), Assessments (tests and assignments), Discussion Boards, Gradebook Settings, Course Settings, and others. By default, most or all boxes are checked.

Uncheck any category you do not want to copy. For example, if you want to reuse the course structure and assignments but create new discussion boards for this semester, uncheck "Discussion Boards." If you want to keep the old grading scale but set up new grade columns, uncheck "Gradebook Settings" and keep "Course Settings" checked.

Be aware that unchecking "Course Settings" means the destination course keeps its own settings (such as availability dates or guest access rules) rather than adopting the source course's settings. Review each category carefully so you copy only what you need.

Submitting the Copy and Monitoring Progress

Once you have selected which content to copy, click the Copy button at the bottom of the screen. Blackboard confirms your request and begins the copy process in the background. You will see a message saying the copy has been submitted.

The time it takes depends on how much content you are copying. A course with a few modules and assignments may finish in a few minutes. A large course with hundreds of files, many tests, and extensive discussion boards may take 15 to 30 minutes. You do not need to stay on the page while the copy runs.

Blackboard sends you an email notification when the copy is complete. The email includes a summary of what was copied. Check your email (including spam folders) for this notification. If you do not receive an email after an hour, contact your course administrator.

What Happens in the Destination Course

Once the copy finishes, open the destination course and verify that the content arrived correctly. All copied modules, assignments, files, and other materials appear in the course. If the destination course already had content, the copied material is added alongside it rather than replacing it—so you may see duplicate items if you copy into a course that already has similar content.

Check that due dates, availability settings, and links are correct. Some links (such as links to external websites) copy as-is, but links to other courses or to specific users may need adjustment. Review any grade settings you copied to make sure they match your current semester's grading scheme.

Student enrollments do not copy. If the destination course has students enrolled, they will see the new content when ready, but their grades and submission history from the source course do not transfer. This is by design—it prevents confusion between different sections or semesters.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you see an error message saying the destination course does not exist or you do not have access, verify the course ID is spelled correctly and that your institution has created the shell. Contact your course administrator if you are unsure.

If the copy starts but you do not receive a completion email after two hours, log into the destination course and check whether the content is there. Sometimes the email notification is delayed or filtered. If the content is present, the copy succeeded even if the email did not arrive. If the content is missing and you have waited more than two hours, contact your institution's Blackboard support team and provide them with the source course ID, destination course ID, and the time you started the copy.

If you see duplicate content in the destination course, you likely copied into a course that already had similar material. You can delete the unwanted duplicates manually by opening each module or assignment and removing it. There is no "undo" button for course copy, so review the destination course carefully before copying again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I copy a course into multiple destination courses at once?

No. You must run the copy process separately for each destination course. Start the copy, wait for the notification that it is complete, then repeat the process for the next course. This prevents mistakes and lets you verify each copy before moving to the next one.

Will student grades and submissions copy to the destination course?

No. Only course structure, content, and settings copy. Student enrollments, grades, and submission history stay in the source course. This is intentional—it keeps data from different sections or semesters separate.

What if I copy into a course that already has students enrolled?

The copied content appears in the course when ready, and enrolled students can see it right away. Their existing grades and submissions are not affected. If you want to avoid confusing students with duplicate content, copy into an empty shell instead.

Can I copy just one module or assignment instead of the whole course?

Course Copy copies entire content categories, not individual items. If you need to copy a single module or assignment, you can export it from the source course and import it into the destination course instead. This gives you more granular control but requires a separate process.

What should I do if the copy fails or seems stuck?

Wait at least two hours and check your email for a completion or error notification. If you do not receive one, log into the destination course and see whether any content arrived. If nothing is there after two hours, contact your institution's Blackboard support team with the course IDs and the time you started the copy.