Learning Management System (LMS) Transition from Blackboard to Canvas Information

UMass Lowell is taking a phased approach to transitioning to Canvas. It is possible that some students will be using both Blackboard and Canvas in a given semester for a little while. Please see the timeline above for when courses will be transitioning to Canvas. You can also login at myUML and select the Academics tab to view your courses with links to Blackboard or Canvas or view the Find My Course page for information about where courses are located.

Yes! Canvas has an app just for students. Download the Canvas app for your device.

For online and graduate courses, this is the first day of the semester. For on-campus undergraduate courses, this is 3 days before the start of the semester.

Each UMass Lowell (UML) student will be given access to a self-paced, optional Canvas Orientation course that you will see when you first access the system. This is a great starting point. Another great resource for students is the Canvas Student Guides page.

Yes! The Learning Management Systems (LMS) teams in Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) and Information Technology (IT) will be migrating Blackboard courses for each faculty member going 4 semesters back.

Yes! If you need a course prior to 4 semesters back, then email: onlinelearning@uml.edu or email: Canhelp@uml.edu and we will be happy to migrate them to Canvas. We are also archiving past courses, so everything will be retained. A special migration request should not be used to archive all of your Blackboard courses, but only for courses that you actually need on Canvas for future teaching.

The LMS teams keep archives of Blackboard courses, and this practice will continue in Canvas. If you need a Blackboard course that was not migrated already, email: onlinelearning@uml.edu or email: Canhelp@uml.edu and we can restore the archive for you on Canvas.

Faculty from Manning School of Business and Zuckerburg College of Health Sciences will gain access to the Canvas platform in early October 2024, in preparation for using Canvas for Spring 2025. Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (FAHSS) will gain access to Canvas in early April and begin using Canvas for Fall 2025 courses. Kennedy College of Sciences will be using Canvas in Spring 2026 and the Francis College of Engineering in Summer / Fall 2026. Please watch your email for correspondence from the Information Technology (IT) and Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) teams about when your college will gain access to Canvas.

Faculty can register for Canvas workshops (please see above on this page). Additionally, job aids, documentation, self-paced modules will all be available for faculty via Canvas. Check for a course called “Self-Paced Canvas Modules – Faculty” under your “Courses” tab in Canvas. The IT and GPS Blackboard support teams are here for you; they will be communicating opportunities to learn Canvas and will be happy to help or point you towards resources when you are ready.

No. UMass Lowell leadership decided on a phased approach, by College, for migration. All faculty are expected to move from Blackboard at their college's scheduled time.

No. We sincerely appreciate your enthusiasm, but UMass Lowell leadership decided on a phased approach, by College, for migration. All faculty are expected to move to Canvas at their college's scheduled time.

Please visit the Canvas Higher Ed page as a starting point. Another great resource for faculty is the Canvas Instructor Guides page.

Users will have access to Blackboard until approximately Summer 2026. After that, we will have course archives available upon request if needed on the Canvas system.

Yes! Canvas has an app for Faculty. Download the Canvas Faculty app for your device.