Course Requests in SPIRE

Owned by Marcie Savoie (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Mar 15, 2023 by Sadaf Rathod

Course Requests in SPIRE

Blackboard Learn Course Request Overview

Please review the following information before you submit a Blackboard Learn course request in SPIRE.

  • Only the primary instructor of record can request a Blackboard Learn course. Requests for courses are processed through SPIRE.
  • You must have a Blackboard Learn-eligible class or classes. Review our Eligibility Information for an overview of criteria.
    • If your course is currently set to use Moodle and you would prefer to use Blackboard, please contact Instruct@umass.edu.
  • You must request a Blackboard Learn course each term that you wish to use it. New course requests are necessary for each subsequent new term.
  • You will receive a confirmation email when your Blackboard Learn course is ready to use. Wait to receive this email before opening your new course to set up your course tools or to add content.
  • You must fill out a separate request for each Blackboard Learn course you wish to request.

Part 1: Choose Class Section(s) to include in a Blackboard Learn Course

  1.  Log into SPIRE, the SPIRE Center page will open.

  2. On the SPIRE Center page, select the Faculty Center tile. Under the Learning Management Systems heading, select the Blackboard Learn Course Request page. The Choose a Term page opens.

  3. On the Choose a Term page, select the academic term for the Blackboard Learn course you will be requesting. The Choose Course Type page will open.

    1. If you do not have a course available for a term, that term will not appear on the list.

      Choose a Term page with term link circled
  4. On the Choose Course Type page, under Class sections currently available for request: is a list of your Blackboard Learn-eligible class sections for the selected term. Further down, under the heading Class sections already requested this term, is a list of the classes for which you already requested Blackboard Learn courses (if any). Review your class list to ensure the course you would like to request is not assigned to a Learning Management System.
    Unassigned Class Sections List
  5. On the Choose Course Type page, under How many class sections will this Blackboard Learn Course include?:
    1. Select One class section to request a Blackboard Learn course for a single class section.
      Choose Course Type page with One Class Section option circled
    2. Select Multiple class sections (combined in one Blackboard Learn course) to combine multiple-section or cross-listed class into a single Blackboard Learn course.
  6.  Click Continue. Depending on your choice the next page will be Choose a Class Section or Choose Class Sections to Combine.
    Choose Course Type page with Continue link circled
  7.  On the Choose a Class Section or Choose Class Sections to Combine page:
    1. If you changed your mind about the number of class sections to include in your Blackboard Learn course, click Back to return to the Choose Course Type page.
    2. If you are requesting a single section course, select a class section and click the Request single-section Blackboard Learn course button.
      Choose a Class Section page with course selection button circled
      Choose a Class Section page with Request single-section Blackboard Learn course button circled
    3.  If you are requesting to combine multiple-section or cross-listed classes into a single Blackboard Learn course, select the check boxes for all of the class sections that you want to include and click Request multiple-section Blackboard Learn course. A Confirmation page will open listing the class sections. Click Combine sections into one Blackboard Learn course, or to change the sections to combine click Back.
  8. The Describe Course Content & Submit page will open.


Part 2: Describe Course Content & Submit

  1. The top of the Describe Course Content & Submit page lists the class section(s) comprising your Blackboard Learn course request, followed by your contact information. Review this information to ensure it is correct.
  2. Under Course Content, select how you intend to set up your Blackboard Learn course (required). 
    Describe Course Content page
    1.  Select Build a new Blackboard Learn class to create a new blank course shell.
    2.  Select Reuse a class previously taught in Blackboard Learn and select a previous course on the drop down menu to create a copy of a course shell you have used in the past.
      Reuse a class previous taught in Blackboard Learn
    3. Select Copy another Instructor's Blackboard Learn class and select an instructor's name on the drop down menu to create a copy of another instructor's course shell. Include the semester and SPIRE# of the course you would like to copy in the Comments box. Please note that the Blackboard administrators will require written permission from the original instructor before the course shell can be copied.
      Copy another Instructor's Blackboard Learn class option

      3. Use the Comments box to provide any additional information you might want to communicate to the Blackboard Learn administrators.

      4. Click the Submit button. A Confirmation page will open.

          Comments box

Part 3: Confirm and Check Course Request Status

  1. The message on the Confirmation page displays the email address that the Blackboard Learn administrators will use to notify you when your course is ready to use. Expect the email message within three business days.
  2. To request another course for this semester, click the Request Another Course button.
    Confirmation Page with Request Another Course button
  3. To check the status of your Blackboard Learn Course request, in the SPIRE Menu, go to Faculty Home > My Blackboard Learn Courses.