Prerequisites, Requirements, and Locking in Canvas Modules

Last updated on June 5, 2026

A successful Canvas course typically involves a great deal of content for your students to navigate. Establishing the order in which you wish your students to progress through the course and then defining prerequisites, requirements and timeframes for that progression can help students understand your expectations and stay on track. 

Prerequisites, requirements, and module locking work by blocking student access to specific content until certain conditions have been satisfied. For example, when you lock a module in Canvas, you set a specific date and time when the content will  become available for your students. Modules with prerequisites require that previous modules be completed before students can access the new content. Requirements specify which items a student needs to complete for the entire module to be considered as complete; you can also use requirements to compel students to go through the module sequentially.

You can use any of these systems in any combination to define the order for students to access content in your course. For instance, you can lock a module until a certain date and also require that students complete the preceding module.

You can always choose to simply publish content as your course progresses, but using these tools can automate this task for you and preempt mistakes in publishing content. In general, this creates a more predictable and reliable learning experience for your students. Automation will ensure that you do not accidentally forget to publish a module and delay progress for your students. Setting prerequisites and requirements will guarantee that your students complete fundamental course and module objectives before advancing through the course.

Best Practices

• For courses that are built around a schedule, such as a new module every week, publish the module and then lock it until that time. Students will know exactly when the next module will be available, and there won’t be a chance for you to forget to publish content students need.
• For courses where every assignment and quiz must be completed to a certain standard before the student can progress, use requirements to compel the student to demonstrate mastery over simpler content before moving on to more difficult or complex material.
• Use prerequisite modules to ensure that students don’t move on to later course content without understanding the necessary foundational knowledge. Make sure any modules serving as prerequisites also have requirements set to designate when the module is complete and the student can move on.

Let’s walk through it together

1. Log in to your Canvas Account.
2. Select the Course you’d like to work in.
3. Click Modules in the left-hand navigation menu.
4. Find the Module that you would like to lock or add requirements or prerequisites for. 
5. Click the More Options (3-Dots) icon to the right of the module name.
6. Click Edit.

Lock the Module Until a Date and Time

9. Click the checkbox next to Lock Until to lock the module.
10. Click the Calendar icon in the Date field to select the date that the module will become available for students.
11. Click the Time field to select the time of day the module will open.
    • You may also type a custom time in the text box.
12. Set any prerequisites or requirements for the module (see below)
13. Click Save at the bottom right of the Module settings panel.

Set a Prerequisite for the Module

12. Click + Prerequisite to designate a module that must be completed before the current module is available to students.
    • Note: This option will not be available for the first module in a course, as there are no preceding modules to serve as prerequisites.
13. Click the Prerequisites dropdown menu to select which module that must be completed before the current module is made available.
    • Note: Any prerequisite modules must have requirements for completion. The module will be unlocked once a student has completed all requirements for the prerequisite module/s.
14. Click the X to the right of a prerequisite module if you would like to remove it.
15. Click + Add Prerequisite again if you would like to add another prerequisite module.
16. Set any requirements (see below)
17. Click Save.

Add Requirements for Module Completion

16. Click + Add Requirement to add a requirement for this module to be considered complete.
17. Select either Complete All or Complete one.
    • Complete All: Students will have to meet the completion requirement for all items added as a requirement.
      • Click the checkbox next to Students must complete through requirements in sequential order if you want to prevent students from jumping through the module out of order.
    • Complete one: Students only choose one of the items added as a requirement to complete.
18. Click the Content Drop-Down Menu to select the item to mark as required. This can be a Page, Quiz, Assignment, etc.
19. Click the Bottom Drop-Down Menu to select the completion requirement for the item. The options here will depend on what kind of content item has been chosen:
    • View the Item means the student will need to simply click on the item and open the webpage.
    • Mark as Done (Pages and Assignments only) means the student must also check a box on the page to signify the item is completed.
    • Contribute to the Page (Pages and Discussions only) means the student has posted to the discussion or made an edit on the page.
    • Submit the Assignment (Assignments, Quizzes, and Discussions only) means the student will need to submit work to meet the requirement.
    • Score At Least (Graded Assignments, Quizzes, and Discussions only) means the student will need to receive a minimum score on their work. This also means the student cannot meet the requirement until you grade their work, so this should not be used if work is not going to be graded promptly.
20. Repeat steps 16-19 for all items in the module you want to add as a requirement.
21. Click Save.

Have questions?

Need additional support on this or other teaching and learning topics? Please visit us for drop-in support (10am-3pm, M-F) or try one of our self-help tutorials. 

Ready to take your teaching to the next level? Opt into our Connections with CTLD newsletter!