Roles

API for managing account- and course-level roles, and their associated permissions.

A RolePermissions object looks like:

{
  // Whether the role has the permission
  "enabled": true,
  // Whether the permission is locked by this role
  "locked": false,
  // Whether the permission applies to the account this role is in. Only present
  // if enabled is true
  "applies_to_self": true,
  // Whether the permission cascades down to sub accounts of the account this role
  // is in. Only present if enabled is true
  "applies_to_descendants": false,
  // Whether the permission can be modified in this role (i.e. whether the
  // permission is locked by an upstream role).
  "readonly": false,
  // Whether the value of enabled is specified explicitly by this role, or
  // inherited from an upstream role.
  "explicit": true,
  // The value that would have been inherited from upstream if the role had not
  // explicitly set a value. Only present if explicit is true.
  "prior_default": false
}

A Role object looks like:

{
  // The id of the role
  "id": 1,
  // The label of the role.
  "label": "New Role",
  // The label of the role. (Deprecated alias for 'label')
  "role": "New Role",
  // The role type that is being used as a base for this role. For account-level
  // roles, this is 'AccountMembership'. For course-level roles, it is an
  // enrollment type.
  "base_role_type": "AccountMembership",
  // Whether this role applies to account memberships (i.e., not linked to an
  // enrollment in a course).
  "is_account_role": true,
  // JSON representation of the account the role is defined in.
  "account": {"id":1019,"name":"CGNU","parent_account_id":73,"root_account_id":1,"sis_account_id":"cgnu"},
  // The state of the role: 'active', 'inactive', or 'built_in'
  "workflow_state": "active",
  // The date and time the role was created.
  "created_at": "2020-12-01T16:20:00-06:00",
  // The date and time the role was last updated.
  "last_updated_at": "2023-10-31T23:59:00-06:00",
  // A dictionary of permissions keyed by name (see permissions input parameter in
  // the 'Create a role' API).
  "permissions": {"read_course_content":{"enabled":true,"locked":false,"readonly":false,"explicit":true,"prior_default":false},"read_course_list":{"enabled":true,"locked":true,"readonly":true,"explicit":false},"read_question_banks":{"enabled":false,"locked":true,"readonly":false,"explicit":true,"prior_default":false},"read_reports":{"enabled":true,"locked":false,"readonly":false,"explicit":false}}
}

List roles

RoleOverridesController#api_index

GET /api/v1/accounts/:account_id/roles

Scope: url:GET|/api/v1/accounts/:account_id/roles

A paginated list of the roles available to an account.

Request Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Description
account_id	Required string	The id of the account to retrieve roles for.
state[]	string	Filter by role state. If this argument is omitted, only ‘active’ roles are returned. Allowed values: active, inactive
show_inherited	boolean	If this argument is true, all roles inherited from parent accounts will be included.

Returns a list ofRole objects.

Get a single role

RoleOverridesController#show

GET /api/v1/accounts/:account_id/roles/:id

Scope: url:GET|/api/v1/accounts/:account_id/roles/:id

Retrieve information about a single role

Request Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Description
account_id	Required string	The id of the account containing the role
role_id	Required integer	The unique identifier for the role
role	string	The name for the role

Returns aRole object.

Create a new role

RoleOverridesController#add_role

POST /api/v1/accounts/:account_id/roles

Scope: url:POST|/api/v1/accounts/:account_id/roles

Create a new course-level or account-level role.

Request Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Description
label	Required string	Label for the role.
role	string	Deprecated alias for label.
base_role_type	string	Specifies the role type that will be used as a base for the permissions granted to this role. Defaults to ‘AccountMembership’ if absent Allowed values: AccountMembership, StudentEnrollment, TeacherEnrollment, TaEnrollment, ObserverEnrollment, DesignerEnrollment
permissions[<X>][explicit]	boolean	no description
permissions[<X>][enabled]	boolean	If explicit is 1 and enabled is 1, permission <X> will be explicitly granted to this role. If explicit is 1 and enabled has any other value (typically 0), permission <X> will be explicitly denied to this role. If explicit is any other value (typically 0) or absent, or if enabled is absent, the value for permission <X> will be inherited from upstream. Ignored if permission <X> is locked upstream (in an ancestor account). May occur multiple times with unique values for <X>. Recognized permission names for <X> are: [For Account-Level Roles Only] become_user -- Users - act as import_sis -- SIS Data - import manage_account_memberships -- Admins - add / remove manage_account_settings -- Account-level settings - manage manage_alerts -- Global announcements - add / edit / delete manage_catalog -- Catalog - manage Manage Course Templates granular permissions add_course_template -- Course Templates - add delete_course_template -- Course Templates - delete edit_course_template -- Course Templates - edit manage_courses_add -- Courses - add manage_courses_admin -- Courses - manage / update manage_developer_keys -- Developer keys - manage manage_feature_flags -- Feature Options - enable / disable manage_master_courses -- Blueprint Courses - add / edit / associate / delete manage_role_overrides -- Permissions - manage manage_storage_quotas -- Storage Quotas - manage manage_sis -- SIS data - manage Manage Temporary Enrollments granular permissions temporary_enrollments_add -- Temporary Enrollments - add temporary_enrollments_edit -- Temporary Enrollments - edit temporary_enrollments_delete -- Temporary Enrollments - delete manage_user_logins -- Users - manage login details manage_user_observers -- Users - manage observers moderate_user_content -- Users - moderate content read_course_content -- Course Content - view read_course_list -- Courses - view list view_course_changes -- Courses - view change logs view_feature_flags -- Feature Options - view view_grade_changes -- Grades - view change logs view_notifications -- Notifications - view view_quiz_answer_audits -- Quizzes - view submission log view_statistics -- Statistics - view undelete_courses -- Courses - undelete [For both Account-Level and Course-Level roles] Note: Applicable enrollment types for course-level roles are given in brackets: S = student, T = teacher (instructor), A = TA, D = designer, O = observer. Lower-case letters indicate permissions that are off by default. A missing letter indicates the permission cannot be enabled for the role or any derived custom roles. allow_course_admin_actions -- [ Tad ] Users - allow administrative actions in courses create_collaborations -- [STADo] Student Collaborations - create create_conferences -- [STADo] Web conferences - create create_forum -- [STADo] Discussions - create generate_observer_pairing_code -- [ tado] Users - Generate observer pairing codes for students import_outcomes -- [ TaDo] Learning Outcomes - import manage_account_banks -- [ td ] Item Banks - manage account share_banks_with_subaccounts -- [ tad ] Item Banks - share with subaccounts Manage Assignments and Quizzes granular permissions manage_assignments_add -- [ TADo] Assignments and Quizzes - add manage_assignments_edit -- [ TADo] Assignments and Quizzes - edit / manage manage_assignments_delete -- [ TADo] Assignments and Quizzes - delete manage_calendar -- [sTADo] Course Calendar - add / edit / delete Manage Course Content granular permissions manage_course_content_add -- [ TADo] Course Content - add manage_course_content_edit -- [ TADo] Course Content - edit manage_course_content_delete -- [ TADo] Course Content - delete manage_course_visibility -- [ TAD ] Course - change visibility Manage Courses granular permissions manage_courses_conclude -- [ TaD ] Courses - conclude manage_courses_delete -- [ TaD ] Courses - delete manage_courses_publish -- [ TaD ] Courses - publish manage_courses_reset -- [ TaD ] Courses - reset Manage Files granular permissions manage_files_add -- [ TADo] Course Files - add manage_files_edit -- [ TADo] Course Files - edit manage_files_delete -- [ TADo] Course Files - delete manage_grades -- [ TA ] Grades - edit Manage Groups granular permissions manage_groups_add -- [ TAD ] Groups - add manage_groups_delete -- [ TAD ] Groups - delete manage_groups_manage -- [ TAD ] Groups - manage manage_interaction_alerts -- [ Ta ] Alerts - add / edit / delete manage_outcomes -- [sTaDo] Learning Outcomes - add / edit / delete manage_proficiency_calculations -- [ t d ] Outcome Proficiency Calculations - add / edit / delete manage_proficiency_scales -- [ t d ] Outcome Proficiency/Mastery Scales - add / edit / delete Manage Sections granular permissions manage_sections_add -- [ TaD ] Course Sections - add manage_sections_edit -- [ TaD ] Course Sections - edit manage_sections_delete -- [ TaD ] Course Sections - delete manage_students -- [ TAD ] Users - manage students in courses manage_rubrics -- [ TAD ] Rubrics - add / edit / delete Manage Pages granular permissions manage_wiki_create -- [ TADo] Pages - create manage_wiki_delete -- [ TADo] Pages - delete manage_wiki_update -- [ TADo] Pages - update moderate_forum -- [sTADo] Discussions - moderate post_to_forum -- [STADo] Discussions - post read_announcements -- [STADO] Announcements - view read_email_addresses -- [sTAdo] Users - view primary email address read_forum -- [STADO] Discussions - view read_question_banks -- [ TADo] Question banks - view and link read_reports -- [ TAD ] Reports - manage read_roster -- [STADo] Users - view list read_sis -- [sTa ] SIS Data - read select_final_grade -- [ TA ] Grades - select final grade for moderation send_messages -- [STADo] Conversations - send messages to individual course members send_messages_all -- [sTADo] Conversations - send messages to entire class Users - Teacher granular permissions add_teacher_to_course -- [ Tad ] Add a teacher enrollment to a course remove_teacher_from_course -- [ Tad ] Remove a Teacher enrollment from a course Users - TA granular permissions add_ta_to_course -- [ Tad ] Add a TA enrollment to a course remove_ta_from_course -- [ Tad ] Remove a TA enrollment from a course Users - Designer granular permissions add_designer_to_course -- [ Tad ] Add a designer enrollment to a course remove_designer_from_course -- [ Tad ] Remove a designer enrollment from a course Users - Observer granular permissions add_observer_to_course -- [ Tad ] Add an observer enrollment to a course remove_observer_from_course -- [ Tad ] Remove an observer enrollment from a course Users - Student granular permissions add_student_to_course -- [ Tad ] Add a student enrollment to a course remove_student_from_course -- [ Tad ] Remove a student enrollment from a course view_all_grades -- [ TAd ] Grades - view all grades view_analytics -- [sTA ] Analytics - view pages view_audit_trail -- [ t ] Grades - view audit trail view_group_pages -- [sTADo] Groups - view all student groups view_user_logins -- [ TA ] Users - view login IDs Some of these permissions are applicable only for roles on the site admin account, on a root account, or for course-level roles with a particular base role type; if a specified permission is inapplicable, it will be ignored. Additional permissions may exist based on installed plugins. A comprehensive list of all permissions are available: Course Permissions PDF: bit.ly/cnvs-course-permissions Account Permissions PDF: bit.ly/cnvs-acct-permissions
permissions[<X>][locked]	boolean	If the value is 1, permission <X> will be locked downstream (new roles in subaccounts cannot override the setting). For any other value, permission <X> is left unlocked. Ignored if permission <X> is already locked upstream. May occur multiple times with unique values for <X>.
permissions[<X>][applies_to_self]	boolean	If the value is 1, permission <X> applies to the account this role is in. The default value is 1. Must be true if applies_to_descendants is false. This value is only returned if enabled is true.
permissions[<X>][applies_to_descendants]	boolean	If the value is 1, permission <X> cascades down to sub accounts of the account this role is in. The default value is 1. Must be true if applies_to_self is false.This value is only returned if enabled is true.

Example Request:

curl 'https://<canvas>/api/v1/accounts/<account_id>/roles.json' \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>" \
     -F 'label=New Role' \
     -F 'permissions[read_course_content][explicit]=1' \
     -F 'permissions[read_course_content][enabled]=1' \
     -F 'permissions[read_course_list][locked]=1' \
     -F 'permissions[read_question_banks][explicit]=1' \
     -F 'permissions[read_question_banks][enabled]=0' \
     -F 'permissions[read_question_banks][locked]=1'

Returns aRole object.

Deactivate a role

RoleOverridesController#remove_role

DELETE /api/v1/accounts/:account_id/roles/:id

Scope: url:DELETE|/api/v1/accounts/:account_id/roles/:id

Deactivates a custom role. This hides it in the user interface and prevents it from being assigned to new users. Existing users assigned to the role will continue to function with the same permissions they had previously. Built-in roles cannot be deactivated.

Request Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Description
role_id	Required integer	The unique identifier for the role
role	string	The name for the role

Returns aRole object.

Activate a role

RoleOverridesController#activate_role

POST /api/v1/accounts/:account_id/roles/:id/activate

Scope: url:POST|/api/v1/accounts/:account_id/roles/:id/activate

Re-activates an inactive role (allowing it to be assigned to new users)

Request Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Description
role_id	Required integer	The unique identifier for the role
role	Deprecated	The name for the role

Returns aRole object.

Update a role

RoleOverridesController#update

PUT /api/v1/accounts/:account_id/roles/:id

Scope: url:PUT|/api/v1/accounts/:account_id/roles/:id

Update permissions for an existing role.

Recognized roles are:

• TeacherEnrollment

• StudentEnrollment

• TaEnrollment

• ObserverEnrollment

• DesignerEnrollment

• AccountAdmin

• Any previously created custom role

Request Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Description
label	string	The label for the role. Can only change the label of a custom role that belongs directly to the account.
permissions[<X>][explicit]	boolean	no description
permissions[<X>][enabled]	boolean	These arguments are described in the documentation for the add_role method.
permissions[<X>][applies_to_self]	boolean	If the value is 1, permission <X> applies to the account this role is in. The default value is 1. Must be true if applies_to_descendants is false. This value is only returned if enabled is true.
permissions[<X>][applies_to_descendants]	boolean	If the value is 1, permission <X> cascades down to sub accounts of the account this role is in. The default value is 1. Must be true if applies_to_self is false.This value is only returned if enabled is true.

Example Request:

curl https://<canvas>/api/v1/accounts/:account_id/roles/2 \
  -X PUT \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer <access_token>' \
  -F 'label=New Role Name' \
  -F 'permissions[manage_groups][explicit]=1' \
  -F 'permissions[manage_groups][enabled]=1' \
  -F 'permissions[manage_groups][locked]=1' \
  -F 'permissions[send_messages][explicit]=1' \
  -F 'permissions[send_messages][enabled]=0'

Returns aRole object.

---

This documentation is generated directly from the Canvas LMS source code, available on Github.