Before adding users, define the roles and permissions that control what each person can access and do in Schoology. This page helps you understand your options and decide what to configure.
What are roles
Roles determine a user's level of access. Schoology includes 4 default roles:
|
Role |
Typical use |
|---|---|
|
System administrator |
Full access to all settings, users, and data across the organization |
|
Administrator |
Manages a school building or department within the organization |
|
Instructor |
Creates and manages courses, grades assignments, communicates with students |
|
Student |
Accesses courses, submits work, views grades |
When to create custom roles
Create a custom role when:
-
A user group needs more access than one default role provides but less than another, for example, a department head who manages courses but not building-level settings.
-
You want to restrict a specific permission for a subset of users, for example, preventing certain instructors from creating groups.
-
Your organization has parent or family member accounts that need limited visibility
Recommended setup order
-
Review default roles — Confirm the 4 defaults meet most of your needs.
-
Create custom roles — Add any roles your organization requires.
-
Configure permissions — Adjust what each role can access (courses, groups, resources, apps).
-
Set privacy thresholds — Control what user profile information is visible to other roles.
Complete this before importing users. Roles assigned during import cannot be changed in bulk afterward without re-importing.