Frequently Asked Questions

For learners:

How do I access the Course Catalogue?

The Course Catalogue is available at: https://r.dur.ac.uk/blackboard/catalogue

How do I sign up for an account?

Click on the sign up link at the top left of the screen and complete the form. If you are a Durham student or staff member, you cannot use your Durham email to sign up for external courses, please use a different email address. Access tokens will be sent to this email address to log in, so please ensure you will have access to the email you choose for the duration of your course.

I haven't received a validation code to set up my account

Click the 'Resend code' link to send another code. Don't forget to check your junk mail folder. Add the 'courseaccess@durham.ac.uk' to your safe senders list in your email account to ensure these emails aren't filtered as junk mail. If you are still unable to complete the sign up process, please contact us for more help (see below).

I haven't received an access code to log in

Click the 'Resend Email' link to send another code. Don't forget to check your junk mail folder. Add the 'courseaccess@durham.ac.uk' to your safe senders list in your email account to ensure these emails aren't filtered as junk mail. If you are still unable to sign in, please contact us for more help (see below).

What kind of device do I need to study these courses?

You can use a standard computer or smartphone to access the course catalogue, and for studying on the courses. However, we recommend that you complete the initial signup process on a laptop or desktop browser, rather than on a mobile browser or via the Blackboard mobile app. There’s more information on supported browsers here. Please ensure that you have allowed pop-ups for *blackboard.durham.ac.uk web addresses in your browser.

Are these courses accessible?

Accessibility information for the Course Catalogue platform can be found here: Accessibility Overview

There is also specific guidance on alternative formats for course content.

If you have specific access requirements, please contact the course co-ordinator(s) to discuss. Their contact details will be listed in the course description on the catalogue.

Will I have access to a course tutor for my course?

We offer courses in a range of modalities - some are taught, and some are self-paced for independent study. Each course will be clearly labelled with the modality in the catalogue.

My course says I need an access code to enrol, where do I find this?

Access codes are used to ensure that courses are only available to some learners. If you believe you should have access to the course, and you haven't received an access code, please contact the course co-ordinator(s). Their contact details will be listed in the course description on the catalogue.

My course says 'Admin approval needed to enrol', how do I get in?

Click the enrol button to send an enrolment request to the course co-ordinator. When this is approved, you will receive an email to let you know that you have access to the course.

Where do I find the course(s) I have enrolled in?

If you are in the Course Catalogue, your courses will be listed in your Dashboard, linked from the left-hand menu. From here, you can click 'Start Course' (or 'Continue Course') to access them. This will open the learning environment in a new tab in your browser.

If you are already in the learning environment, and you want to move between courses, you can do this using the Courses dropdown at the top left of the screen, or by clicking the Home button and choosing Courses from the left hand menu.

How do I get back to the Catalogue from the learning environment?

You can use the direct link, or go to Home > Tools > Course Catalogue