diff --git a/conf/authen_CAS.conf.dist b/conf/authen_CAS.conf.dist
index 67f482b21e..b6393fb5d8 100644
--- a/conf/authen_CAS.conf.dist
+++ b/conf/authen_CAS.conf.dist
@@ -12,6 +12,15 @@ $authen{user_module} = {
   "*" => "WeBWorK::Authen::CAS",
 };
 
+# List of authentication modules that may be used to enter the admin course.
+# This should be a non-empty sublist of whatever is in $authen{user_module}.
+# Since the admin course provides overall power to add/delete courses, access
+# to this course should be protected by the best possible authentication you
+# have available to you.
+$authen{admin_module} = [
+	'WeBWorK::Authen::CAS'
+];
+
 $authen{cas_options} = {
 	# Options to pass to the AuthCAS module.
 	# Note that this is (plain) AuthCAS, not Apache::AuthCAS
diff --git a/conf/authen_LTI.conf.dist b/conf/authen_LTI.conf.dist
index 091bdc4e89..b1aa65746e 100644
--- a/conf/authen_LTI.conf.dist
+++ b/conf/authen_LTI.conf.dist
@@ -45,6 +45,26 @@ $authen{user_module} = [
 	{ '*' => 'WeBWorK::Authen::Basic_TheLastOption' }    # fallback authorization method
 ];
 
+# List of authentication modules that may be used to enter the admin course.
+# This should be a non-empty sublist of whatever is in $authen{user_module}.
+# Since the admin course provides overall power to add/delete courses, access
+# to this course should be protected by the best possible authentication you
+# have available to you.  The current default is
+# WeBWorK::Authen::Basic_TheLastOption which is simple password based
+# authentication for a password locally stored in your WeBWorK server's
+# database.  On one hand, this is necessary as the initial setting, as it is the
+# only option available when a new server is being installed.  However, since
+# this option does not make use of multi-factor authentication or provide any
+# capabilities to prevent dictionary attacks, etc.  At the very least you should
+# use a very strong password.  If you have the option to use a more secure
+# authentication approach to the admin course (one which you are confident
+# cannot be spoofed) that is preferable.
+$authen{admin_module} = [
+	#'WeBWorK::Authen::LTIAdvantage',
+	#'WeBWorK::Authen::LTIAdvanced',
+	'WeBWorK::Authen::Basic_TheLastOption'
+];
+
 # Include configurations.  You must uncomment at least one of the following. You may uncomment
 # both if the site may be using both LTI 1.1 and 1.3 in different courses. After uncommenting
 # the LTI_1_x line, you must copy the file authen_LTI_1_x.conf.dist to authen_LTI_1_x.conf and
diff --git a/conf/authen_ldap.conf.dist b/conf/authen_ldap.conf.dist
index e895334729..3d794b96bb 100644
--- a/conf/authen_ldap.conf.dist
+++ b/conf/authen_ldap.conf.dist
@@ -12,6 +12,15 @@ $authen{user_module} = {
 	"*" => "WeBWorK::Authen::LDAP",
 };
 
+# List of authentication modules that may be used to enter the admin course.
+# This should be a non-empty sublist of whatever is in $authen{user_module}.
+# Since the admin course provides overall power to add/delete courses, access
+# to this course should be protected by the best possible authentication you
+# have available to you.
+$authen{admin_module} = [
+	'WeBWorK::Authen::LDAP'
+];
+
 $authen{ldap_options} = {
 	# hosts to attempt to connect to, in order. For example:
 	#   auth.myschool.edu             -- uses LDAP scheme and port 389
diff --git a/conf/defaults.config b/conf/defaults.config
index aca53eab22..b65958fbda 100644
--- a/conf/defaults.config
+++ b/conf/defaults.config
@@ -716,28 +716,29 @@ $modelCoursesForCopy = [ "modelCourse" ];
 # Select the authentication module to use for normal logins.
 #
 # If this value is a string, the given authentication module will be used
-# regardless of the database layout. If it is a hash, the database layout name
-# will be looked up in the hash and the resulting value will be used as the
-# authentication module. The special hash key "*" is used if no entry for the
-# current database layout is found.
-# If this value is a sequence of strings or hashes, then each
-# string or hash in the sequence will be successively tested to see if it
-# provides a module that can handle
-# the authentication request (by calling the module's
-#   sub  request_has_data_for_this_verification_module ).
-# The first module that responds affirmatively will be used.
+# regardless of the database layout.
 #
+# If it is a hash, the database layout name will be looked up in the hash and
+# the resulting value will be used as the authentication module.  The special
+# hash key "*" is used if no entry for the current database layout is found.
 #
-$authen{user_module} = {
-	# sql_moodle => "WeBWorK::Authen::Moodle",
-	# sql_ldap   => "WeBWorK::Authen::LDAP",
-	"*" => "WeBWorK::Authen::Basic_TheLastOption",
-};
+# If this value is a sequence of strings or hashes, then each string or hash in
+# the sequence will be successively tested to see if it provides a module that
+# can handle the authentication request by calling the module's sub
+# request_has_data_for_this_verification_module().  The first module that
+# responds affirmatively will be used.
+
+$authen{user_module} = {"*" => "WeBWorK::Authen::Basic_TheLastOption"};
 
 # Select the authentication module to use for proctor logins.
 # A string or a hash is accepted, as above.
 $authen{proctor_module} = "WeBWorK::Authen::Proctor";
 
+# List of authentication modules that may be used to enter the admin course.
+# This should always be an array reference with a subset of the modules named
+# in $authen{user_module}.
+$authen{admin_module} = ['WeBWorK::Authen::Basic_TheLastOption'];
+
 ################################################################################
 # Authorization system (Make local overrides in localOverrides.conf )
 ################################################################################
diff --git a/conf/localOverrides.conf.dist b/conf/localOverrides.conf.dist
index 453d6197ae..0604d1f5b2 100644
--- a/conf/localOverrides.conf.dist
+++ b/conf/localOverrides.conf.dist
@@ -437,12 +437,61 @@ $mail{feedbackRecipients}    = [
 # END_PREAMBLE
 
 ################################################################################
-# Authentication Methods
+# Authentication
 ################################################################################
 
 # Extra modules have been created to allow WeBWorK to use certain external
 # methods of authentication.
 
+# Select the authentication module to use for normal logins.
+#
+# If this value is a string, the given authentication module will be used
+# regardless of the database layout.
+#
+# If it is a hash, the database layout name will be looked up in the hash and
+# the resulting value will be used as the authentication module.  The special
+# hash key "*" is used if no entry for the current database layout is found.
+#
+# If this value is a sequence of strings or hashes, then each string or hash in
+# the sequence will be successively tested to see if it provides a module that
+# can handle the authentication request by calling the module's sub
+# request_has_data_for_this_verification_module().  The first module that
+# responds affirmatively will be used.
+
+#$authen{user_module} = {
+#	sql_moodle => "WeBWorK::Authen::Moodle",
+#	sql_ldap   => "WeBWorK::Authen::LDAP"
+#	"*"        => "WeBWorK::Authen::Basic_TheLastOption"
+#};
+
+# Select the authentication module to use for proctor logins.
+# A string or a hash is accepted, as above.
+#$authen{proctor_module} = "WeBWorK::Authen::Proctor";
+
+# List of authentication modules that may be used to enter the admin course.
+# This should be a non-empty sublist of whatever is in $authen{user_module}.
+# Since the admin course provides overall power to add/delete courses, access
+# to this course should be protected by the best possible authentication you
+# have available to you.  The current default is
+# WeBWorK::Authen::Basic_TheLastOption which is simple password based
+# authentication for a password locally stored in your WeBWorK server's
+# database.  On one hand, this is necessary as the initial setting, as it is the
+# only option available when a new server is being installed.  However, since
+# this option does not make use of multi-factor authentication or provide any
+# capabilities to prevent dictionary attacks, etc.  At the very least you should
+# use a very strong password.  If you have the option to use a more secure
+# authentication approach to the admin course (one which you are confident
+# cannot be spoofed) that is preferable.
+#
+# Note that if you include authentication module config files further down,
+# those may override the setting of $authen{admin_module} here.
+
+#$authen{admin_module} = [
+#	'WeBWorK::Authen::Moodle',
+#	'WeBWorK::Authen::LDAP',
+#	'WeBWorK::Authen::Basic_TheLastOption'
+#];
+
 ################################################################################
 # IMS LTI Authentication
 ################################################################################
diff --git a/lib/WeBWorK/Authen.pm b/lib/WeBWorK/Authen.pm
index 962dc3d9c5..ff9cd2de24 100644
--- a/lib/WeBWorK/Authen.pm
+++ b/lib/WeBWorK/Authen.pm
@@ -152,6 +152,18 @@ sub verify {
 	debug('BEGIN VERIFY');
 
 	return $self->call_next_authen_method if !$self->request_has_data_for_this_verification_module;
+	my $authen_ref = ref($self);
+	if ($c->ce->{courseName} eq $c->ce->{admin_course_id}
+		&& !(grep {/^$authen_ref$/} @{ $c->ce->{authen}{admin_module} }))
+	{
+		$self->write_log_entry("Cannot authenticate into admin course using $authen_ref.");
+		$c->stash(
+			authen_error => $c->maketext(
+				'There was an error during the login process.  Please speak to your instructor or system administrator.'
+			)
+		);
+		return $self->call_next_authen_method();
+	}
 
 	$self->{was_verified} = $self->do_verify;