diff --git a/lib/WeBWorK3/Hooks.pm b/lib/WeBWorK3/Hooks.pm
index 9752a8b8..89ada1dc 100644
--- a/lib/WeBWorK3/Hooks.pm
+++ b/lib/WeBWorK3/Hooks.pm
@@ -63,9 +63,12 @@ our $check_permission = sub ($next, $c, $action, $) {
 		$user = { %$user, $course_user->get_inflated_columns };
 	}
 
+	# most routes use user_id as a parameter, but one uses 'user' instead.
+	my $user_id = $c->stash('user_id') // $c->stash('user');
+
 	if ($c->req->url->to_string =~ /\/api/x) {
 		# don't consult the permission table if a user is requesting their own information
-		my $userRequestingOwnInfo = ($c->stash('user_id') && $user->{user_id} == $c->stash('user_id')) ? 1 : 0;
+		my $userRequestingOwnInfo = ($user_id && $user->{user_id} == $user_id) ? 1 : 0;
 
 		if ($userRequestingOwnInfo
 			|| has_permission($user, $c->perm_table->{ $c->{stash}{controller} }{ $c->{stash}{action} }))
diff --git a/src/common/views.ts b/src/common/views.ts
index 8eb59648..7ff09f1a 100644
--- a/src/common/views.ts
+++ b/src/common/views.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,13 @@ export const student_views: Array<ViewInfo> = [
 ];
 
 export const instructor_views: Array<ViewInfo> = [
+	{
+		name: 'Dashboard',
+		component_name: 'Dashboard',
+		icon: 'speed',
+		route: 'dashboard',
+		sidebars: []
+	},
 	{
 		name: 'Calendar',
 		component_name: 'Calendar',
diff --git a/src/components/common/UserCourses.vue b/src/components/common/UserCourses.vue
index e3990417..041e495c 100644
--- a/src/components/common/UserCourses.vue
+++ b/src/components/common/UserCourses.vue
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 						<template v-for="course in instructor_courses" :key="course.course_id">
 							<q-item
 								:to="{
-									name: 'instructor',
+									name: 'InstructorDashboard',
 									params: { course_id: course.course_id }
 								}">
 								<q-item-section>
diff --git a/src/layouts/MenuBar.vue b/src/layouts/MenuBar.vue
index 768ea49c..83b501c1 100644
--- a/src/layouts/MenuBar.vue
+++ b/src/layouts/MenuBar.vue
@@ -64,13 +64,17 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
 import { computed, defineEmits, ref } from 'vue';
 import { useRouter } from 'vue-router';
-import { endSession } from 'src/common/api-requests/session';
 import { useI18n } from 'vue-i18n';
+
 import { setI18nLanguage } from 'boot/i18n';
+import { logger } from 'src/boot/logger';
+
+import { endSession } from 'src/common/api-requests/session';
 import { useSessionStore } from 'src/stores/session';
-import type { CourseSettingInfo } from 'src/common/models/settings';
 import { useSettingsStore } from 'src/stores/settings';
-import { logger } from 'src/boot/logger';
+
+import type { CourseSettingInfo } from 'src/common/models/settings';
+import { UserRole } from 'src/common/models/parsers';
 
 defineEmits(['toggle-menu', 'toggle-sidebar']);
 const session = useSessionStore();
@@ -87,8 +91,12 @@ const user_courses = computed(() =>
 const changeCourse = (course_id: number, course_name: string) => {
 	const new_course = session.user_courses.find(course => course.course_name === course_name);
 
+	// This sets the path to the instructor or student dashboard.
+	const role = new_course?.role === UserRole.instructor ?
+		'instructor' : new_course?.role === UserRole.student ? 'student' : 'UNKNOWN';
+
 	if (new_course != undefined) {
-		router.push(`/courses/${new_course.course_id}`).then(() => {
+		router.push(`/courses/${new_course.course_id}/${role}`).then(() => {
 			session.setCourse({
 				course_name: new_course.course_name,
 				course_id: new_course.course_id
diff --git a/src/layouts/MenuSidebar.vue b/src/layouts/MenuSidebar.vue
index 61fab358..4be50749 100644
--- a/src/layouts/MenuSidebar.vue
+++ b/src/layouts/MenuSidebar.vue
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@ export default defineComponent({
 					? admin_views
 					: /^\/courses\/\d+\/instructor/.exec(route.path)
 						? instructor_views
-						: student_views
+						: /^\/courses\/\d+\/student/.exec(route.path)
+							? student_views
+							: []
 			),
 			changeView: (view: ViewInfo) => {
 				void router.push({ name: view.component_name, params: route.params });
diff --git a/src/pages/instructor/Dashboard.vue b/src/pages/instructor/Dashboard.vue
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..88881b44
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/pages/instructor/Dashboard.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+<template>
+<div class="q-pa-md">
+	<div class="text-h6">Instructor Dashboard</div>
+	<p>This is the instructor landing page/dashboard. To get started select a tool
+		from the list on the left.
+	</p>
+</div>
+</template>
diff --git a/src/router/routes.ts b/src/router/routes.ts
index 792e6f1d..c2b0f565 100644
--- a/src/router/routes.ts
+++ b/src/router/routes.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ const routes: RouteRecordRaw[] = [
 					)
 			},
 			{
-				path: 'courses/:course_id',
+				path: 'courses/:course_id/student',
 				component: () =>
 					import(
 						/* webpackChunkName: "Student" */
@@ -113,6 +113,15 @@ const routes: RouteRecordRaw[] = [
 				name: 'instructor',
 				meta: { requiresAuth: true },
 				children: [
+					{
+						path: '',
+						name: 'InstructorDashboard',
+						component: () =>
+							import(
+								/* webpackChunkName: "Dashboard" */
+								'pages/instructor/Dashboard.vue'
+							)
+					},
 					{
 						path: 'settings',
 						name: 'Settings',