diff --git a/common/djangoapps/student/views.py b/common/djangoapps/student/views.py
index 3acd02e115..06c59d7937 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/student/views.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/student/views.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ from xmodule.modulestore.exceptions import ItemNotFoundError
 from datetime import date
 from collections import namedtuple
 
-from courseware.courses import get_courses_by_start_date
+from courseware.courses import get_courses
 from courseware.access import has_access
 
 from statsd import statsd
@@ -75,7 +75,11 @@ def index(request, extra_context={}, user=None):
     if domain==False:				# do explicit check, because domain=None is valid
         domain = request.META.get('HTTP_HOST')
 
-    courses = get_courses_by_start_date(None, domain=domain)
+    courses = get_courses(None, domain=domain)
+
+    # Sort courses by how far are they from they start day
+    key = lambda course: course.metadata['days_to_start']
+    courses = sorted(courses, key=key, reverse=True)
 
     # Get the 3 most recent news
     top_news = _get_news(top=3)
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/courses.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/courses.py
index 422974cdcf..dc530bdebc 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/courses.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/courses.py
@@ -233,21 +233,7 @@ def get_courses(user, domain=None):
     courses = branding.get_visible_courses(domain)
     courses = [c for c in courses if has_access(user, c, 'see_exists')]
 
-    return courses
-
-
-def get_courses_by_start_date(user, domain=None):
-    """
-    Returns a list of courses available, sorted by start date
-    """
-    visible_courses = get_courses(user, domain)
-    courses = _sort_courses_and_mark_new(visible_courses)
-
-    return courses
-
-
-def _sort_courses_and_mark_new(courses):
-    """Sort by course start date and mark which have not started yet"""
+    # Add metadata about the start day and if the course is new
     for course in courses:
         days_to_start = _get_course_days_to_start(course)
 
@@ -255,9 +241,7 @@ def _sort_courses_and_mark_new(courses):
         metadata['days_to_start'] = days_to_start
         metadata['is_new'] = course.metadata.get('is_new', days_to_start > 1)
 
-    key = lambda c: c.metadata['days_to_start']
-    courses = sorted(courses, key=key, reverse=True)
-
+    courses = sorted(courses, key=lambda course:course.number)
     return courses
 
 
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/views.py
index dc83061fcd..f6e87dfe9f 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/views.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from django.views.decorators.cache import cache_control
 
 from courseware import grades
 from courseware.access import has_access
-from courseware.courses import (get_course_with_access, get_courses_by_start_date)
+from courseware.courses import (get_courses, get_course_with_access, get_courses_by_university)
 import courseware.tabs as tabs
 from courseware.models import StudentModuleCache
 from module_render import toc_for_course, get_module, get_instance_module
@@ -61,15 +61,18 @@ def user_groups(user):
     return group_names
 
 
-
 @ensure_csrf_cookie
 @cache_if_anonymous
 def courses(request):
     '''
     Render "find courses" page.  The course selection work is done in courseware.courses.
     '''
-    courses = get_courses_by_start_date(request.user,
-                                             domain=request.META.get('HTTP_HOST'))
+    courses = get_courses(request.user, domain=request.META.get('HTTP_HOST'))
+
+    # Sort courses by how far are they from they start day
+    key = lambda course: course.metadata['days_to_start']
+    courses = sorted(courses, key=key, reverse=True)
+
     return render_to_response("courseware/courses.html", {'courses': courses})
 
 
@@ -435,6 +438,11 @@ def university_profile(request, org_id):
     # Only grab courses for this org...
     courses = get_courses_by_university(request.user,
                                         domain=request.META.get('HTTP_HOST'))[org_id]
+
+    # Sort courses by how far are they from they start day
+    key = lambda course: course.metadata['days_to_start']
+    courses = sorted(courses, key=key, reverse=True)
+
     context = dict(courses=courses, org_id=org_id)
     template_file = "university_profile/{0}.html".format(org_id).lower()
 
diff --git a/lms/templates/course.html b/lms/templates/course.html
index dcf6ab895e..a3217d2da5 100644
--- a/lms/templates/course.html
+++ b/lms/templates/course.html
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 %>
 <%page args="course" />
 <article id="${course.id}" class="course">
-  %if course.metadata['is_new']:
+  %if course.metadata.get('is_new'):
     <span class="status">New</span>
   %endif
   <a href="${reverse('about_course', args=[course.id])}">