diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/course_module.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/course_module.py
index 2b5ec749f1..66b3c0630f 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/course_module.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/course_module.py
@@ -828,13 +828,17 @@ class CourseDescriptor(CourseFields, SequenceDescriptor):
         Returns the desired text corresponding the course's start date.  Prefers .advertised_start,
         then falls back to .start
         """
+        i18n = self.runtime.service(self, "i18n")
+        _ = i18n.ugettext
+        strftime = i18n.strftime
+
         def try_parse_iso_8601(text):
             try:
                 result = Date().from_json(text)
                 if result is None:
                     result = text.title()
                 else:
-                    result = result.strftime("%b %d, %Y")
+                    result = strftime(result, "SHORT_DATE")
             except ValueError:
                 result = text.title()
 
@@ -843,12 +847,12 @@ class CourseDescriptor(CourseFields, SequenceDescriptor):
         if isinstance(self.advertised_start, basestring):
             return try_parse_iso_8601(self.advertised_start)
         elif self.start_date_is_still_default:
-            _ = self.runtime.service(self, "i18n").ugettext
             # Translators: TBD stands for 'To Be Determined' and is used when a course
             # does not yet have an announced start date.
             return _('TBD')
         else:
-            return (self.advertised_start or self.start).strftime("%b %d, %Y")
+            when = self.advertised_start or self.start
+            return strftime(when, "SHORT_DATE")
 
     @property
     def start_date_is_still_default(self):
@@ -865,7 +869,11 @@ class CourseDescriptor(CourseFields, SequenceDescriptor):
 
         If the course does not have an end date set (course.end is None), an empty string will be returned.
         """
-        return '' if self.end is None else self.end.strftime("%b %d, %Y")
+        if self.end is None:
+            return ''
+        else:
+            strftime = self.runtime.service(self, "i18n").strftime
+            return strftime(self.end, "SHORT_DATE")
 
     @property
     def forum_posts_allowed(self):
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/module_render.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/module_render.py
index cb2036a04c..382131f262 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/module_render.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/module_render.py
@@ -25,8 +25,6 @@ from lms.lib.xblock.runtime import LmsModuleSystem, unquote_slashes
 from edxmako.shortcuts import render_to_string
 from psychometrics.psychoanalyze import make_psychometrics_data_update_handler
 from student.models import anonymous_id_for_user, user_by_anonymous_id
-from util.json_request import JsonResponse
-from util.sandboxing import can_execute_unsafe_code
 from xblock.core import XBlock
 from xblock.fields import Scope
 from xblock.runtime import KvsFieldData, KeyValueStore
@@ -42,6 +40,10 @@ from xmodule_modifiers import replace_course_urls, replace_jump_to_id_urls, repl
 from xmodule.lti_module import LTIModule
 from xmodule.x_module import XModuleDescriptor
 
+from util.date_utils import strftime_localized
+from util.json_request import JsonResponse
+from util.sandboxing import can_execute_unsafe_code
+
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -428,10 +430,7 @@ def get_module_for_descriptor_internal(user, descriptor, field_data_cache, cours
         wrappers=block_wrappers,
         get_real_user=user_by_anonymous_id,
         services={
-            # django.utils.translation implements the gettext.Translations
-            # interface (it has ugettext, ungettext, etc), so we can use it
-            # directly as the runtime i18n service.
-            'i18n': django.utils.translation,
+            'i18n': ModuleI18nService(),
         },
         get_user_role=lambda: get_user_role(user, course_id),
     )
@@ -652,3 +651,20 @@ def _check_files_limits(files):
                 return msg
 
     return None
+
+
+class ModuleI18nService(object):
+    """
+    Implement the XBlock runtime "i18n" service.
+
+    Mostly a pass-through to Django's translation module.
+    django.utils.translation implements the gettext.Translations interface (it
+    has ugettext, ungettext, etc), so we can use it directly as the runtime
+    i18n service.
+
+    """
+    def __getattr__(self, name):
+        return getattr(django.utils.translation, name)
+
+    def strftime(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        return strftime_localized(*args, **kwargs)