diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tests/test_course_settings.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tests/test_course_settings.py
index 74eff6e9cc..63da7a6045 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tests/test_course_settings.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tests/test_course_settings.py
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ from django.utils.timezone import UTC
 from cms.djangoapps.models.settings.course_grading import CourseGradingModel
 from cms.djangoapps.contentstore.utils import get_modulestore
 import copy
+from cms.djangoapps.models.settings.course_metadata import CourseMetadata
+from xmodule.modulestore.xml_importer import import_from_xml
+from xmodule.modulestore.django import modulestore
 
 # YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss.s+/-HH:MM
 class ConvertersTestCase(TestCase):
@@ -273,3 +276,53 @@ class CourseGradingTest(CourseTestCase):
         self.assertDictEqual(test_grader.graders[1], altered_grader, "drop_count[1] + 2")
         
         
+class CourseMetadataEditingTest(CourseTestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        CourseTestCase.setUp(self)
+        # add in the full class too
+        import_from_xml(modulestore(), 'common/test/data/', ['full'])
+        self.fullcourse_location = Location(['i4x','edX','full','course','6.002_Spring_2012', None])
+
+        
+    def test_fetch_initial_fields(self):
+        test_model = CourseMetadata.fetch(self.course_location)
+        self.assertIn('display_name', test_model, 'Missing editable metadata field')
+        self.assertEqual(test_model['display_name'], 'Robot Super Course', "not expected value")
+        
+        test_model = CourseMetadata.fetch(self.fullcourse_location)
+        self.assertNotIn('graceperiod', test_model, 'blacklisted field leaked in')
+        self.assertIn('display_name', test_model, 'full missing editable metadata field')
+        self.assertEqual(test_model['display_name'], 'Testing', "not expected value")
+        self.assertIn('rerandomize', test_model, 'Missing rerandomize metadata field')
+        
+    def test_update_from_json(self):
+        test_model = CourseMetadata.update_from_json(self.course_location, { "a" : 1, "b_a_c_h" : { "c" : "test" }, "test_text" : "a text string" })
+        self.assertIn('display_name', test_model, 'Missing editable metadata field')
+        self.assertEqual(test_model['display_name'], 'Robot Super Course', "not expected value")
+        self.assertIn('a', test_model, 'Missing new a metadata field')
+        self.assertEqual(test_model['a'], 1, "a not expected value")
+        self.assertIn('b_a_c_h', test_model, 'Missing b_a_c_h metadata field')
+        self.assertDictEqual(test_model['b_a_c_h'], { "c" : "test" }, "b_a_c_h not expected value")
+        self.assertIn('test_text', test_model, 'Missing test_text metadata field')
+        self.assertEqual(test_model['test_text'], "a text string", "test_text not expected value")
+        # try fresh fetch to ensure persistence
+        test_model = CourseMetadata.fetch(self.course_location)
+        self.assertIn('display_name', test_model, 'Missing editable metadata field')
+        self.assertEqual(test_model['display_name'], 'Robot Super Course', "not expected value")
+        self.assertIn('a', test_model, 'Missing new a metadata field')
+        self.assertEqual(test_model['a'], 1, "a not expected value")
+        self.assertIn('b_a_c_h', test_model, 'Missing b_a_c_h metadata field')
+        self.assertDictEqual(test_model['b_a_c_h'], { "c" : "test" }, "b_a_c_h not expected value")
+        self.assertIn('test_text', test_model, 'Missing test_text metadata field')
+        self.assertEqual(test_model['test_text'], "a text string", "test_text not expected value")
+        
+    def test_delete_key(self):
+        test_model = CourseMetadata.delete_key(self.fullcourse_location, { 'deleteKeys' : ['doesnt_exist', 'showanswer', 'xqa_key']})
+        # ensure no harm
+        self.assertNotIn('graceperiod', test_model, 'blacklisted field leaked in')
+        self.assertIn('display_name', test_model, 'full missing editable metadata field')
+        self.assertEqual(test_model['display_name'], 'Testing', "not expected value")
+        self.assertIn('rerandomize', test_model, 'Missing rerandomize metadata field')
+        # check for deletion effectiveness
+        self.assertNotIn('showanswer', test_model, 'showanswer field still in')
+        self.assertNotIn('xqa_key', test_model, 'xqa_key field still in')
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cms/static/sass/_settings.scss b/cms/static/sass/_settings.scss
index 8ea0170727..0361454906 100644
--- a/cms/static/sass/_settings.scss
+++ b/cms/static/sass/_settings.scss
@@ -555,6 +555,43 @@
           border: 1px solid #DDD;
        }
 
+      // messages - should be synced up with global messages in the future
+      .message {
+        display: block;
+        font-size: 14px;
+      }
+
+      .message-status {
+        display: none;
+        @include border-top-radius(2px);
+        @include box-sizing(border-box);
+        border-bottom: 2px solid $yellow;
+        margin: 0 0 20px 0;
+        padding: 10px 20px;
+        font-weight: 500;
+        background: $paleYellow;
+
+        .text {
+          display: inline-block;
+        }
+
+        &.error {
+          border-color: shade($red, 50%);
+          background: tint($red, 20%);
+          color: $white;
+        }
+
+        &.confirm {
+          border-color: shade($green, 50%);
+          background: tint($green, 20%);
+          color: $white;
+        }
+
+        &.is-shown {
+          display: block;
+        }
+      }
+
       .course-advanced-policy-list {
 
         .row {
@@ -615,11 +652,16 @@
         }
 
         .message-error {
-          float: left;
+          position: absolute;
+          bottom: 10px;
           margin: 0 0 10px 0;
         }
       }
 
+      .course-advanced-policy-list-item {
+        position: relative;
+      }
+
       .actions {
         @include clearfix();
         margin-top: 15px;
diff --git a/cms/templates/settings.html b/cms/templates/settings.html
index 3d688d86ee..06af98c526 100644
--- a/cms/templates/settings.html
+++ b/cms/templates/settings.html
@@ -736,6 +736,18 @@ from contentstore import utils
           <section class="settings-advanced">
             <h2 class="title">Advanced Settings</h2>
 
+            <div class="message message-status confirm is-shown">
+              Your policy changes have been saved.
+            </div>
+
+            <div class="message message-status error is-shown">
+              There was an error saving your information. Please see below.
+            </div>
+
+            <div class="message message-status warning is-shown">
+              Your changes were saved, but they may affect settings elsewhere
+            </div>
+
             <section class="settings-advanced-policies">
               <header>
                 <h3>Manual Policy Definition</h3>