diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/admin.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/admin.py
index 7cf362b898..45d5ad5939 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/admin.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/admin.py
@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@ Django admin page for CourseOverviews, the basic metadata about a course that
 is used in user dashboard queries and other places where you need info like
 name, and start dates, but don't actually need to crawl into course content.
 """
-from django.contrib import admin
+from __future__ import absolute_import
 
 from config_models.admin import ConfigurationModelAdmin
+from django.contrib import admin
+
 from .models import CourseOverview, CourseOverviewImageConfig, CourseOverviewImageSet
 
 
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/apps.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/apps.py
index 8640e17ddc..c95bf3a9d2 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/apps.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/apps.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 """
 Configuration for course_overviews Django app
 """
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 from django.apps import AppConfig
 
 
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/management/commands/generate_course_overview.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/management/commands/generate_course_overview.py
index fee26c9019..52d49ce65f 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/management/commands/generate_course_overview.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/management/commands/generate_course_overview.py
@@ -2,10 +2,12 @@
 Command to load course overviews.
 """
 
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 import logging
 
+import six
 from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand, CommandError
-
 from opaque_keys import InvalidKeyError
 
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.content.course_overviews.tasks import (
@@ -15,7 +17,6 @@ from openedx.core.djangoapps.content.course_overviews.tasks import (
     enqueue_async_course_overview_update_tasks
 )
 
-
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
@@ -73,4 +74,4 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
                 **kwargs
             )
         except InvalidKeyError as exc:
-            raise CommandError(u'Invalid Course Key: ' + unicode(exc))
+            raise CommandError(u'Invalid Course Key: ' + six.text_type(exc))
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/management/commands/simulate_publish.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/management/commands/simulate_publish.py
index 048ec400eb..3d65b295c6 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/management/commands/simulate_publish.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/management/commands/simulate_publish.py
@@ -11,21 +11,22 @@ This management command will emit the SignalHandler.course_published signal for
 some subset of courses and signal listeners, and then rely on existing listener
 behavior to trigger the necessary data updates.
 """
-from __future__ import print_function
+from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function
+
 import copy
 import logging
 import os
+import sys
 import textwrap
 import time
-import sys
 
+import six
 from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand
 from opaque_keys import InvalidKeyError
 from opaque_keys.edx.keys import CourseKey
 
 from lms.djangoapps.ccx.tasks import course_published_handler as ccx_receiver_fn
-from xmodule.modulestore.django import modulestore, SignalHandler
-
+from xmodule.modulestore.django import SignalHandler, modulestore
 
 log = logging.getLogger('simulate_publish')
 
@@ -253,7 +254,7 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
             log.info("No courses specified, reading all courses from modulestore...")
             course_keys = sorted(
                 (course.id for course in modulestore().get_course_summaries()),
-                key=unicode  # Different types of CourseKeys can't be compared without this.
+                key=six.text_type  # Different types of CourseKeys can't be compared without this.
             )
             log.info(u"%d courses read from modulestore.", len(course_keys))
 
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/management/commands/tests/test_generate_course_overview.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/management/commands/tests/test_generate_course_overview.py
index 735f117535..4495cd4bb3 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/management/commands/tests/test_generate_course_overview.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/management/commands/tests/test_generate_course_overview.py
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 """
 Tests that the generate_course_overview management command actually generates course overviews.
 """
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
+import six
 from django.core.management.base import CommandError
 from mock import patch
 
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.content.course_overviews.management.commands import generate_course_overview
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.content.course_overviews.models import CourseOverview
-
 from xmodule.modulestore.tests.django_utils import ModuleStoreTestCase
 from xmodule.modulestore.tests.factories import CourseFactory
 
@@ -57,7 +59,7 @@ class TestGenerateCourseOverview(ModuleStoreTestCase):
         Test that a specified course is loaded into course overviews.
         """
         self._assert_courses_not_in_overview(self.course_key_1, self.course_key_2)
-        self.command.handle(unicode(self.course_key_1), all_courses=False)
+        self.command.handle(six.text_type(self.course_key_1), all_courses=False)
         self._assert_courses_in_overview(self.course_key_1)
         self._assert_courses_not_in_overview(self.course_key_2)
 
@@ -72,8 +74,8 @@ class TestGenerateCourseOverview(ModuleStoreTestCase):
             self.store.update_item(course, self.user.id)
 
         # force_update course_key_1, but not course_key_2
-        self.command.handle(unicode(self.course_key_1), all_courses=False, force_update=True)
-        self.command.handle(unicode(self.course_key_2), all_courses=False, force_update=False)
+        self.command.handle(six.text_type(self.course_key_1), all_courses=False, force_update=True)
+        self.command.handle(six.text_type(self.course_key_2), all_courses=False, force_update=False)
 
         self.assertEquals(CourseOverview.get_from_id(self.course_key_1).display_name, updated_course_name)
         self.assertNotEquals(CourseOverview.get_from_id(self.course_key_2).display_name, updated_course_name)
@@ -106,7 +108,7 @@ class TestGenerateCourseOverview(ModuleStoreTestCase):
 
         called_kwargs = mock_async_task.apply_async.call_args_list[0][1]
         self.assertEquals(
-            sorted([unicode(self.course_key_1), unicode(self.course_key_2)]),
+            sorted([six.text_type(self.course_key_1), six.text_type(self.course_key_2)]),
             sorted(called_kwargs.pop('args'))
         )
         self.assertEquals({
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/management/commands/tests/test_simulate_publish.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/management/commands/tests/test_simulate_publish.py
index 459db8ef56..134000e5f0 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/management/commands/tests/test_simulate_publish.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/management/commands/tests/test_simulate_publish.py
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 """
 Tests the simulate_publish management command.
 """
-from openedx.core.djangoapps.content.course_overviews.management.commands.simulate_publish import (
-    Command, name_from_fn
-)
-from openedx.core.djangoapps.content.course_overviews.models import CourseOverview
-import openedx.core.djangoapps.content.course_overviews.signals
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
+import six
+
 import lms.djangoapps.ccx.tasks
+import openedx.core.djangoapps.content.course_overviews.signals
+from openedx.core.djangoapps.content.course_overviews.management.commands.simulate_publish import Command, name_from_fn
+from openedx.core.djangoapps.content.course_overviews.models import CourseOverview
 from xmodule.modulestore import ModuleStoreEnum
 from xmodule.modulestore.django import SwitchedSignal
 from xmodule.modulestore.tests.django_utils import SharedModuleStoreTestCase
@@ -103,7 +105,7 @@ class TestSimulatePublish(SharedModuleStoreTestCase):
         """Test sending only to specific courses."""
         self.command.handle(
             **self.options(
-                courses=[unicode(self.course_key_1), unicode(self.course_key_2)]
+                courses=[six.text_type(self.course_key_1), six.text_type(self.course_key_2)]
             )
         )
         self.assertIn(self.course_key_1, self.received_1)
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/models.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/models.py
index 722f665588..16514274e4 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/models.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/models.py
@@ -1,29 +1,31 @@
 """
 Declaration of CourseOverview model
 """
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 import json
 import logging
-from urlparse import urlparse, urlunparse
 
+import six
+from ccx_keys.locator import CCXLocator
+from config_models.models import ConfigurationModel
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.db import models, transaction
-from django.db.models.fields import BooleanField, DateTimeField, DecimalField, TextField, FloatField, IntegerField
+from django.db.models.fields import BooleanField, DateTimeField, DecimalField, FloatField, IntegerField, TextField
 from django.db.utils import IntegrityError
 from django.template import defaultfilters
-
-from ccx_keys.locator import CCXLocator
 from model_utils.models import TimeStampedModel
 from opaque_keys.edx.django.models import CourseKeyField, UsageKeyField
-from six import text_type
+from six import text_type  # pylint: disable=ungrouped-imports
+from six.moves.urllib.parse import urlparse, urlunparse  # pylint: disable=import-error
 
-from config_models.models import ConfigurationModel
 from lms.djangoapps.discussion import django_comment_client
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.catalog.models import CatalogIntegration
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.lang_pref.api import get_closest_released_language
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.models.course_details import CourseDetails
 from static_replace.models import AssetBaseUrlConfig
-from xmodule import course_metadata_utils, block_metadata_utils
-from xmodule.course_module import CourseDescriptor, DEFAULT_START_DATE
+from xmodule import block_metadata_utils, course_metadata_utils
+from xmodule.course_module import DEFAULT_START_DATE, CourseDescriptor
 from xmodule.error_module import ErrorDescriptor
 from xmodule.modulestore.django import modulestore
 
@@ -149,10 +151,10 @@ class CourseOverview(TimeStampedModel):
 
         course_overview = cls.objects.filter(id=course.id)
         if course_overview.exists():
-            log.info(u'Updating course overview for %s.', unicode(course.id))
+            log.info(u'Updating course overview for %s.', six.text_type(course.id))
             course_overview = course_overview.first()
         else:
-            log.info(u'Creating course overview for %s.', unicode(course.id))
+            log.info(u'Creating course overview for %s.', six.text_type(course.id))
             course_overview = cls()
 
         course_overview.version = cls.VERSION
@@ -260,8 +262,8 @@ class CourseOverview(TimeStampedModel):
             elif course is not None:
                 raise IOError(
                     u"Error while loading course {} from the module store: {}",
-                    unicode(course_id),
-                    course.error_msg if isinstance(course, ErrorDescriptor) else unicode(course)
+                    six.text_type(course_id),
+                    course.error_msg if isinstance(course, ErrorDescriptor) else six.text_type(course)
                 )
             else:
                 raise cls.DoesNotExist()
@@ -554,7 +556,7 @@ class CourseOverview(TimeStampedModel):
             except Exception as ex:  # pylint: disable=broad-except
                 log.exception(
                     u'An error occurred while generating course overview for %s: %s',
-                    unicode(course_key),
+                    six.text_type(course_key),
                     text_type(ex),
                 )
 
@@ -703,7 +705,7 @@ class CourseOverview(TimeStampedModel):
 
     def __unicode__(self):
         """Represent ourselves with the course key."""
-        return unicode(self.id)
+        return six.text_type(self.id)
 
 
 class CourseOverviewTab(models.Model):
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/signals.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/signals.py
index f80d92a777..d8110da05f 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/signals.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/signals.py
@@ -1,14 +1,17 @@
 """
 Signal handler for invalidating cached course overviews
 """
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 import logging
 
 from django.dispatch import Signal
 from django.dispatch.dispatcher import receiver
 
-from .models import CourseOverview
 from xmodule.modulestore.django import SignalHandler
 
+from .models import CourseOverview
+
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/tasks.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/tasks.py
index d813670600..dc98073da0 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/tasks.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/tasks.py
@@ -1,14 +1,16 @@
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 import logging
 
+import six
 from celery import task
 from celery_utils.persist_on_failure import LoggedPersistOnFailureTask
 from django.conf import settings
-
 from opaque_keys.edx.keys import CourseKey
-from xmodule.modulestore.django import modulestore
+from six.moves import range  # pylint: disable=ungrouped-imports
 
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.content.course_overviews.models import CourseOverview
-
+from xmodule.modulestore.django import modulestore
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -21,7 +23,7 @@ DEFAULT_FORCE_UPDATE = False
 
 
 def chunks(sequence, chunk_size):
-    return (sequence[index: index + chunk_size] for index in xrange(0, len(sequence), chunk_size))
+    return (sequence[index: index + chunk_size] for index in range(0, len(sequence), chunk_size))
 
 
 def _task_options(routing_key):
@@ -46,7 +48,7 @@ def enqueue_async_course_overview_update_tasks(
         course_keys = [CourseKey.from_string(id) for id in course_ids]
 
     for course_key_group in chunks(course_keys, chunk_size):
-        course_key_strings = [unicode(key) for key in course_key_group]
+        course_key_strings = [six.text_type(key) for key in course_key_group]
 
         options = _task_options(routing_key)
         async_course_overview_update.apply_async(
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/tests/factories.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/tests/factories.py
index 4b3a9bd370..e898ff2b02 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/tests/factories.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/tests/factories.py
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 import json
 
 import factory
 from factory.django import DjangoModelFactory
+from opaque_keys.edx.locator import CourseLocator
 
 from ..models import CourseOverview
-from opaque_keys.edx.locator import CourseLocator
 
 
 class CourseOverviewFactory(DjangoModelFactory):
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/tests/test_course_overviews.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/tests/test_course_overviews.py
index 20c738ceaa..722d1fe7e6 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/tests/test_course_overviews.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/tests/test_course_overviews.py
@@ -1,19 +1,23 @@
 """
 Tests for course_overviews app.
 """
-from cStringIO import StringIO
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 import datetime
-import ddt
 import itertools
 import math
+from cStringIO import StringIO
+
+import ddt
 import mock
 import pytz
-
+import six
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.db.utils import IntegrityError
 from django.test.utils import override_settings
 from django.utils import timezone
 from PIL import Image
+from six.moves import range  # pylint: disable=ungrouped-imports
 
 from lms.djangoapps.certificates.api import get_active_web_certificate
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.catalog.tests.mixins import CatalogIntegrationMixin
@@ -23,13 +27,13 @@ from openedx.core.djangolib.testing.utils import CacheIsolationTestCase
 from openedx.core.lib.courses import course_image_url
 from static_replace.models import AssetBaseUrlConfig
 from xmodule.assetstore.assetmgr import AssetManager
-from xmodule.contentstore.django import contentstore
 from xmodule.contentstore.content import StaticContent
+from xmodule.contentstore.django import contentstore
 from xmodule.course_metadata_utils import DEFAULT_START_DATE
 from xmodule.course_module import (
-    CATALOG_VISIBILITY_CATALOG_AND_ABOUT,
     CATALOG_VISIBILITY_ABOUT,
-    CATALOG_VISIBILITY_NONE,
+    CATALOG_VISIBILITY_CATALOG_AND_ABOUT,
+    CATALOG_VISIBILITY_NONE
 )
 from xmodule.error_module import ErrorDescriptor
 from xmodule.modulestore import ModuleStoreEnum
@@ -37,7 +41,7 @@ from xmodule.modulestore.django import modulestore
 from xmodule.modulestore.tests.django_utils import ModuleStoreTestCase
 from xmodule.modulestore.tests.factories import CourseFactory, check_mongo_calls_range
 
-from ..models import CourseOverview, CourseOverviewImageSet, CourseOverviewImageConfig
+from ..models import CourseOverview, CourseOverviewImageConfig, CourseOverviewImageSet
 from .factories import CourseOverviewFactory
 
 
@@ -472,7 +476,7 @@ class CourseOverviewTestCase(CatalogIntegrationMixin, ModuleStoreTestCase, Cache
         org_courses = []  # list of lists of courses
         for index in range(3):
             org_courses.append([
-                CourseFactory.create(org='test_org_' + unicode(index), emit_signals=True)
+                CourseFactory.create(org='test_org_' + six.text_type(index), emit_signals=True)
                 for __ in range(3)
             ])
 
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/tests/test_signals.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/tests/test_signals.py
index e7993800bd..16011898f6 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/tests/test_signals.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/tests/test_signals.py
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 import datetime
+
 import ddt
 from mock import patch
 
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/tests/test_tasks.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/tests/test_tasks.py
index 78d4a63002..615d437822 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/tests/test_tasks.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/content/course_overviews/tests/test_tasks.py
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 import mock
+import six
 
 from xmodule.modulestore import ModuleStoreEnum
 from xmodule.modulestore.tests.django_utils import ModuleStoreTestCase
@@ -30,7 +33,7 @@ class BatchedAsyncCourseOverviewUpdateTests(ModuleStoreTestCase):
     @mock.patch('openedx.core.djangoapps.content.course_overviews.models.CourseOverview.update_select_courses')
     def test_enqueue_specific_courses_in_two_batches(self, mock_update_courses):
         enqueue_async_course_overview_update_tasks(
-            course_ids=[unicode(self.course_1.id), unicode(self.course_2.id)],
+            course_ids=[six.text_type(self.course_1.id), six.text_type(self.course_2.id)],
             force_update=True,
             chunk_size=1,
             all_courses=False