diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/credit/services.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/credit/services.py
index 211812dd6b..67e80d1610 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/credit/services.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/credit/services.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from django.core.exceptions import ObjectDoesNotExist
 from opaque_keys.edx.keys import CourseKey
 
 from student.models import CourseEnrollment
+from xmodule.modulestore.django import modulestore
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ class CreditService(object):
 
         return is_credit_course(course_key)
 
-    def get_credit_state(self, user_id, course_key_or_id):
+    def get_credit_state(self, user_id, course_key_or_id, return_course_name=False):
         """
         Return all information about the user's credit state inside of a given
         course.
@@ -64,6 +65,7 @@ class CreditService(object):
                 'profile_fullname': the name that the student registered under, used for verification
                 'is_credit_course': if the course has been marked as a credit bearing course
                 'credit_requirement_status': the user's status in fulfilling those requirements
+                'course_name': optional display name of the course
             }
         """
 
@@ -89,13 +91,20 @@ class CreditService(object):
             # not enrolled
             return None
 
-        return {
+        result = {
             'enrollment_mode': enrollment.mode,
             'profile_fullname': user.profile.name,
             'is_credit_course': is_credit_course(course_key),
             'credit_requirement_status': get_credit_requirement_status(course_key, user.username)
         }
 
+        if return_course_name:
+            course = modulestore().get_course(course_key, depth=0)
+            result.update({
+                'course_name': course.display_name,
+            })
+        return result
+
     def set_credit_requirement_status(self, user_id, course_key_or_id, req_namespace,
                                       req_name, status="satisfied", reason=None):
         """
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/credit/tests/test_services.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/credit/tests/test_services.py
index c413bef032..8cc471eba5 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/credit/tests/test_services.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/credit/tests/test_services.py
@@ -121,6 +121,22 @@ class CreditServiceTests(ModuleStoreTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(credit_state['credit_requirement_status'][0]['name'], 'grade')
         self.assertEqual(credit_state['credit_requirement_status'][0]['status'], 'satisfied')
 
+    def test_course_name(self):
+        """
+        Make sure we can get back the optional course name
+        """
+
+        CourseEnrollment.enroll(self.user, self.course.id)
+
+        # make sure it is not returned by default
+        credit_state = self.service.get_credit_state(self.user.id, self.course.id)
+        self.assertNotIn('course_name', credit_state)
+
+        # now make sure it is in there when we pass in the flag
+        credit_state = self.service.get_credit_state(self.user.id, self.course.id, return_course_name=True)
+        self.assertIn('course_name', credit_state)
+        self.assertEqual(credit_state['course_name'], self.course.display_name)
+
     def test_set_status_non_credit(self):
         """
         assert that we can still try to update a credit status but return quickly if