diff --git a/app/collections/Courses.coffee b/app/collections/Courses.coffee
index 7c89698d9..7eba81467 100644
--- a/app/collections/Courses.coffee
+++ b/app/collections/Courses.coffee
@@ -4,3 +4,8 @@ CocoCollection = require 'collections/CocoCollection'
 module.exports = class Courses extends CocoCollection
   model: Course
   url: '/db/course'
+
+  fetchReleased: (options = {}) ->
+    options.data ?= {}
+    options.data.releasePhase = 'released'
+    @fetch(options)
diff --git a/app/schemas/models/course.schema.coffee b/app/schemas/models/course.schema.coffee
index 773fc5509..05b7e9697 100644
--- a/app/schemas/models/course.schema.coffee
+++ b/app/schemas/models/course.schema.coffee
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ _.extend CourseSchema.properties,
   pricePerSeat: {type: 'number', description: 'Price per seat in USD cents.'} # deprecated
   free: { type: 'boolean' }
   screenshot: c.url {title: 'URL', description: 'Link to course screenshot.'}
-  adminOnly: {type: 'boolean', description: 'Whether the course is in admin-only testing mode still and will not show up for normal users.'}
+  adminOnly: { type: 'boolean', description: 'Deprecated in favor of releasePhase.' }
+  releasePhase: { type: {enum: ['beta', 'released'] }, description: "How far along the course's development is, determining who sees it." }
 
 c.extendBasicProperties CourseSchema, 'Course'
 
diff --git a/app/views/NewHomeView.coffee b/app/views/NewHomeView.coffee
index e57c0f403..3b75505fc 100644
--- a/app/views/NewHomeView.coffee
+++ b/app/views/NewHomeView.coffee
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ template = require 'templates/new-home-view'
 CocoCollection = require 'collections/CocoCollection'
 TrialRequest = require 'models/TrialRequest'
 TrialRequests = require 'collections/TrialRequests'
-Course = require 'models/Course'
+Courses = require 'collections/Courses'
 utils = require 'core/utils'
 storage = require 'core/storage'
 {logoutUser, me} = require('core/auth')
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ module.exports = class NewHomeView extends RootView
     'esc': 'onEscapePressed'
 
   initialize: (options) ->
-    @courses = new CocoCollection [], {url: "/db/course", model: Course}
-    @supermodel.loadCollection(@courses, 'courses')
+    @courses = new Courses()
+    @supermodel.trackRequest @courses.fetchReleased()
 
     if me.isTeacher()
       @trialRequests = new TrialRequests()
diff --git a/app/views/courses/TeacherCoursesView.coffee b/app/views/courses/TeacherCoursesView.coffee
index 018326881..d1cf6d024 100644
--- a/app/views/courses/TeacherCoursesView.coffee
+++ b/app/views/courses/TeacherCoursesView.coffee
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 app = require 'core/application'
 CocoCollection = require 'collections/CocoCollection'
 CocoModel = require 'models/CocoModel'
-Course = require 'models/Course'
+Courses = require 'collections/Courses'
 Campaigns = require 'collections/Campaigns'
 Classroom = require 'models/Classroom'
 Classrooms = require 'collections/Classrooms'
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ module.exports = class TeacherCoursesView extends RootView
     @ownedClassrooms = new Classrooms()
     @ownedClassrooms.fetchMine({data: {project: '_id'}})
     @supermodel.trackCollection(@ownedClassrooms)
-    @courses = new CocoCollection([], { url: "/db/course", model: Course})
-    @supermodel.loadCollection(@courses, 'courses')
+    @courses = new Courses()
+    @supermodel.trackRequest @courses.fetchReleased()
     @campaigns = new Campaigns()
     @supermodel.trackRequest @campaigns.fetchByType('course', { data: { project: 'levels,levelsUpdated' } })
     @
diff --git a/scripts/mongodb/updateCourses.js b/scripts/mongodb/updateCourses.js
index c569904b9..90e2355d2 100644
--- a/scripts/mongodb/updateCourses.js
+++ b/scripts/mongodb/updateCourses.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 // Usage:
 // mongo <address>:<port>/<database> <script file> -u <username> -p <password>
+// eg: mongo localhost:27017/coco scripts/mongodb/updateCourses.js
 
 // NOTE: uses name as unique identifier, so changing the name will insert a new course
 // NOTE: pricePerSeat in USD cents
@@ -15,7 +16,8 @@ var courses =
     description: "Learn basic syntax, while loops, and the CodeCombat environment.",
     duration: NumberInt(1),
     free: true,
-    screenshot: "/images/pages/courses/101_info.png"
+    screenshot: "/images/pages/courses/101_info.png",
+    releasePhase: 'released'
   },
   {
     name: "Computer Science 2",
@@ -24,7 +26,8 @@ var courses =
     description: "Introduce Arguments, Variables, If Statements, and Arithmetic.",
     duration: NumberInt(5),
     free: false,
-    screenshot: "/images/pages/courses/102_info.png"
+    screenshot: "/images/pages/courses/102_info.png",
+    releasePhase: 'released'
   },
   {
     name: "Computer Science 3",
@@ -33,7 +36,8 @@ var courses =
     description: "Introduces arithmetic, counters, advanced while loops, break, continue, arrays.",
     duration: NumberInt(5),
     free: false,
-    screenshot: "/images/pages/courses/103_info.png"
+    screenshot: "/images/pages/courses/103_info.png",
+    releasePhase: 'released'
   },
   {
     name: "Computer Science 4",
@@ -42,7 +46,8 @@ var courses =
     description: "Introduces object literals, for loops, function definitions, drawing, and modulo.",
     duration: NumberInt(5),
     free: false,
-    screenshot: "/images/pages/courses/104_info.png"
+    screenshot: "/images/pages/courses/104_info.png",
+    releasePhase: 'released'
   },
   {
     name: "Computer Science 5",
@@ -51,7 +56,8 @@ var courses =
     description: "Introduces function parameters, function return values and algorithms.",
     duration: NumberInt(5),
     free: false,
-    screenshot: "/images/pages/courses/105_info.png"
+    screenshot: "/images/pages/courses/105_info.png",
+    releasePhase: 'released'
   },
   {
     name: "CS: Game Development 1",
@@ -61,7 +67,8 @@ var courses =
     duration: NumberInt(5),
     free: false,
     //screenshot: "/images/pages/courses/105_info.png",
-    adminOnly: true
+    adminOnly: true, // Until we finish transitioning to releasePhase
+    releasePhase: 'beta'
   },
   {
     name: "CS: Web Development 1",
@@ -71,7 +78,8 @@ var courses =
     duration: NumberInt(5),
     free: false,
     //screenshot: "/images/pages/courses/105_info.png",
-    adminOnly: true
+    adminOnly: true, // Until we finish transitioning to releasePhase
+    releasePhase: 'beta'
   },
   {
     name: "CS: Web Development 2",
@@ -81,7 +89,8 @@ var courses =
     duration: NumberInt(5),
     free: false,
     //screenshot: "/images/pages/courses/105_info.png",
-    adminOnly: true
+    adminOnly: true, // Until we finish transitioning to releasePhase
+    releasePhase: 'beta'
   }
 ];
 
diff --git a/server/middleware/classrooms.coffee b/server/middleware/classrooms.coffee
index 38b29316e..d18065f71 100644
--- a/server/middleware/classrooms.coffee
+++ b/server/middleware/classrooms.coffee
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ module.exports =
   generateCoursesData: co.wrap (req) ->
     # helper function for generating the latest version of courses
     query = {}
-    query = {adminOnly: {$ne: true}} unless req.user?.isAdmin()
+    query = {releasePhase: 'released'} unless req.user?.isAdmin()
     courses = yield Course.find(query)
     courses = Course.sortCourses courses
     campaigns = yield Campaign.find({_id: {$in: (course.get('campaignID') for course in courses)}})
diff --git a/server/middleware/courses.coffee b/server/middleware/courses.coffee
index 34b05715d..330193e78 100644
--- a/server/middleware/courses.coffee
+++ b/server/middleware/courses.coffee
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@ module.exports =
     res.status(200).send(level)
 
   get: (Model, options={}) -> wrap (req, res) ->
-    # Don't use standard rest middleware get, because we want to filter out adminOnly courses for non-admins
     query = {}
-    query = {adminOnly: {$ne: true}} unless req.user?.isAdmin()
+    if req.query.releasePhase
+      query.releasePhase = req.query.releasePhase
     dbq = Model.find(query)
     dbq.select(parse.getProjectFromReq(req))
     results = yield database.viewSearch(dbq, req)
diff --git a/spec/server/functional/classrooms.spec.coffee b/spec/server/functional/classrooms.spec.coffee
index 7db2c63ae..9d84b5db5 100644
--- a/spec/server/functional/classrooms.spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/server/functional/classrooms.spec.coffee
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ describe 'POST /db/classroom', ->
     [res, body] = yield request.postAsync({uri: getURL('/db/level'), json: levelJSONC})
     expect(res.statusCode).toBe(200)
     @levelC = yield Level.findById(res.body._id)
+
     campaignJSON = { name: 'Campaign', levels: {} }
     paredLevelC = _.pick(@levelC.toObject(), 'name', 'original', 'type', 'slug', 'practice')
     paredLevelC.campaignIndex = 2
@@ -100,9 +101,10 @@ describe 'POST /db/classroom', ->
     paredLevelA = _.pick(@levelA.toObject(), 'name', 'original', 'type', 'slug')
     paredLevelA.campaignIndex = 0
     campaignJSON.levels[@levelA.get('original').toString()] = paredLevelA
+
     [res, body] = yield request.postAsync({uri: getURL('/db/campaign'), json: campaignJSON})
     @campaign = yield Campaign.findById(res.body._id)
-    @course = Course({name: 'Course', campaignID: @campaign._id})
+    @course = Course({name: 'Course', campaignID: @campaign._id, releasePhase: 'released'})
     yield @course.save()
     done()
   
@@ -144,6 +146,57 @@ describe 'POST /db/classroom', ->
     expect(classroom.get('courses')[0].levels[0].name).toBe('Level A')
     done()
 
+  describe 'when there are unreleased courses', ->
+    beforeEach utils.wrap (done) ->
+      admin = yield utils.initAdmin()
+      yield utils.loginUser(admin)
+
+      betaLevelJSON = { name: 'Beta Level', permissions: [{access: 'owner', target: admin.id}], type: 'course' }
+      [res, body] = yield request.postAsync({uri: getURL('/db/level'), json: betaLevelJSON})
+      expect(res.statusCode).toBe(200)
+      @betaLevel = yield Level.findById(res.body._id)
+
+      betaCampaignJSON = { name: 'Beta Campaign', levels: {} }
+      paredBetaLevel = _.pick(@betaLevel.toObject(), 'name', 'original', 'type', 'slug')
+      paredBetaLevel.campaignIndex = 0
+      betaCampaignJSON.levels[@betaLevel.get('original').toString()] = paredBetaLevel
+
+      [res, body] = yield request.postAsync({uri: getURL('/db/campaign'), json: betaCampaignJSON})
+      @betaCampaign = yield Campaign.findById(res.body._id)
+      @betaCourse = Course({name: 'Beta Course', campaignID: @betaCampaign._id, releasePhase: 'beta'})
+      yield @betaCourse.save()
+      done()
+
+    it 'includes unreleased courses for admin teachers', utils.wrap (done) ->
+      adminTeacher = yield utils.initUser({ role: 'teacher', permissions: ['admin'] })
+      yield utils.loginUser(adminTeacher)
+      data = { name: 'Classroom 3' }
+      [res, body] = yield request.postAsync {uri: classroomsURL, json: data }
+      classroom = yield Classroom.findById(res.body._id)
+      expect(classroom.get('courses').length).toBe(2)
+      expect(classroom.get('courses')[0].levels[0].original.toString()).toBe(@levelA.get('original').toString())
+      expect(classroom.get('courses')[0].levels[0].type).toBe('course')
+      expect(classroom.get('courses')[0].levels[0].slug).toBe('level-a')
+      expect(classroom.get('courses')[0].levels[0].name).toBe('Level A')
+      expect(classroom.get('courses')[1].levels[0].original.toString()).toBe(@betaLevel.get('original').toString())
+      expect(classroom.get('courses')[1].levels[0].type).toBe('course')
+      expect(classroom.get('courses')[1].levels[0].slug).toBe('beta-level')
+      expect(classroom.get('courses')[1].levels[0].name).toBe('Beta Level')
+      done()
+
+    it 'does not include unreleased courses for non-admin teachers', utils.wrap (done) ->
+      teacher = yield utils.initUser({role: 'teacher'})
+      yield utils.loginUser(teacher)
+      data = { name: 'Classroom 4' }
+      [res, body] = yield request.postAsync {uri: classroomsURL, json: data }
+      classroom = yield Classroom.findById(res.body._id)
+      expect(classroom.get('courses').length).toBe(1)
+      expect(classroom.get('courses')[0].levels[0].original.toString()).toBe(@levelA.get('original').toString())
+      expect(classroom.get('courses')[0].levels[0].type).toBe('course')
+      expect(classroom.get('courses')[0].levels[0].slug).toBe('level-a')
+      expect(classroom.get('courses')[0].levels[0].name).toBe('Level A')
+      done()
+
 describe 'GET /db/classroom/:handle/levels', ->
 
   beforeEach utils.wrap (done) ->
@@ -159,7 +212,7 @@ describe 'GET /db/classroom/:handle/levels', ->
     campaignJSON.levels[res.body.original] = paredLevel
     [res, body] = yield request.postAsync({uri: getURL('/db/campaign'), json: campaignJSON})
     @campaign = yield Campaign.findById(res.body._id)
-    @course = Course({name: 'Course', campaignID: @campaign._id})
+    @course = Course({name: 'Course', campaignID: @campaign._id, releasePhase: 'released'})
     yield @course.save()
     teacher = yield utils.initUser({role: 'teacher'})
     yield utils.loginUser(teacher)
@@ -206,10 +259,10 @@ describe 'GET /db/classroom/:handle/levels', ->
     [res, body] = yield request.postAsync({uri: getURL('/db/campaign'), json: campaignJSONB})
     @campaignB = yield Campaign.findById(res.body._id)
     
-    @courseA = Course({name: 'Course A', campaignID: @campaignA._id})
+    @courseA = Course({name: 'Course A', campaignID: @campaignA._id, releasePhase: 'released'})
     yield @courseA.save()
 
-    @courseB = Course({name: 'Course B', campaignID: @campaignB._id})
+    @courseB = Course({name: 'Course B', campaignID: @campaignB._id, releasePhase: 'released'})
     yield @courseB.save()
 
     teacher = yield utils.initUser({role: 'teacher'})
@@ -286,7 +339,7 @@ describe 'POST /db/classroom/-/members', ->
     yield utils.clearModels([User, Classroom, Course, Campaign])
     @campaign = new Campaign({levels: {}})
     yield @campaign.save()
-    @course = new Course({free: true, campaignID: @campaign._id})
+    @course = new Course({free: true, campaignID: @campaign._id, releasePhase: 'released'})
     yield @course.save()
     @teacher = yield utils.initUser({role: 'teacher'})
     yield utils.loginUser(@teacher)
@@ -560,7 +613,7 @@ describe 'GET /db/classroom/:handle/update-courses', ->
     teacher = yield utils.initUser({role: 'teacher'})
     
     yield utils.loginUser(admin)
-    yield utils.makeCourse({}, {campaign: yield utils.makeCampaign()})
+    yield utils.makeCourse({releasePhase: 'released'}, {campaign: yield utils.makeCampaign()})
     
     yield utils.loginUser(teacher)
     data = { name: 'Classroom 2' }
@@ -569,7 +622,7 @@ describe 'GET /db/classroom/:handle/update-courses', ->
     expect(classroom.get('courses').length).toBe(1)
 
     yield utils.loginUser(admin)
-    yield utils.makeCourse({}, {campaign: yield utils.makeCampaign()})
+    yield utils.makeCourse({releasePhase: 'released'}, {campaign: yield utils.makeCampaign()})
 
     classroom = yield Classroom.findById(res.body._id)
     expect(classroom.get('courses').length).toBe(1)
@@ -580,5 +633,4 @@ describe 'GET /db/classroom/:handle/update-courses', ->
 
     classroom = yield Classroom.findById(res.body._id)
     expect(classroom.get('courses').length).toBe(2)
-    done()  
-  
+    done()
diff --git a/spec/server/functional/course_instance.spec.coffee b/spec/server/functional/course_instance.spec.coffee
index cbcbd8bb6..3393eb2f2 100644
--- a/spec/server/functional/course_instance.spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/server/functional/course_instance.spec.coffee
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ describe 'POST /db/course_instance/:id/members', ->
     yield utils.loginUser(admin)
     @level = yield utils.makeLevel({type: 'course'})
     @campaign = yield utils.makeCampaign({}, {levels: [@level]})
-    @course = yield utils.makeCourse({free: true}, {campaign: @campaign})
+    @course = yield utils.makeCourse({free: true, releasePhase: 'released'}, {campaign: @campaign})
     @student = yield utils.initUser({role: 'student'})
     @prepaid = yield utils.makePrepaid({creator: @teacher.id})
     members = [@student]
@@ -291,10 +291,10 @@ describe 'GET /db/course_instance/:handle/levels/:levelOriginal/next', ->
     [res, body] = yield request.postAsync({uri: getURL('/db/campaign'), json: campaignJSONB})
     @campaignB = yield Campaign.findById(res.body._id)
 
-    @courseA = Course({name: 'Course A', campaignID: @campaignA._id})
+    @courseA = Course({name: 'Course A', campaignID: @campaignA._id, releasePhase: 'released'})
     yield @courseA.save()
 
-    @courseB = Course({name: 'Course B', campaignID: @campaignB._id})
+    @courseB = Course({name: 'Course B', campaignID: @campaignB._id, releasePhase: 'released'})
     yield @courseB.save()
 
     yield utils.loginUser(teacher)
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ describe 'GET /db/course_instance/:handle/course', ->
 
   beforeEach utils.wrap (done) ->
     yield utils.clearModels [User, CourseInstance, Classroom]
-    @course = new Course({})
+    @course = new Course({ releasePhase: 'released' })
     yield @course.save()
     @courseInstance = new CourseInstance({courseID: @course._id})
     yield @courseInstance.save()
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ describe 'POST /db/course_instance/-/recent', ->
     @admin = yield utils.initAdmin()
     yield utils.loginUser(@admin)
     @campaign = yield utils.makeCampaign()
-    @course = yield utils.makeCourse({free: true}, {campaign: @campaign})
+    @course = yield utils.makeCourse({free: true, releasePhase: 'released'}, {campaign: @campaign})
     @student = yield utils.initUser({role: 'student'})
     @prepaid = yield utils.makePrepaid({creator: @teacher.id})
     members = [@student]
diff --git a/spec/server/functional/courses.spec.coffee b/spec/server/functional/courses.spec.coffee
index f56264334..b32bb3155 100644
--- a/spec/server/functional/courses.spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/server/functional/courses.spec.coffee
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ courseFixture = {
 describe 'GET /db/course', ->
   beforeEach utils.wrap (done) ->
     yield utils.clearModels([Course, User])
-    yield new Course({ name: 'Course 1' }).save()
-    yield new Course({ name: 'Course 2' }).save()
+    yield new Course({ name: 'Course 1', releasePhase: 'released' }).save()
+    yield new Course({ name: 'Course 2', releasePhase: 'released' }).save()
     yield utils.becomeAnonymous()
     done()
 
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ describe 'GET /db/course/:handle', ->
 
   beforeEach utils.wrap (done) ->
     yield utils.clearModels([Course, User])
-    @course = yield new Course({ name: 'Some Name' }).save()
+    @course = yield new Course({ name: 'Some Name', releasePhase: 'released' }).save()
     yield utils.becomeAnonymous()
     done()
 
@@ -96,10 +96,10 @@ describe 'GET /db/course/:handle/levels/:levelOriginal/next', ->
     [res, body] = yield request.postAsync({uri: getURL('/db/campaign'), json: campaignJSONB})
     @campaignB = yield Campaign.findById(res.body._id)
 
-    @courseA = Course({name: 'Course A', campaignID: @campaignA._id})
+    @courseA = Course({name: 'Course A', campaignID: @campaignA._id, releasePhase: 'released'})
     yield @courseA.save()
 
-    @courseB = Course({name: 'Course B', campaignID: @campaignB._id})
+    @courseB = Course({name: 'Course B', campaignID: @campaignB._id, releasePhase: 'released'})
     yield @courseB.save()
 
     teacher = yield utils.initUser({role: 'teacher'})
diff --git a/spec/server/functional/level.spec.coffee b/spec/server/functional/level.spec.coffee
index 2126f0b44..774956dc0 100644
--- a/spec/server/functional/level.spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/server/functional/level.spec.coffee
@@ -67,11 +67,11 @@ describe 'GET /db/level/:handle/session', ->
       @level = yield utils.makeLevel({type: 'course'})
       
       # To ensure test compares original, not id, make them different. TODO: Make factories do this normally?
-      @level.set('original', new mongoose.Types.ObjectId())  
+      @level.set('original', new mongoose.Types.ObjectId())
       @level.save()
       
       @campaign = yield utils.makeCampaign({}, {levels: [@level]})
-      @course = yield utils.makeCourse({free: true}, {campaign: @campaign})
+      @course = yield utils.makeCourse({free: true, releasePhase: 'released'}, {campaign: @campaign})
       @student = yield utils.initUser({role: 'student'})
       members = [@student]
       teacher = yield utils.initUser({role: 'teacher'})
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ describe 'GET /db/level/:handle/session', ->
         
       it 'creates the session if the user is enrolled', utils.wrap (done) ->
         @student.set({
-          coursePrepaid: { 
+          coursePrepaid: {
             _id: {}
             startDate: moment().subtract(1, 'month').toISOString()
             endDate: moment().add(1, 'month').toISOString()
diff --git a/spec/server/utils.coffee b/spec/server/utils.coffee
index c51f88752..a002e51f7 100644
--- a/spec/server/utils.coffee
+++ b/spec/server/utils.coffee
@@ -140,6 +140,8 @@ module.exports = mw =
     if sources.campaign and not data.campaignID
       data.campaignID = sources.campaign._id
     
+    data.releasePhase ||= 'released'
+
     course = new Course(data)
     return course.save()
 
diff --git a/test/app/factories.coffee b/test/app/factories.coffee
index 28000afd8..e23bd0630 100644
--- a/test/app/factories.coffee
+++ b/test/app/factories.coffee
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ module.exports = {
     attrs = _.extend({}, {
       _id: _id
       name: _.string.humanize(_id)
+      releasePhase: 'released'
     }, attrs)
     
     attrs.campaignID ?= sources.campaign?.id or _.uniqueId('campaign_')
@@ -185,6 +186,5 @@ module.exports = {
         organization: 'Greendale'
       }
     }, attrs)
-} 
+}
   
-