diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/instructor_dashboard.py b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/instructor_dashboard.py
index 0c596b73bfad..7b5dddc0294f 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/instructor_dashboard.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/instructor_dashboard.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 from xblock.field_data import DictFieldData
 from xblock.fields import ScopeIds
 
+from openedx.core.lib.instructor_dashboard_tabs import InstructorDashboardTabPluginManager
 from bulk_email.api import is_bulk_email_feature_enabled
 from class_dashboard.dashboard_data import get_array_section_has_problem, get_section_display_name
 from course_modes.models import CourseMode, CourseModesArchive
@@ -234,6 +235,10 @@ def instructor_dashboard_2(request, course_id):
 
     certificate_invalidations = CertificateInvalidation.get_certificate_invalidations(course_key)
 
+    # load externally registered sections
+    for Tab in InstructorDashboardTabPluginManager.get_tabs():
+        sections.append(Tab(course, access).to_dict())
+
     context = {
         'course': course,
         'studio_url': get_studio_url(course, 'course'),
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/course_groups/views.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/course_groups/views.py
index 696e0fcc469a..4479b829327d 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/course_groups/views.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/course_groups/views.py
@@ -503,6 +503,9 @@ class CohortHandler(DeveloperErrorViewMixin, APIPermissions):
             * user_partition_id: The integer identified of the UserPartition.
             * group_id: The integer identified of the specific group in the partition.
     """
+
+    queryset = ''
+
     def get(self, request, course_key_string, cohort_id=None):
         """
         Endpoint to get either one or all cohorts.
@@ -528,6 +531,8 @@ def post(self, request, course_key_string, cohort_id=None):
                                  'Please use the parent endpoint.',
                                  'wrong-endpoint')
         course_key, course = _get_course_with_access(request, course_key_string)
+
+        # TODO: add bulk import support for this
         name = request.data.get('name')
         if not name:
             raise self.api_error(status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST,
diff --git a/openedx/core/lib/instructor_dashboard_tabs.py b/openedx/core/lib/instructor_dashboard_tabs.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..efcc05795afd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openedx/core/lib/instructor_dashboard_tabs.py
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+"""
+Tabs for the instructor dashboard.
+"""
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
+from openedx.core.lib.plugins import PluginManager
+
+
+# Stevedore extension point namespaces
+INSTRUCTOR_DASHBOARD_TAB_NAMESPACE = 'lms.instructor_dashboard.tab'
+
+
+class InstructorDashboardTabPluginManager(PluginManager):
+    """
+    Manager for all of the course tabs that have been made available.
+
+    TODO: develop abstract base class for tabs to implement.
+    """
+    NAMESPACE = INSTRUCTOR_DASHBOARD_TAB_NAMESPACE
+
+    @classmethod
+    def get_tabs(cls):
+        """
+        Returns the list of available tabs in their canonical order.
+        """
+        tabs = list(cls.get_available_plugins().values())
+        tabs.sort(key=lambda tab: (tab.priority, tab.section_key))
+        return tabs