diff --git a/stepmania/src/Course.cpp b/stepmania/src/Course.cpp
index 71634f648b..da452842e2 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Course.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Course.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "BannerCache.h"
 #include "RageFile.h"
 #include "arch/arch.h"
+#include "ThemeManager.h"
 
 /* Amount to increase meter ranges to make them difficult: */
 const int DIFFICULT_METER_CHANGE = 2;
@@ -761,11 +762,65 @@ static bool CompareCoursePointersByDifficulty(const Course* pCourse1, const Cour
 		return CompareCoursePointersByAutogen( pCourse1, pCourse2 );
 }
 
+static bool CompareCoursePointersByAvgDifficulty(const Course* pCourse1, const Course* pCourse2)
+{
+	float iNum1 = pCourse1->SortOrder_AvgDifficulty;
+	float iNum2 = pCourse2->SortOrder_AvgDifficulty;
+
+	if( iNum1 < iNum2 )
+		return true;
+	else if( iNum1 > iNum2 )
+		return false;
+	else // iNum1 == iNum2
+		return CompareCoursePointersByAutogen( pCourse1, pCourse2 );
+}
+
+static bool CompareCoursePointersByTotalDifficulty(const Course* pCourse1, const Course* pCourse2)
+{
+	float iNum1 = pCourse1->SortOrder_TotalDifficulty;
+	float iNum2 = pCourse2->SortOrder_TotalDifficulty;
+
+	if( iNum1 < iNum2 )
+		return true;
+	else if( iNum1 > iNum2 )
+		return false;
+	else // iNum1 == iNum2
+		return CompareCoursePointersByAutogen( pCourse1, pCourse2 );
+}
+
+static bool CompareCoursePointersByRanking(const Course* pCourse1, const Course* pCourse2)
+{
+	float iNum1 = pCourse1->SortOrder_Ranking;
+	float iNum2 = pCourse2->SortOrder_Ranking;
+
+	if( iNum1 < iNum2 )
+		return true;
+	else if( iNum1 > iNum2 )
+		return false;
+	else // iNum1 == iNum2
+		return CompareCoursePointersByAutogen( pCourse1, pCourse2 );
+}
+
 void SortCoursePointerArrayByDifficulty( vector<Course*> &apCourses )
 {
 	sort( apCourses.begin(), apCourses.end(), CompareCoursePointersByDifficulty );
 }
 
+void SortCoursePointerArrayByRanking( vector<Course*> &apCourses )
+{
+	sort( apCourses.begin(), apCourses.end(), CompareCoursePointersByRanking );
+}
+
+void SortCoursePointerArrayByAvgDifficulty( vector<Course*> &apCourses )
+{
+	sort( apCourses.begin(), apCourses.end(), CompareCoursePointersByAvgDifficulty );
+}
+
+void SortCoursePointerArrayByTotalDifficulty( vector<Course*> &apCourses )
+{
+	sort( apCourses.begin(), apCourses.end(), CompareCoursePointersByTotalDifficulty );
+}
+
 static bool CompareCoursePointersByType(const Course* pCourse1, const Course* pCourse2)
 {
 	return pCourse1->GetPlayMode() < pCourse2->GetPlayMode();
@@ -781,3 +836,36 @@ bool Course::HasBanner() const
 {
 	return m_sBannerPath != ""  &&  IsAFile(m_sBannerPath);
 }
+
+void Course::UpdateCourseStats()
+{
+	LOG->Trace("Updating course stats for %s", this->m_sName.c_str() );
+
+	SortOrder_AvgDifficulty = 0;
+	SortOrder_NumStages = 0;
+	SortOrder_Ranking = 2;
+	SortOrder_TotalDifficulty = 0;
+
+	unsigned i;
+
+	vector<Info> ci;
+	GetCourseInfo( GAMESTATE->GetCurrentStyleDef()->m_NotesType, ci );
+
+	for(i = 0; i < m_entries.size(); i++)
+	{
+		SortOrder_NumStages++;
+		SortOrder_TotalDifficulty += ci[i].pNotes->GetMeter();
+	}
+
+	SortOrder_AvgDifficulty = (float)SortOrder_TotalDifficulty/SortOrder_NumStages;
+	if (SortOrder_NumStages > 7) SortOrder_Ranking = 3;
+
+	CStringArray RankingCourses;
+
+	split( THEME->GetMetric("ScreenRanking","CoursesToShow"),",", RankingCourses);
+
+	for(i = 0; i < RankingCourses.size(); i++)
+		if (!RankingCourses[i].CompareNoCase(this->m_sPath))
+			SortOrder_Ranking = 1;
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/stepmania/src/Course.h b/stepmania/src/Course.h
index 21fb3f514b..dbbf297d36 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Course.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/Course.h
@@ -120,6 +120,13 @@ public:
 	
 	void AddScores( NotesType nt, bool bPlayerEnabled[NUM_PLAYERS], int iDancePoints[NUM_PLAYERS], float fSurviveTime[NUM_PLAYERS], int iRankingIndexOut[NUM_PLAYERS], bool bNewRecordOut[NUM_PLAYERS] );	// iNewRecordIndexOut[p] = -1 if not a new record
 
+	// sorting values
+	int		SortOrder_NumStages;
+	int		SortOrder_TotalDifficulty;
+	float	SortOrder_AvgDifficulty;
+	int		SortOrder_Ranking;
+
+	void UpdateCourseStats();
 
 private:
 	void SetDefaultScore();
@@ -129,5 +136,9 @@ private:
 
 void SortCoursePointerArrayByDifficulty( vector<Course*> &apCourses );
 void SortCoursePointerArrayByType( vector<Course*> &apCourses );
+void SortCoursePointerArrayByAvgDifficulty( vector<Course*> &apCourses );
+void SortCoursePointerArrayByTotalDifficulty( vector<Course*> &apCourses );
+void SortCoursePointerArrayByRanking( vector<Course*> &apCourses );
+
 
 #endif
diff --git a/stepmania/src/MusicWheel.cpp b/stepmania/src/MusicWheel.cpp
index ea9c13e7fb..323d618c5a 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/MusicWheel.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/MusicWheel.cpp
@@ -571,8 +571,24 @@ void MusicWheel::BuildWheelItemDatas( vector<WheelItemData> &arrayWheelItemDatas
 		default: ASSERT(0); break;
 		}
 
+		// default sort order; other songs may alter this
 		SortCoursePointerArrayByDifficulty( apCourses );
 
+		if (PREFSMAN->m_iCourseSortOrder != 0)
+		{
+			for(i=0; i<apCourses.size(); i++)
+				apCourses[i]->UpdateCourseStats();
+
+			if (PREFSMAN->m_iCourseSortOrder == 1)
+				SortCoursePointerArrayByAvgDifficulty( apCourses );
+
+			if (PREFSMAN->m_iCourseSortOrder == 2)
+				SortCoursePointerArrayByTotalDifficulty( apCourses );
+
+			if (PREFSMAN->m_iCourseSortOrder == 3)
+				SortCoursePointerArrayByRanking( apCourses );
+		}
+
 		if( so == SORT_ALL_COURSES )
 			SortCoursePointerArrayByType( apCourses );
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp
index e6d631139b..c80952c431 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp
@@ -109,6 +109,9 @@ PrefsManager::PrefsManager()
 	 * stage CRS files) don't get it changed around on them. */
 	m_bPickExtraStage = false;
 
+	// default to old sort order
+	m_iCourseSortOrder = 0;
+
 	m_fLongVerSongSeconds = 60*2.5f;	// Dynamite Rave is 2:55
 	m_fMarathonVerSongSeconds = 60*5.f;
 
@@ -214,6 +217,7 @@ void PrefsManager::ReadGlobalPrefsFromDisk( bool bSwitchToLastPlayedGame )
 	ini.GetValueB( "Options", "BreakComboToGetItem",		m_bBreakComboToGetItem );
 	ini.GetValueB( "Options", "ShowDancingCharacters",		m_bShowDancingCharacters );
 	ini.GetValueB( "Options", "TenFooterInRed",				m_bTenFooterInRed );
+	ini.GetValueI( "Options", "CourseSortOrder",			(int&)m_iCourseSortOrder );
 
 	ini.GetValueB( "Options", "UseUnlockSystem",			m_bUseUnlockSystem );
 
@@ -325,6 +329,7 @@ void PrefsManager::SaveGlobalPrefsToDisk()
 	ini.SetValueB( "Options", "DebugMode",					m_bDebugMode );
 
 	ini.SetValueB( "Options", "TenFooterInRed",				m_bTenFooterInRed );
+	ini.SetValueI( "Options", "CourseSortOrder",			m_iCourseSortOrder );
 
 
 	/* Only write these if they aren't the default.  This ensures that we can change
diff --git a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h
index 97e7643a5a..2507d6f9d4 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h
@@ -84,6 +84,10 @@ public:
 	bool			m_bDebugMode;
 	bool			m_bTenFooterInRed;
 
+	// course ranking
+	// by # songs = 0, avg diff=1, total diff=2, ranking=3
+	int				m_iCourseSortOrder;
+
 	/* 0 = no; 1 = yes; -1 = auto (do whatever is appropriate for the arch). */
 	int				m_iBoostAppPriority;
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenAppearanceOptions.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenAppearanceOptions.cpp
index 3ce0829da6..44ff66ffcc 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenAppearanceOptions.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenAppearanceOptions.cpp
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ enum {
 	AO_SELECT_GROUP,
 	AO_WHEEL_SECTIONS,
 	AO_TEN_FOOT_RED,
+	AO_COURSE_SORT,
 	AO_SHOW_TRANSLATIONS,
 	AO_SHOW_LYRICS,
 	NUM_APPEARANCE_OPTIONS_LINES
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@ OptionRow g_AppearanceOptionsLines[NUM_APPEARANCE_OPTIONS_LINES] = {
 	OptionRow( "Song\nGroup",		"ALL MUSIC","CHOOSE"),
 	OptionRow( "Wheel\nSections",	"NEVER","ALWAYS", "ABC ONLY"),
 	OptionRow( "10+ foot\nIn Red",	"NO", "YES"),
+	OptionRow( "Course\nSort",		"# SONGS", "AVG FEET", "TOTAL FEET", "RANKING"),
 	OptionRow( "Translations",		"NATIVE","TRANSLITERATE"),
 	OptionRow( "Lyrics",			"HIDE","SHOW"),
 };
@@ -144,6 +146,7 @@ void ScreenAppearanceOptions::ImportOptions()
 	m_iSelectedOption[0][AO_SELECT_GROUP]				= PREFSMAN->m_bShowSelectGroup? 1:0;
 	m_iSelectedOption[0][AO_WHEEL_SECTIONS]				= (int)PREFSMAN->m_MusicWheelUsesSections;
 	m_iSelectedOption[0][AO_TEN_FOOT_RED]				= PREFSMAN->m_bTenFooterInRed? 1:0;
+	m_iSelectedOption[0][AO_COURSE_SORT]				= (int)PREFSMAN->m_iCourseSortOrder;
 	m_iSelectedOption[0][AO_SHOW_TRANSLATIONS]			= PREFSMAN->m_bShowNative? 0:1;
 	m_iSelectedOption[0][AO_SHOW_LYRICS]				= PREFSMAN->m_bShowLyrics;
 }
@@ -192,6 +195,7 @@ void ScreenAppearanceOptions::ExportOptions()
 	PREFSMAN->m_bShowLyrics						= !!m_iSelectedOption[0][AO_SHOW_LYRICS];
 	PREFSMAN->m_bDancePointsForOni				= !!m_iSelectedOption[0][AO_DANCE_POINTS_FOR_ONI];
 	PREFSMAN->m_bTenFooterInRed					= !!m_iSelectedOption[0][AO_TEN_FOOT_RED];
+	PREFSMAN->m_iCourseSortOrder				=   m_iSelectedOption[0][AO_COURSE_SORT];
 
 	PREFSMAN->SaveGamePrefsToDisk();
 	PREFSMAN->SaveGlobalPrefsToDisk();