diff --git a/admin/settings/appearance.php b/admin/settings/appearance.php
index 1df0a092cbe..fd31903a3f3 100644
--- a/admin/settings/appearance.php
+++ b/admin/settings/appearance.php
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ if ($hassiteconfig or has_any_capability($capabilities, $systemcontext)) { // sp
     $temp->add(new admin_setting_configcheckbox('navshowcategories', new lang_string('navshowcategories', 'admin'), new lang_string('confignavshowcategories', 'admin'), 1));
     $temp->add(new admin_setting_configcheckbox('navshowmycoursecategories', new lang_string('navshowmycoursecategories', 'admin'), new lang_string('navshowmycoursecategories_help', 'admin'), 0));
     $temp->add(new admin_setting_configcheckbox('navshowallcourses', new lang_string('navshowallcourses', 'admin'), new lang_string('confignavshowallcourses', 'admin'), 0));
+    $temp->add(new admin_setting_configcheckbox('navexpandmycourses', new lang_string('navexpandmycourses', 'admin'), new lang_string('navexpandmycourses_desc', 'admin'), 1));
     $sortoptions = array(
         'sortorder' => new lang_string('sort_sortorder', 'admin'),
         'fullname' => new lang_string('sort_fullname', 'admin'),
diff --git a/blocks/navigation/tests/behat/expand_my_courses_setting.feature b/blocks/navigation/tests/behat/expand_my_courses_setting.feature
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..79eeb0eedb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/blocks/navigation/tests/behat/expand_my_courses_setting.feature
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+@block @block_navigation
+Feature: Test expand my courses navigation setting
+  As a student
+  I visit my My Moodle page and observe the the My Courses branch
+
+  Background:
+    Given the following "users" exist:
+      | username | firstname | lastname | email |
+      | student1 | Student | 1 | student1@asd.com |
+    And the following "categories" exist:
+      | name  | category | idnumber |
+      | cat1  | 0        | cat1     |
+    And the following "courses" exist:
+      | fullname | shortname | category |
+      | Course1  | c1        | cat1     |
+      | Course2  | c2        | cat1     |
+      | Course3  | c3        | cat1     |
+    And the following "course enrolments" exist:
+      | user     | course | role    |
+      | student1 | c1     | student |
+      | student1 | c2    | student |
+
+  Scenario: The My Courses branch is expanded on the My Moodle page by default
+    When I log in as "student1"
+    And I follow "My home"
+    Then I should see "c1" in the "Navigation" "block"
+    And I should see "c2" in the "Navigation" "block"
+    And I should not see "c3" in the "Navigation" "block"
+
+  @javascript
+  Scenario: The My Courses branch is collapsed when expand my courses is off
+    Given I log in as "admin"
+    And I set the following administration settings values:
+      | Expand My Courses initially on My Moodle page | 0 |
+    And I log out
+    Given I log in as "student1"
+    And I follow "My home"
+    Then I should not see "c1" in the "Navigation" "block"
+    And I should not see "c2" in the "Navigation" "block"
+    And I should not see "c3" in the "Navigation" "block"
+
+  @javascript
+  Scenario: My Courses can be expanded on the My Moodle page when expand my courses is off
+    Given I log in as "admin"
+    And I set the following administration settings values:
+      | Expand My Courses initially on My Moodle page | 0 |
+    And I log out
+    Given I log in as "student1"
+    And I follow "My home"
+    And I should not see "c1" in the "Navigation" "block"
+    And I should not see "c2" in the "Navigation" "block"
+    And I should not see "c3" in the "Navigation" "block"
+    And I expand "My courses" node
+    Then I should see "c1" in the "Navigation" "block"
+    And I should see "c2" in the "Navigation" "block"
+    And I should not see "c3" in the "Navigation" "block"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lang/en/admin.php b/lang/en/admin.php
index 62734b5311c..4e9db3dd647 100644
--- a/lang/en/admin.php
+++ b/lang/en/admin.php
@@ -732,6 +732,8 @@ $string['navadduserpostslinks'] = 'Add links to view user posts';
 $string['navadduserpostslinks_help'] = 'If enabled two links will be added to each user in the navigation to view discussions the user has started and posts the user has made in forums throughout the site or in specific courses.';
 $string['navigationupgrade'] = 'This upgrade introduces two new navigation blocks that will replace these blocks: Administration, Courses, Activities and Participants.  If you had set any special permissions on those blocks you should check to make sure everything is behaving as you want it.';
 $string['navcourselimit'] = 'Course limit';
+$string['navexpandmycourses'] = 'Expand My Courses initially on My Moodle page';
+$string['navexpandmycourses_desc'] = 'When enabled the My Courses branch will be expanded initially on the My Moodle page and any pages within the My Moodle area.';
 $string['navshowfullcoursenames'] = 'Show course full names';
 $string['navshowfullcoursenames_help'] = 'If enabled courses in the navigation will be shown with using their full name rather than their short name.';
 $string['navshowfrontpagemods'] = 'Show front page activities in the navigation';
diff --git a/lib/navigationlib.php b/lib/navigationlib.php
index 10fde52e255..0ea480b22b8 100644
--- a/lib/navigationlib.php
+++ b/lib/navigationlib.php
@@ -979,7 +979,7 @@ class global_navigation extends navigation_node {
     protected $initialised = false;
     /** @var array An array of course information */
     protected $mycourses = array();
-    /** @var array An array for containing  root navigation nodes */
+    /** @var navigation_node[] An array for containing  root navigation nodes */
     protected $rootnodes = array();
     /** @var bool A switch for whether to show empty sections in the navigation */
     protected $showemptysections = true;
@@ -1133,8 +1133,13 @@ class global_navigation extends navigation_node {
             $this->rootnodes['courses']->isexpandable = true;
         }
 
-        if ($this->rootnodes['mycourses']->isactive) {
+        // Load the users enrolled courses if they are viewing the My Moodle page AND the admin has not
+        // set that they wish to keep the My Courses branch collapsed by default.
+        if (!empty($CFG->navexpandmycourses) && $this->rootnodes['mycourses']->isactive){
             $this->load_courses_enrolled();
+        } else {
+            $this->rootnodes['mycourses']->collapse = true;
+            $this->rootnodes['mycourses']->make_inactive();
         }
 
         $canviewcourseprofile = true;