diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/experiments/flags.py b/lms/djangoapps/experiments/flags.py
index b326b79b3ce5c755fabfe22dedeb79288fac60bb..cc6c03464efe5c7b6a78eec538c7d08ad9d03a02 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/experiments/flags.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/experiments/flags.py
@@ -184,11 +184,7 @@ class ExperimentWaffleFlag(CourseWaffleFlag):
         # First check if forced into a particular bucket, using our subordinate bucket flags.
         # If not, calculate their default bucket using a consistent hash function.
         for i, bucket_flag in enumerate(self.bucket_flags):
-            forced_into_bucket = (
-                bucket_flag.is_enabled(course_key) if course_key
-                else bucket_flag.is_enabled_without_course_context()
-            )
-            if forced_into_bucket:
+            if bucket_flag.is_enabled(course_key):
                 bucket = i
                 break
         else:
@@ -224,17 +220,12 @@ class ExperimentWaffleFlag(CourseWaffleFlag):
     def is_enabled(self, course_key=None):
         return self.get_bucket(course_key) != 0
 
-    def is_enabled_without_course_context(self):
-        return self.is_enabled()
-
     def is_experiment_on(self, course_key=None):
         """
         Return whether the overall experiment flag is enabled for this user.
 
         This disregards `.bucket_flags`.
         """
-        if course_key is None:
-            return super().is_enabled_without_course_context()
         return super().is_enabled(course_key)
 
     @contextmanager
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/experiments/tests/test_flags.py b/lms/djangoapps/experiments/tests/test_flags.py
index ff80fe694f7485f0122494c676d336ece73a2920..594a4b6ae4fc47d57f66cd1257feaf4e6bc86048 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/experiments/tests/test_flags.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/experiments/tests/test_flags.py
@@ -137,11 +137,9 @@ class ExperimentWaffleFlagTests(SharedModuleStoreTestCase):
 
     def test_is_enabled(self):
         with patch('experiments.flags.ExperimentWaffleFlag.get_bucket', return_value=1):
-            self.assertEqual(self.flag.is_enabled_without_course_context(), True)
             self.assertEqual(self.flag.is_enabled(self.key), True)
             self.assertEqual(self.flag.is_enabled(), True)
         with patch('experiments.flags.ExperimentWaffleFlag.get_bucket', return_value=0):
-            self.assertEqual(self.flag.is_enabled_without_course_context(), False)
             self.assertEqual(self.flag.is_enabled(self.key), False)
             self.assertEqual(self.flag.is_enabled(), False)
 
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/waffle_utils/__init__.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/waffle_utils/__init__.py
index 94be7ba3324411bceaef069bd66e16ef1b91b74d..4aafcd0fd67740b959e606b0f58b42acf5c96ed6 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/waffle_utils/__init__.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/waffle_utils/__init__.py
@@ -456,38 +456,20 @@ class CourseWaffleFlag(WaffleFlag):
 
         return course_override_callback
 
-    def _is_enabled(self, course_key=None):
+    def is_enabled(self, course_key=None):  # pylint: disable=arguments-differ
         """
-        Returns whether or not the flag is enabled without error checking.
+        Returns whether or not the flag is enabled within the context of a given course.
 
         Arguments:
-            course_key (CourseKey): The course to check for override before
-            checking waffle.
-        """
+            course_key (Optional[CourseKey]): The course to check for override before
+                checking waffle. If omitted, check whether the flag is enabled
+                outside the context of any course.
+        """
+        if course_key:
+            assert isinstance(course_key, CourseKey), (
+                "Provided course_key '{}' is not instance of CourseKey.".format(course_key)
+            )
         return self.waffle_namespace.is_flag_active(
             self.flag_name,
             check_before_waffle_callback=self._get_course_override_callback(course_key),
         )
-
-    def is_enabled_without_course_context(self):
-        """
-        Returns whether or not the flag is enabled outside the context of a given course.
-        This should only be used when a course waffle flag must be used outside of a course.
-        If this is intended for use with a simple global setting, use simple waffle flag instead.
-        """
-        return self._is_enabled()
-
-    def is_enabled(self, course_key):
-        """
-        Returns whether or not the flag is enabled within the context of a given course.
-
-        Arguments:
-            course_key (CourseKey): The course to check for override before
-            checking waffle.
-        """
-        # validate arguments
-        assert issubclass(type(course_key), CourseKey), u"The course_key '{}' must be a CourseKey.".format(
-            str(course_key)
-        )
-
-        return self._is_enabled(course_key)