diff --git a/static/js/formatters-internal.js b/static/js/formatters-internal.js
index 85e1d1d88..f6fec79ae 100644
--- a/static/js/formatters-internal.js
+++ b/static/js/formatters-internal.js
@@ -566,3 +566,24 @@ export function getYoutubeUrl(videos = []) {
     : null;
   return youtubeVideoUrl;
 }
+
+/**
+ * construct a list of displayable category names based on given category ids from liveAPI
+ * and a mapping of category ids to names.
+ * 
+ * @param {string[]} categoryIds category ids from liveAPI
+ * @param {Object[]} categoryMap mapping of category ids to names
+ * @param {string} categoryMap[].id id of a category entry
+ * @param {string} categoryMap[].category name of a category entry
+ * @returns {string[]} a list of category names
+ */
+ export function getCategoryNames(categoryIds, categoryMap) {
+  if (!categoryIds || !categoryMap) {
+    return [];
+  }
+  return categoryIds.reduce((list, id) => {
+    const categoryEntry = categoryMap.find(category => category.id === id);
+    categoryEntry ? list.push(categoryEntry.category) : console.error(`Unable to find category name for id ${id}.`);
+    return list;
+  }, []);
+}
diff --git a/static/js/formatters.js b/static/js/formatters.js
index 1d1084929..de2e58479 100644
--- a/static/js/formatters.js
+++ b/static/js/formatters.js
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ import {
   generateCTAFieldTypeLink,
   price,
   highlightField,
-  getYoutubeUrl
+  getYoutubeUrl,
+  getCategoryNames
 } from './formatters-internal.js';
 import * as CustomFormatters from './formatters-custom.js';
 
@@ -62,7 +63,8 @@ let Formatters = {
   generateCTAFieldTypeLink,
   price,
   highlightField,
-  getYoutubeUrl
+  getYoutubeUrl,
+  getCategoryNames
 };
 Formatters = Object.assign(Formatters, CustomFormatters);
 
diff --git a/tests/static/js/formatters.js b/tests/static/js/formatters.js
index 601a46cb3..1e2c6b0b3 100644
--- a/tests/static/js/formatters.js
+++ b/tests/static/js/formatters.js
@@ -153,4 +153,57 @@ describe('Formatters', () => {
       expect(actual).toEqual(expected);
     });
   });
+
+  describe('getCategoryNames', () => {
+    const categoryMap = [ 
+      {
+        "id": "1",
+        "category": "Neurology"
+      },
+      {
+        "id": "2",
+        "category": "Dermatology"
+      },
+      {
+        "id": "3",
+        "category": "Psychiatry"
+      },
+      {
+        "id": "4",
+        "category": "Surgery"
+      }
+    ];
+
+    it('Handle undefined categoryIds and categoryMap', () => {
+      let categoryNames = Formatters.getCategoryNames(null, categoryMap);
+      expect(categoryNames).toEqual([]);
+      categoryNames = Formatters.getCategoryNames(['1'], null);
+      expect(categoryNames).toEqual([]);
+    });
+
+    it('return empty list for no matching category names', () => {
+      const categoryIds = ['5', '0'];
+      const consoleWarn = jest.spyOn(console, 'error')
+        .mockImplementation();
+      const categoryNames = Formatters.getCategoryNames(categoryIds, categoryMap);
+      expect(categoryNames).toEqual([]);
+      expect(consoleWarn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+      console.error.mockClear();
+    });
+
+    it('return a list of matching category names', () => {
+      const categoryIds = ['1', '3'];
+      const categoryNames = Formatters.getCategoryNames(categoryIds, categoryMap);
+      expect(categoryNames).toEqual(['Neurology', 'Psychiatry']);
+    });
+
+    it('return a list of category names given non-matching and matching ids', () => {
+      const categoryIds = ['1', '10', '4'];
+      const consoleWarn = jest.spyOn(console, 'error')
+        .mockImplementation();
+      const categoryNames = Formatters.getCategoryNames(categoryIds, categoryMap);
+      expect(categoryNames).toEqual(['Neurology', 'Surgery']);
+      expect(consoleWarn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    });
+  });
 });