The past century witnessed an unprecedented scale of economic growth and development in the history of humankind. In the meantime, however, issues in developing countries such as poverty, gender inequality, population growth, high fertility, poor healthcare system, limited access to education, still exist and will probably continue to exist for a long time. What are the causes of poverty and inequality from an economic perspective? Why do certain development programs and strategies contribute to economic growth in some countries but only lead to failures or even disasters in other countries? How can a nation improve the economic, political and social well- being of its people? These are complex and controversial questions and we cannot hope to address them thoroughly in one semester. Despite that, we intend for students to acquire the knowledge and tools needed to critically think about these issues. We will introduce in this course the basic theories and concepts of economic development. The focus will be on issues related to developing nations. We will also examine the role markets and government play in the process of economic development policymaking and implementation of these policies. Upon completion of the course, students will gain a deeper understanding of the economic challenges facing the developing countries and what practical and effective strategies can be created to address these challenges.