1.Introductory concepts. 2.Interaction of radiation with atoms and ions. 3.Energy levels, radiative, and nonradioactive transitions in molecules and semiconductors. 4.Ray and wave propagation through optical media. 5.Passive optical resonators. 6.Pumping processes. 7.Continuous wave laser behavior. 8.Transient laser behavior. 9.Solid-state, Dye, and semiconductor lasers. 10.Gas, chemical, free-electron, and x-Ray Lasers. 11.Properties of laser beams. 12.Laser beam transformation: propagation, amplification, frequency conversion, pulse compression, and expansion.