This course will provide attendees with a basic knowledge of Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording. An explanation of the “superparamagnetic limit” and estimates of the ultimate areal densities that conventional magnetic storage may achieve because of this limit will be presented. The course will then discuss how heat assisted recording can allow for the extension of this technology. The key features required of a heat assisted magnetic recording system in order to realize density advantages will be described. The challenges associated with the development of a practical heat assisted magnetic recording system including the formation of optical spots well below the diffraction limit, the issues associated with the integration of optical and magnetic elements in a read write head, and the development of media with the appropriate coercivity and coercivity temperature dependence will be presented. Finally current work aimed at overcoming these challenges will be reviewed.