  This is a written version of a series of three lectures aimed at graduate
students in the field of experimental high energy physics. The emphasis is on
physics that is relevant to $B$-factories. The main topics covered are: (i) The
flavor sector of the Standard Model; (ii) Determination of the mixing
parameters; (iii) CP violation in meson decays (a model independent
description); (iv) CP violation in the Standard Model; (v) CP violation as a
probe of new physics.
