Dark matter is a frequently discussed topic in contemporary particle physics. Written strictly
in the language of particle physics and quantum field theory these course-based lecture notes
focus on a set of standard calculations that students need in order to understand weakly
interacting dark matter candidates. After introducing some general features of these dark
matter agents and their main competitors the Higgs portal scalar and supersymmetric
neutralinos are introduced as our default models. In turn this serves as a basis for exploring
four experimental aspects: the dark matter relic density extracted from the cosmic microwave
background indirect detection including the Fermi galactic center excess direct detection
and collider searches. Alternative approaches like an effective theory of dark matter and
simplified models naturally follow from the discussions of these four experimental directions.
