diff --git a/src/cdk/a11y/a11y.md b/src/cdk/a11y/a11y.md
index 548326f0bcc7..7b08ce5d9928 100644
--- a/src/cdk/a11y/a11y.md
+++ b/src/cdk/a11y/a11y.md
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 The `a11y` package provides a number of tools to improve accessibility, described below.
 
-### ListKeyManager
+## ListKeyManager
 `ListKeyManager` manages the active option in a list of items based on keyboard interaction.
 Intended to be used with components that correspond to a `role="menu"` or `role="listbox"` pattern.
 
-#### Basic usage
+### Basic usage
 Any component that uses a `ListKeyManager` will generally do three things:
 * Create a `@ViewChildren` query for the options being managed.
 * Initialize the `ListKeyManager`, passing in the options.
@@ -18,16 +18,16 @@ interface ListKeyManagerOption {
 }
 ```
 
-#### Wrapping
+### Wrapping
 Navigation through options can be made to wrap via the `withWrap` method
 ```ts
 this.keyManager = new FocusKeyManager(...).withWrap();
 ``` 
 
-#### Types of key managers
+### Types of key managers
 There are two varieties of `ListKeyManager`, `FocusKeyManager` and `ActiveDescendantKeyManager`.
 
-##### FocusKeyManager
+#### FocusKeyManager
 Used when options will directly receive browser focus. Each item managed must implement the
 `FocusableOption` interface:
 ```ts
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ interface FocusableOption extends ListKeyManagerOption {
 }
 ```
 
-##### ActiveDescendantKeyManager
+#### ActiveDescendantKeyManager
 Used when options will be marked as active via `aria-activedescendant`. 
 Each item managed must implement the
 `Highlightable` interface:
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ interface Highlightable extends ListKeyManagerOption {
 Each item must also have an ID bound to the listbox's or menu's `aria-activedescendant`.
 
 
-### FocusTrap
+## FocusTrap
 The `cdkTrapFocus` directive traps <kbd>Tab</kbd> key focus within an element. This is intended to
 be used to create accessible experience for components like
 [modal dialogs](https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-practices-1.1/#dialog_modal), where focus must be
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ constrained.
 
 This directive is declared in `A11yModule`.
 
-#### Example
+### Example
 ```html
 <div class="my-inner-dialog-content" cdkTrapFocus>
   <!-- Tab and Shift + Tab will not leave this element. -->
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ This directive is declared in `A11yModule`.
 This directive will not prevent focus from moving out of the trapped region due to mouse
 interaction.
 
-#### Regions
+### Regions
 Regions can be declared explicitly with an initial focus element by using 
 the `cdkFocusRegionStart`, `cdkFocusRegionEnd` and `cdkFocusInitial` DOM attributes. 
 `cdkFocusInitial` specifies the element that will receive focus upon initialization of the region. 
@@ -85,18 +85,18 @@ For example:
 ```
 
 
-### InteractivityChecker
+## InteractivityChecker
 `InteractivityChecker` is used to check the interactivity of an element, capturing disabled,
 visible, tabbable, and focusable states for accessibility purposes. See the API docs for more
 details.
 
 
-### LiveAnnouncer
+## LiveAnnouncer
 `LiveAnnouncer` is used to announce messages for screen-reader users using an `aria-live` region.
 See [the W3C's WAI-ARIA](https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria/states_and_properties#aria-live)
 for more information on aria-live regions. 
 
-#### Example
+### Example
 ```ts
 @Component({...})
 export class MyComponent {
@@ -106,3 +106,55 @@ export class MyComponent {
  }
 }
 ```
+
+## FocusMonitor
+The `FocusMonitor` is an injectable service that can be used to listen for changes in the focus
+state of an element. It's more powerful than just listening for `focus` or `blur` events because it
+tells you how the element was focused (via mouse, keyboard, touch, or programmatically). It also
+allows listening for focus on descendant elements if desired.
+
+To listen for focus changes on an element, use the `monitor` method which takes an element to
+monitor and an optional boolean flag `checkChildren`. Passing true for `checkChildren` will tell the
+`FocusMonitor` to consider the element focused if any of its descendants are focused. This option
+defaults to `false` if not specified. The `monitor` method will return an Observable that emits the
+`FocusOrigin` whenever the focus state changes. The `FocusOrigin` will be one of the following:
+
+* `'mouse'` indicates the element was focused with the mouse
+* `'keyboard'` indicates the element was focused with the keyboard
+* `'touch'` indicates the element was focused by touching on a touchscreen
+* `'program'` indicates the element was focused programmatically
+* `null` indicates the element was blurred
+
+In addition to emitting on the observable, the `FocusMonitor` will automatically apply CSS classes
+to the element when focused. It will add `.cdk-focused` if the element is focused and will further
+add `.cdk-${origin}-focused` (with `${origin}` being `mouse`, `keyboard`, `touch`, or `program`) to
+indicate how the element was focused.
+
+Note: currently the `FocusMonitor` emits on the observable _outside_ of the Angular zone. Therefore
+if you `markForCheck` in the subscription you must put yourself back in the Angular zone.
+
+```ts
+focusMonitor.monitor(el).subscribe(origin => this.ngZone.run(() => /* ... */ ));
+``` 
+
+Any element that is monitored by calling `monitor` should eventually be unmonitored by calling
+`stopMonitoring` with the same element.
+
+<!-- example(focus-monitor-overview) -->
+
+It is possible to falsify the `FocusOrigin` when setting the focus programmatically by using the
+`focusVia` method of `FocusMonitor`. This method accepts an element to focus and the `FocusOrigin`
+to use. If the element being focused is currently being monitored by the `FocusMonitor` it will
+report the `FocusOrigin` that was passed in. If the element is not currently being monitored it will
+just be focused like normal.
+
+<!-- example(focus-monitor-focus-via) -->
+
+### cdkMonitorElementFocus and cdkMonitorSubtreeFocus
+For convenience, the CDK also provides two directives that allow for easily monitoring an element.
+`cdkMonitorElementFocus` is the equivalent of calling `monitor` on the host element with
+`checkChildren` set to `false`. `cdkMonitorSubtreeFocus` is the equivalent of calling `monitor` on
+the host element with `checkChildren` set to `true`. Each of these directives has an `@Output()`
+`cdkFocusChange` that will emit the new `FocusOrigin` whenever it changes.
+
+<!-- example(focus-monitor-directives) -->
diff --git a/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-directives/focus-monitor-directives-example.css b/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-directives/focus-monitor-directives-example.css
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f64065c60cea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-directives/focus-monitor-directives-example.css
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+.example-focus-monitor {
+  padding: 20px;
+}
+
+.example-focus-monitor .cdk-mouse-focused {
+  background: rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.5);
+}
+
+.example-focus-monitor .cdk-keyboard-focused {
+  background: rgba(0, 255, 0, 0.5);
+}
+
+.example-focus-monitor .cdk-touch-focused {
+  background: rgba(0, 0, 255, 0.5);
+}
+
+.example-focus-monitor .cdk-program-focused {
+  background: rgba(255, 0, 255, 0.5);
+}
diff --git a/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-directives/focus-monitor-directives-example.html b/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-directives/focus-monitor-directives-example.html
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e9b22e4b536b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-directives/focus-monitor-directives-example.html
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+<div class="example-focus-monitor">
+  <button cdkMonitorSubtreeFocus
+          (cdkFocusChange)="elementOrigin = formatOrigin($event); markForCheck()">
+    Focus Monitored Element ({{elementOrigin}})
+  </button>
+</div>
+
+<div class="example-focus-monitor">
+  <div cdkMonitorSubtreeFocus
+       (cdkFocusChange)="subtreeOrigin = formatOrigin($event); markForCheck()">
+    <p>Focus Monitored Subtree ({{subtreeOrigin}})</p>
+    <button>Child Button 1</button>
+    <button>Child Button 2</button>
+  </div>
+</div>
diff --git a/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-directives/focus-monitor-directives-example.ts b/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-directives/focus-monitor-directives-example.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c13412a97cf6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-directives/focus-monitor-directives-example.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import {FocusOrigin} from '@angular/cdk/a11y';
+import {ChangeDetectorRef, Component, NgZone} from '@angular/core';
+
+/** @title Monitoring focus with FocusMonitor */
+@Component({
+  selector: 'focus-monitor-directives-example',
+  templateUrl: 'focus-monitor-directives-example.html',
+  styleUrls: ['focus-monitor-directives-example.css']
+})
+export class FocusMonitorDirectivesExample {
+  elementOrigin: string = this.formatOrigin(null);
+  subtreeOrigin: string = this.formatOrigin(null);
+
+  constructor(private ngZone: NgZone, private cdr: ChangeDetectorRef) {}
+
+
+  formatOrigin(origin: FocusOrigin): string {
+    return origin ? origin + ' focused' : 'blurred';
+  }
+
+  // Workaround for the fact that (cdkFocusChange) emits outside NgZone.
+  markForCheck() {
+    this.ngZone.run(() => this.cdr.markForCheck());
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-focus-via/focus-monitor-focus-via-example.css b/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-focus-via/focus-monitor-focus-via-example.css
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6c1a0481c0a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-focus-via/focus-monitor-focus-via-example.css
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+.example-focus-monitor {
+  padding: 20px;
+}
+
+.example-focus-monitor .cdk-mouse-focused {
+  background: rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.5);
+}
+
+.example-focus-monitor .cdk-keyboard-focused {
+  background: rgba(0, 255, 0, 0.5);
+}
+
+.example-focus-monitor .cdk-touch-focused {
+  background: rgba(0, 0, 255, 0.5);
+}
+
+.example-focus-monitor .cdk-program-focused {
+  background: rgba(255, 0, 255, 0.5);
+}
+
+.example-focus-monitor button:focus {
+  box-shadow: 0 0 30px cyan;
+}
diff --git a/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-focus-via/focus-monitor-focus-via-example.html b/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-focus-via/focus-monitor-focus-via-example.html
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a007e62238f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-focus-via/focus-monitor-focus-via-example.html
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+<div class="example-focus-monitor">
+  <button #monitored>1. Focus Monitored Element ({{origin}})</button>
+  <button #unmonitored>2. Not Monitored</button>
+</div>
+
+<mat-form-field>
+  <mat-label>Simulated focus origin</mat-label>
+  <mat-select #simulatedOrigin value="mouse">
+    <mat-option value="mouse">Mouse</mat-option>
+    <mat-option value="keyboard">Keyboard</mat-option>
+    <mat-option value="touch">Touch</mat-option>
+    <mat-option value="program">Programmatic</mat-option>
+  </mat-select>
+</mat-form-field>
+
+<button (click)="focusMonitor.focusVia(monitored, simulatedOrigin.value)">
+  Focus button #1
+</button>
+<button (click)="focusMonitor.focusVia(unmonitored, simulatedOrigin.value)">
+  Focus button #2
+</button>
diff --git a/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-focus-via/focus-monitor-focus-via-example.ts b/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-focus-via/focus-monitor-focus-via-example.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6ad5dd511770
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-focus-via/focus-monitor-focus-via-example.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+import {FocusMonitor, FocusOrigin} from '@angular/cdk/a11y';
+import {
+  ChangeDetectorRef,
+  Component,
+  ElementRef,
+  NgZone,
+  OnDestroy,
+  OnInit,
+  ViewChild
+} from '@angular/core';
+
+/** @title Focusing with a specific FocusOrigin */
+@Component({
+  selector: 'focus-monitor-focus-via-example',
+  templateUrl: 'focus-monitor-focus-via-example.html',
+  styleUrls: ['focus-monitor-focus-via-example.css']
+})
+export class FocusMonitorFocusViaExample implements OnDestroy, OnInit {
+  @ViewChild('monitored') monitoredEl: ElementRef;
+
+  origin: string = this.formatOrigin(null);
+
+  constructor(public focusMonitor: FocusMonitor,
+              private cdr: ChangeDetectorRef,
+              private ngZone: NgZone) {}
+
+  ngOnInit() {
+    this.focusMonitor.monitor(this.monitoredEl.nativeElement)
+        .subscribe(origin => this.ngZone.run(() => {
+          this.origin = this.formatOrigin(origin);
+          this.cdr.markForCheck();
+        }));
+  }
+
+  ngOnDestroy() {
+    this.focusMonitor.stopMonitoring(this.monitoredEl.nativeElement);
+  }
+
+  formatOrigin(origin: FocusOrigin): string {
+    return origin ? origin + ' focused' : 'blurred';
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-overview/focus-monitor-overview-example.css b/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-overview/focus-monitor-overview-example.css
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f64065c60cea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-overview/focus-monitor-overview-example.css
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+.example-focus-monitor {
+  padding: 20px;
+}
+
+.example-focus-monitor .cdk-mouse-focused {
+  background: rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.5);
+}
+
+.example-focus-monitor .cdk-keyboard-focused {
+  background: rgba(0, 255, 0, 0.5);
+}
+
+.example-focus-monitor .cdk-touch-focused {
+  background: rgba(0, 0, 255, 0.5);
+}
+
+.example-focus-monitor .cdk-program-focused {
+  background: rgba(255, 0, 255, 0.5);
+}
diff --git a/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-overview/focus-monitor-overview-example.html b/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-overview/focus-monitor-overview-example.html
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6f3c733582ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-overview/focus-monitor-overview-example.html
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+<div class="example-focus-monitor">
+  <button #element>Focus Monitored Element ({{elementOrigin}})</button>
+</div>
+
+<div class="example-focus-monitor">
+  <div #subtree>
+    <p>Focus Monitored Subtree ({{subtreeOrigin}})</p>
+    <button>Child Button 1</button>
+    <button>Child Button 2</button>
+  </div>
+</div>
diff --git a/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-overview/focus-monitor-overview-example.ts b/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-overview/focus-monitor-overview-example.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..4f0e8475f64a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/material-examples/focus-monitor-overview/focus-monitor-overview-example.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import {FocusMonitor, FocusOrigin} from '@angular/cdk/a11y';
+import {
+  ChangeDetectorRef,
+  Component,
+  ElementRef,
+  NgZone,
+  OnDestroy,
+  OnInit,
+  ViewChild
+} from '@angular/core';
+
+/** @title Monitoring focus with FocusMonitor */
+@Component({
+  selector: 'focus-monitor-overview-example',
+  templateUrl: 'focus-monitor-overview-example.html',
+  styleUrls: ['focus-monitor-overview-example.css']
+})
+export class FocusMonitorOverviewExample implements OnDestroy, OnInit {
+  @ViewChild('element') element: ElementRef;
+  @ViewChild('subtree') subtree: ElementRef;
+
+  elementOrigin: string = this.formatOrigin(null);
+  subtreeOrigin: string = this.formatOrigin(null);
+
+  constructor(private focusMonitor: FocusMonitor,
+              private cdr: ChangeDetectorRef,
+              private ngZone: NgZone) {}
+
+  ngOnInit() {
+    this.focusMonitor.monitor(this.element.nativeElement)
+        .subscribe(origin => this.ngZone.run(() => {
+          this.elementOrigin = this.formatOrigin(origin);
+          this.cdr.markForCheck();
+        }));
+    this.focusMonitor.monitor(this.subtree.nativeElement, true)
+        .subscribe(origin => this.ngZone.run(() => {
+          this.subtreeOrigin = this.formatOrigin(origin);
+          this.cdr.markForCheck();
+        }));
+  }
+
+  ngOnDestroy() {
+    this.focusMonitor.stopMonitoring(this.element.nativeElement);
+    this.focusMonitor.stopMonitoring(this.subtree.nativeElement);
+  }
+
+  formatOrigin(origin: FocusOrigin): string {
+    return origin ? origin + ' focused' : 'blurred';
+  }
+}