Students continue to struggle in mathematics and are delegated to developmental mathematics courses. Developmental mathematics students struggle to complete this gateway course. However, it was not known the lived experience of developmental mathematics students and the role of motivation in completion of the course. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify the motivation and lived experiences of developmental mathematics students. Deci and Ryan's Self-Determination theory and the categories of motivation provided the theoretical frameworks for the study. The study's sample consisted of 17 developmental mathematics students who were enrolled in a developmental mathematics course at either a Pacific Northwest University or Desert Southwest Community College. Findings, resulting primarily from the interviews and supported by a demographic questionnaire and field notes, uncovered a collective set of experiences and motivations students revealed during the course. Dominant themes included: feedback supports intrinsic motivation and external support influences intrinsic motivation. An overview of the findings showed extrinsic motivation include: influence of goals on motivation, value of classmate interaction, importance of rewards, and pivotal moments. Last, amotivation included test anxieties were prevalent among developmental students, as well as thoughts of quitting or failing in developmental students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]