This course is the second course in demographic methods offered in the Master of Social Research. The objective is to familiarize students with measures and models used by demographers for studying the behavior of human populations.

This course covers some basic measures described in DEMO8008 (Principles of Population Analysis), but with more emphasis on the methodological foundation of these measures (including some proofs) and with greater use of continuous notation. It also covers more advanced demographic methods (e.g., multistate analysis). An important feature of this course is its emphasis on population dynamics. That is, how fertility, mortality, migration, and more generally, transition between statuses combine to produce changes in population size and composition.

The course consists of a series of lectures that fall into two parts: one focusing on the methodological foundation of key demographic techniques, and the other on their applications.

The applications include the modeling and projection of age structure, regional migration, living arrangement/partnering, labor force participation, and disease/health status.

• Understand the logical basis of the measures and models used in demography, and their interrelations.

• Gain experience in the use of demographic tools.

Two 1.5-hour classes per week. Students are expected to attend the classes. There will be altogether six to seven homework assignments (problem sets), each taking about 2-4 hours to complete. Most homework requires the use of Excel.

• Required: Preston, Samuel H., Patrick Heuveline and Michel Guillot. 2001. Demography: Measuring and Modeling Population Processes. London: Blackwell Publishers, 291 p.

• The lectures on applications will use guest lecturers' own empirical research.