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Spring 2010

SOC 319 • Intro Social Demography (to be cancelled)

Unique Days Time Location Instructor
46340 TTh
9:30 AM-11:00 AM
UTC 4.110

Course Description

This lower level sociology elective will introduce you to demography, the study of human population change and composition. Three components of population change-fertility, mortality, and migration-affect the size and composition of human populations. Social demographers attempt to explain the causes and consequences of population change and composition. For example, social demographers are interested in the following questions: Why do people migrate? What causes a population's life expectancy to increase over time? Why do people today have fewer children than they did 100 years ago?

This course is organized into five thematic sections: health and mortality; fertility; family; aging; and migration. Within each section, we will (a) learn data and methods used to describe specific population processes; (b) review contemporary and historical demographic trends in the United States and the world; (c) explore how social demographers study this topic, looking at a few select debates within each area. The objectives for this course are for you to become critical consumers of demographic information and critical thinkers about demographic processes.

Grading Policy

Grade will be based on three exams, two assignments, and attendance.


All reading material will be posted on Blackboard.


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