The short course in Demographic Methods and Analysis trains and retrains professionals in the methods and analytical techniques of demography. The course consists of four modules in which participants learn different analytical techniques that can be applied to demographic data.
The course focuses on internalization of methods and analytical techniques by providing many practicals and assignments (all computer-based), in addition to lectures.
The ten-week short course is particularly suited to career professionals working in statistical or demographic research institutes, in either census or survey work, or those involved in research and teaching in the field of demography at universities. The course provides a solid basis for participants to apply up-to-date knowledge and skills in the field of demography once they return to their home institute.
Module 1: Demographic measures and methods
In this module, participants are acquainted with several of the main measures and methods used in demographic analysis, such as probabilities, rates, age standardization, geometric population growth, decomposition methods, fertility analysis, mortality analysis and migration analysis. After the module, participants will understand the fundamental ideas behind these methods, how to implement them using standard software - such as Excel - and how to interpret them.
Module 2: The life table: Applications at the macro-level
In this module, participants learn the fundamental ideas behind the life table, an important demographic device which describing the survival pattern of a population. They learn how to estimate and interpret the life table and how to apply generalizations of the life table techniques, namely multiple-decrement and increment-decrement techniques to population health issues (for instance cause-specific mortality, disability versus mortality) and multi-regional dynamics (that is moving between two regions).
Module 3: Population projections
In this module, participants learn the basic methodology of population projections, namely the cohort component method, and how to apply this method in Excel by means of the Leslie model. Furthermore, participants will learn how to formulate assumptions for each of the components fertility, mortality and migration, and how to implement them into the model. By the end of the module, participants will be able to doncut a national population projection independently.
Module 4: Micro life table methods: Introduction to survival analysis
In this module, participants learn the principles of longitudinal data analysis, namely the analysis of the timing of demographic events, such as marriage and death. After the module, participants will know how to set up life event data structures and how to apply non-parametric descriptive models of survival to these data (Kaplan Meier estimation) using SPSS.
