AØKA08197U Demography

Volume 2019/2020
Education

MSc programme in Economics – elective course

Bacheloruddannelsen i økonomi – valgfag på 3. år

The Danish BSc programme in Economics - elective at the 3rd year

Content

The course is an introductory course in demography focusing on developing basic demography methods related to the measurement of vital events. These methods are then applied to study empirically (and theoretically) how demographic and economic changes interact with each other over time. 

 

The course will cover the following topics:

 

Fertility:

  • Measures of fertility.

  • Economic/social determinants of fertility.

Mortality:

  • Measures of mortality.

  • How to construct life tables.

  • Economic/social determinants of mortality.

Demographic Transitions:

  • Macro and microeconomic causes and consequences.

Migration:

  • Measures of migration.

  • Economic/social determinants and consequences of migration.

 

Learning Outcome

After completing the course, the student is expected to be able to:

 

Knowledge:

  • Account for fundamental demographic processes and changes experienced by countries during the last two centuries.

  • Account for different economic theories of the Demographic Transition.

  • Explain empirical models used to identify causes/​consequences  of changes in e.g. fertility, mortality, and migration.

  • Discuss basic findings in the economic-demography literature with a focus on key demographic variables like fertility, mortality, and migration.

 

Skills:

  • Constructs relevant measures of fertility, mortality, and migration using population census data and vital-statistics data.  

  • Analyze how basic demographic variables 1) influence economic variables such as human capital and income, and 2) are being influenced by economic conditions and public infrastructures e.g. clean-water supply, sewerage infrastructure, or information provision.

  • Construct datasets which can be used to study basic demographic issues.

 

Competencies:

  • Master methodes to analyze the interaction between demographic and economic changes in the process of economic development.

  • Combine theory and empirical knowledge to formulate research designs with the purpose of identifying causes/consequences of demographic changes.  

 

Literature

Selected chapters in “Demographic methods” by Andrew Hinde, Arnold. 
The literature will additionally be based on various journal articles, focusing on the economic causes/consequences of demographic changes in societies.

 

Knowledge corresponding to the 2nd year on the Bachelor in Economics, Universty of Copenhagen or similar.
Lectures.
Related to the lectures, there will be in-class exercises, discussions and student presentations e.g. of journal articles, which should be prepared before class.
Schedule:
2 hours lectures 1 to 2 times a week from week 6 to 20 (except holidays).

The overall schema for the Master courses and 3rd year courses can be seen at KUnet:
MSc in Economics => "courses and teaching" => "Planning and overview" => "Your timetable"
BA i Økonomi/KA i Økonomi => "Kurser og undervisning" => "Planlægning og overblik" => "Dit skema"

Timetable and venue:
To see the time and location of lectures please press the link under "Se skema" (See schedule) at the right side of this page. F means Spring.

You can find the similar information in English at
https:/​/​skema.ku.dk/​ku1920/​uk/​module.htm
-Select Department: “2200-Økonomisk Institut” (and wait for respond)
-Select Module:: “2200-F20; [Name of course]””
-Select Report Type: “List – Weekdays”
-Select Period: “Forår/spring – Weeks 5-30”
Press: “ View Timetable”
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 42
  • Preparation
  • 134
  • Project work
  • 30
  • Total
  • 206
Oral
Individual
Collective
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment, 3 weeks
The exam is an individual project written in English. The students has to choose a topic within demography and find suitable data for their project. The outline of the project (project description) has to be approved by the lecturer before writing the project.
____
Exam registration requirements

The student are required to present in class one journal article. The presentation has to be approved by the lecturer before the student can participate in the exam.

____

Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
for the written exam. The exam may be chosen for external censorship by random check.
____
Exam period

Exam information:

The project description must be uploaded no later than:

27 April at 10 AM to Absalon

 

The project must be uploaded no later than:

25 May at 10 AM to Digital Exam

 

Note: In special cases, the dates may be changed, which will be informed.

 

Further information about the exam will be available in Digital Exam from the middle of the semester.

 

Information about examination, rules etc: Master(UK), Master(DK) and Bachelor (DK).

_

Re-exam

Reexam information:

A new project description must be uploaded no later than:

5 August at 10 AM to Digital Exam

 

A new project must be uploaded no later than:

28 August at 10 AM to Digital Exam

 

If only a few students have registered for the written reexam, the reexam might change to oral including the date, time and place, which will be informed by the Examination Office in the Digital Exam early August.

 

More information: Master(UK), Master(DK) and Bachelor(DK).

Criteria for exam assesment

Students are assessed on the extent to which they master the learning outcome for the course.

 

To receive the top grade, the student must with no or only a few minor weaknesses be able to demonstrate an excellent performance displaying a high level of command of all aspects of the relevant material and can make use of the knowledge, skills and competencies listed in the learning outcomes.