Population Studies

Objective of this Master's degree programme at the University of Groningen is to train young professionals in the theories, methods and skills required to comprehend population dynamics all over the world. The programme focuses on the processes or causal mechanisms underlying population change and on the historical, cultural and institutional context in which these processes originate and evolve. Population-level trends and patterns, such as population growth and decline, ageing, fertility levels, migration flows, spatial distributions and health differences, can be traced to the choices that individuals make, in the context in which they live. Therefore, understanding human behaviour is the key to understanding population change. Emphasis within Population Studies is on the study of life events, such as birth, marriage, divorce, changes in health, migration, entrance of the labour market, and death. The study of demography is simultaneously concrete and broad. Demographic topics are studied by placing them within theoretical frameworks; by studying them through the research process -- including data collection, questionnaire construction and respondents interviews; by applying techniques to analyse data on these topics; and by reporting on the basis of your own study.

More information:
http://www.rug.nl/masters