Principles of Population Change 



 
 November 22, 2009

 
Course Syllabus

Welcome | Course Description | Learning Objectives | Skill Objectives | Readings | Lecture Audio | Contact Information | Assignments | Grading | Help | Ethical Conduct


 

Welcome

Welcome to PRINCIPLES OF POPULATION CHANGE (380.600.01), an online course offered by the Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.


Course Description

Provides students with a basic understanding of the science of demography and health implications of major population issues in the contemporary world. Students explore population changes over time; elements of demography; child survival and mortality; family and households and demographic change; the demography of social and economic inequality, role of women, urbanization, migration and fertility. Finally, students examine world demographic patterns, synthesizing the data and issues surrounding the importance of population to public health.


Learning Objectives

At the end of the course, students should be able to --

  1. Delineate the substantive scope of demography
  2. Describe the major trends in birth rates, death rates, population growth, population sex and age structure and population distribution throughout history
  3. Identify the major explanations for changes in demographic rates and population distribution
  4. Identify how demographic rates and population distribution impinge upon the health of populations
  5. Identify how demographic behaviors affect and are affected by family and kinship structure

Skill Objectives

At the end of the course, students should have improved their ability to --

  1. Make graphs in Excel proficiently
  2.  Take notes on readings using a format that will assist in both summarizing and criticizing


Readings

I strongly recommend the E-Reserves readings that go with each lecture (password: 380600sph). For the most part, the readings expand on ideas contained in the lecture, but in some cases (e.g. lecture 7) they are supplemental and add material that I do not have time to deal with in lecture.


Lecture Audio

The audio portions of all lectures are available to you in a downloadable format for your convenience, in addition to the standard presentation format. Please note that these materials are copyrighted, and are only for your personal use within the course. Copying and/or distributing these files, for any other purposes, is not permitted. Thank you for your consideration.
 

Contact Information

Course Faculty:

Nan Astone, PhD 
nastone@jhsph.edu

Teaching Assistant:

Jamie Trevitt
jtrevitt@jhsph.edu 


Assignments

There are six assignments in this course. In Assignments 1 through 5 you are asked to graph or make calculations on data that you are given in an excel file.  The objectives of these assignments are --
1.    to whet your appetite for and get you thinking about the topics covered in the lectures they precede
2.    to induce you to actually grapple with the data at the heart of demography
The sixth assignment (which for some of you will be completed before the others) requires a group of you to, as individuals, post a reaction to a reading on a wiki site for the rest of us to read.  Reactions to your postings will form the basis of our three live talk sessions.  One third of you will post for each live talk.
 


Grading

Grades will be based on the six assignments. Assignments are due in drop box by 12:00 p.m. (noon) EST on their due date, unless otherwise noted. One point will be subtracted for each day that an assignment is late. Assignments 1, 2, 4, and 6 are worth 10 points each.  Assignments 3 and 5 are each worth 30 points.

 


Help

Concerns
Contact
Concerns about course topics and assignments
Technical concerns about the functionality and operation of course Web pages (before emailing, please make sure that you can replicate the problem)
  • DEHelp, the central help system for all tech support inquiries related to DED courses
Technical help on weekends
  • JHSPH User Support: 410-955-3781
Concerns about your Internet connection
  • Your Internet service provider (e.g., AT&T, Erols, etc.)
Concerns about your personal software
  • Your software vendor


Ethical Conduct

The academic ethics code, as discussed in the Policy and Procedure Memorandum for Students, March 31, 2002, will be adhered to in this class.


Disability Support Services

If you are a student with a documented disability who requires an academic accommodation, please contact Betty H. Addison in the Office of Career Services and Disability Support: dss@jhsph.edu, 410-955-3034, or Room E-1140.

 

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Copyright to this collective work of materials is owned by The Johns Hopkins University.
Copyright to individual contributions may be retained by contributing authors.