SOC 23Population and Policy Issues

3 credits · Sociology · Penn State

Local, national, and international population trends; basic techniques of demographic analysis; population problems; implications for public planning and policy. SOC 23 Population and Policy Issues (3) (GS) (BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. Demographic changes are some of the most important factors in understanding the future of specific professions, our nation, and the world. This course introduces students to the discipline of demography, including an overview of demographic issues, theories of population, and major findings from demographic research. Focusing on the state, national, and global level, students will learn how the discipline of demography and how population structure and age are related to social institutions and public policy issues. Students will receive hands-on experience with the data and methods used by professional demographers and health and urban planners. Thus, this course should provide students with 1) a global perspective on population changes, 2) knowledge of demography research and theory, 3) analytical skills for the application of demography to public policy, 4) an awareness of how the diversity of a population (e.g., age structure, race, ethnicity, sex, and culture) is related to public policy, and 5) the active learning of demographic techniques. The instructors encourage discussion and questions in all sections. This course meets a General Education requirement in Social and Behavioral Sciences.