About
Many communities in Oregon, and across the U.S. more broadly, are experiencing rapid demographic change. As real-world laboratories, these dynamic urban and rural environments, in the Pacific Northwest, and around the world, provide great opportunities for students to expand their knowledge and experience of demographic change by focusing on applied, on-the-ground research.
The Graduate Certificate in Applied Social Demography at Portland State University draws on the expertise of faculty from departments across the university, to: provide formal training in demographic data and methods, advance student knowledge of the methodological processes of population change (fertility, mortality, and migration/immigration), and foster an interdisciplinary understanding of the issues, perspectives, strategies, and solutions involved in understanding and framing the components of population change.
Academic Tracks
The Graduate Certificate in Applied Social Demography is designed to for students enrolled in three academic tracks: 1) urban planning, 2) public health, and 3) geography and spatial analysis. Course offerings in the certifiate program provide pathways to customized program learning.
Types of Students
The program is designed to serve two types of students:
- Graduate students enrolled in a PSU graduate degree program seeking to add expertise in applied social demography to their course of study, enhancing their employment prospects.
- Working professionals who hold a bachelor’s degree and seek to broaden their formal training.