A Brief Introduction to Demography
Overview: This short course provides a gentle introduction to selected key concepts, measures, and theories of demography. There is a particular emphasis on Australian demography, data sources, and practical issues relevant to government professionals who work with demographic data.
Who the course is for: government demographers, planners, and analysts; other professionals interested in learning about the fundamentals of demography.
Presenter: Dr Tom Wilson
Mode of delivery: in-person only
Location: Sydney CBD
Dates: Wednesday 22nd - Friday 24th October 2025
Time commitment: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm each day, with a one hour lunch break. Two hours of personal reading time per day is recommended.
Pre-requisites: keen interest in demography; high school maths; Microsoft Excel skills
What to bring: a laptop with Excel installed
All participants receive: (1) copies of the course slides; (2) Excel workbooks with worked examples, and (3) resources sheets with suggested readings and information sources. Please note that refreshments and lunch are not included.
Cost: $990 per participant (includes GST). Payment is by bank transfer via invoice and must be received no later than 30th September 2025. Cancellations made after 30th September are not refundable. However, in the unlikely event of the course being cancelled, refunds will be made.
How to register: Please email Tom at tom.demographer@protonmail.com with your name, email address, and organisation, and if necessary any purchase order number or reference code for the invoice. Registration must be made no later than 30th September 2025.
Benefits of the course: After completing this course you will:
understand the drivers of demographic change in Australia
be in a better position to answer stakeholder and management questions about population
be better able to consider whether claims made using demographic arguments are valid
know where to find the demographic data you need
be aware of the strengths and limitations of data
be able to calculate and interpret key demographic measures.
Course outline
Day 1
Introduction to demography
The age-time space of demography
A guided tour of Australian demographic data
Fertility and mortality
Day 2
Migration
Demographic transition(s)
Population projections and forecasts
Household demography
Day 3
Population ageing
Population pyramids and data visualisation
Responding to stakeholder questions
Pitfalls and practical tips
Please note that the course content may be subject to change.