A Brief Introduction to Demography
Overview: This short course provides an 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: To be announced
Dates: Dates of the next course will be announced in early 2026
Time commitment: three days, running 10:00 am - 4:00 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) suggested readings and information sources. Please note that refreshments and lunch are not included.
Cost: To be confirmed. Payment is by bank transfer via invoice.
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.
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
Population counts and estimates
Fertility and mortality
Day 2
Migration
Demographic transitions and population ageing
Population projections and forecasts
Household demography
Day 3
Selected demographic issues
Responding to stakeholder questions
Potential traps and practical tips
Population pyramids and data visualisation
Please note that the course content may be subject to change.
