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: Meeting Room 1, narrm ngarrgu Library and Family Services, 141 Therry Street, Melbourne. Google Maps location is here.
Dates: 20th - 22nd May 2026
Time commitment: three days, running 10:00 am - 4:00 pm on days 1 and 2 with a one hour lunch break, and 10:00 am - 1:00 pm on day 3.
Pre-requisites: keen interest in demography; high school maths; Microsoft Excel skills
What to bring: a laptop with a USB-A port (all course materials are supplied by USB stick), and with Microsoft Excel installed; notepad and pen if you would like to take notes; bottle of water
All participants receive: (1) pdf copies of the course slides; (2) Excel workbooks with exercises and worked examples, and (3) suggested readings and information sources. Please note that refreshments and lunch are not included.
Cost: $950 + GST ($1,045 in total). Payment is by bank transfer via invoice. The deadline for registration and payment is 17th April 2026. (Unfortunately, payment by credit card is not possible)
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. Please note that a minimum of 7 participants is required for the course to run.
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 (such as those used in ABS demographic publications)
Course outline
Day 1
Introduction to demography
The age-time space of demography
Population counts and estimates
Fertility and mortality
Migration
Day 2
Demographic transitions and population ageing
Population projections and forecasts
Household demography
Selected demographic issues
Responding to stakeholder questions
Day 3
Potential traps and practical tips
Population pyramids and data visualisation
Questions/discussion
Please note that the course content and ordering may be subject to change.
