The Program
Demographers study various types of human population processes and play a key role in the fields of education, international development, environmental impact analysis, marketing, urban planning, healthcare, public safety, government, actuarial science and academia. (For specifics on the career application of population studies, see here). Using empirical, evidence-based data, demographers shape government policy and contribute ideas to the betterment of society. The certificate in Population Studies prepares undergraduate students for careers requiring demographic skills or for entering graduate programs in related areas. The certificate program is not a major in itself. It requires 18 semester hours of coursework, some of which may satisfy other University and major requirements.
Contact: Sociology Advising Office
Office: 1008 Thompson Hall
Phone: (413) 545-4059
Website: https://www.umass.edu/sociology/undergraduate/current/certificates/population-studies
Email: advising@soc.umass.edu
Requirements
Students must take 18 credits:
- Soc 261 Population Studies (or SOC 232 at Smith College)
- One (1) of the following substantive courses:
Soc 222 The Family
Soc 223 Work and Society
Soc 244 Sociology of Immigration
Soc 252 S-Intro to Human Rights
Soc 287 Sexuality and Society
Soc 353 Sociology of Medicine
Soc 360 Urban Sociology
Soc 361 Demography Of Minority Groups
Soc 385 Gender & the Family
Soc 388 Gender & Globalization
Soc 389 Sexuality by the Numbers
- Soc 212 Statistics
A statistics course in another department or college, such as Psych 240, PUBHLTH 391B, ResourceEcon212, etc. may be substituted.
- One (1) of the following methods courses:
Soc 213 Data Collection & Analysis
Soc 313 Survey Design and Analysis
Comm 355 Behavioral Research in Communication
Geo-Sci 352 Computer Mapping
Psych 241 Methods of Inquiry in Psychology
PubHlth 324 Epidemiology in Public Health
Res-Econ 313 Quantitative Methods in Applied Economics
Methods courses from the surrounding four colleges may be substituted with prior approval from the Sociology Chief Undergraduate Advisior.
- Two (2) elective courses:
Global Development
Comm 297A Intro Global Communication
Econ 367 Post Independence African Development
Econ 397D Latin American Economic Development
Geograph 102 Diversity, Globalization, and Sustainability
Geograph 360 Economic Geography
Geograph 364 Geography of Development
Geograph 450 Indigenous Peoples and Conservation
PoliSci 290P Power, Privilege, and Inequality on a Global Scale
Res-econ 263 Natural Resource Economics
Urbanization
Geograph 370 Urban Geography
Geo-Sci 372 Urban Issues
Immigration
Anthro 218 Anthropology of Transnational Migration
BLST 294 / EUST 294 Black Europe (at Amherst College)
His 297E Immigration and Migration in the US 1877-Present
His 297U History of Refugees, Borders, and Migration
Labor 204 Labor & The Global Economy
Global Environment
Anth 208 Human Ecology
Econ 308 Political Economy of the Environment
Envirsci 213 Introduction to Environmental Policy
Envirsci 214 Ecosystems, Biodiversity and Global Change
Geo-Sci 250 Natural Disasters
Geo-Sci 364 Geography Of Development
REGIONPL 587 People and the Environment
Health
Anth 233 Kinship and Social Organization
Comm 319 - Health Communication
PubHlth 303 Intro to Environmental Health Sciences
PubHlth 397A ST-Intro to Global Health
PubHlth 301 Principles of Community Health Education
PubHlth 290C Public Health Foundations
PubHlth 324 Epidemiology in Public Health
PubHlth 390E Understanding Health Disparities
Elective courses from the surrounding four colleges may be substituted with prior approval from the Sociology Chief Undergraduate Advisior.
