In the Brooks School of Public Policy .
The Cornell Population Center (CPC) manages a cross-college, interdepartmental minor in Demography for all Cornell undergraduates. This minor offers a rigorous course of study focused on population-related topics and approaches, providing students with a broad understanding of global population dynamics and analytical tools for demographic data.
In today’s rapidly changing society, a strong grasp of population dynamics is invaluable for interpreting social and economic phenomena that impact our lives and societies. Demography, an interdisciplinary field, delves into human population dynamics, encompassing population size, structure, geographic distribution, and changes over time due to births, deaths, migration, and aging.
Demography provides vital information on consumer markets, labor markets, the electorate, and social service recipients. This expertise benefits undergraduates interested in careers in public policy, business, NGOs, and various fields such as sociology, economics, public health, environmental sciences, and area studies.
For inquiries, please contact population@cornell.edu.
CPC Affiliates
To meet the dedicated faculty and graduate students at Cornell who are passionate about studying population research and developing demographic knowledge and skills, please visit Cornell Population Center Affiliates.
Undergraduate Demography Minor Requirements
Demographic Introductory Course (3 credits):
Choose one from the following:
Statistics Course (3 credits):
Choose one from the following:
Demographic Overview Course (3 credits):
Choose one from the following:
Additional Population Courses (6 credits):
Choose 2 from the following:
Please note that, for the minor, students are required to take at least two courses outside their major department. Additionally, they must successfully complete a total of five courses, with each course requiring a grade of B- or better to count toward the minor.
Graduate Demography Minor Requirements
The campus-wide graduate minor in Demography is available to Ph.D. students in all social science fields. To fulfill the requirements for the minor, students must successfully complete the following courses:
Provides a conceptual overview for studying population issues and introduces major subfields of study within demography.
Develops basic methodological tools in demography, including rate construction, single- and multiple-decrement life tables, and survival analysis.
Participation in the CPC seminar series and monthly training workshops. Consistent enrollment is encouraged; at least 3 training credits (i.e., 3 semesters) are required.
Substantive courses that incorporate training in demographic techniques or population processes. Students may petition for an elective course to be added to the list of approved elective courses.
Please note that, apart from meeting the course requirements, graduate minors must also have at least one Demography field member on their special committee.