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Pre-doctoral Training ProgramPre-doctoral Training Program. Demography can be taken as a field of specialization for the M.A. and the Ph.D. degree in two departments: economics or sociology. For the M.A. degree, the general requirements of the Social Science Division are a minimum of nine courses and three quarters of residence, and an acceptable Master's research paper. In economics the most relevant terminal M.A. degree option entails courses in price theory, theory of income, employment and price level, statistics and one field of specialization which could be demography, and two elective courses, with written exams in basic economic theory and in the field of specialization. For students working toward a Ph.D., an alternative M.A. program is available with two fields of specialization and statistics plus the core theory exam. In sociology there are several options: (1) the student is required to complete a two-quarter sequence titled Sociological Inquiry (Soc 301), take an additional seven courses required for three quarters of residence, complete an M.A. research paper which critically reviews the relevant literature on a question of interest prepared under faculty supervision, and take a preliminary examination based on Soc 301-302 and a special supplemental bibliography; (2) the student pursues a specialized M.A. degree in Sociology (Population). For this M.A. degree, the student takes three substantive courses in population and two basic sociology courses, four courses in research methods, sits for a written examination in population (covering material from the core demography courses), and writes an acceptable M.A. research paper on a population-related subject. Courses in demography can be taken to prepare the field of specialization and/or the Master's thesis in either the economics or sociology departments. The general Ph.D. requirements of the Social Science Division and the departments of economics and sociology apply. The Ph.D. degree typically takes at least four years if pursued full time. The first year courses are relatively set in terms of disciplinary core theory and mathematics, statistics and language requirements. The second year typically involves courses in the student's chosen fields of specialization. The third year is typically spent taking additional specialized courses and participating in workshops while selecting, planning, and proposing a thesis topic. With advancement to candidacy, the thesis research begins and should be completed in the fourth year of training. The courses described above would be taken in the second year of study, together with the courses in the students' second field of specialization. (The University is on a quarter system with a full-time course load of three courses per quarter.) It is common for students to supplement these formally registered courses in their fields of specialization during the third year while registered in one or more year-long workshops. After the pre-doctoral student has passed a demography special field exam within his or her department, as well as passing the other requirements for advancement to candidacy, the student enters the thesis phase of the program. At this point, the Committee on Demographic Training, or a smaller subcommittee, assists each student in proceeding expeditiously toward the election of a thesis topic. The Committee acts as an additional guide, resource, and facilitator in the interim phase between completing the qualifying exams and having a thesis topic. Once the student chooses a thesis committee, responsibility for the student's progress passes to that committee. The thesis research phase of the pre-doctoral program is in many ways similar to the postdoctoral training program. In both, there is routine reporting on research progress through the workshops. These reports in conjunction with workshop presentations help maintain contact between the members of the committee and students who are nearing completion of their graduate studies. This faculty-student interaction is a vital component of the program and assists members of the committee in advising students on job placement and on obtaining appointments in appropriate academic, business, or research settings. Postdoctoral Training ProgramThe postdoctoral training program normally involves a one or two-year program of training in research, depending on a candidate's level, interests, and needs. Paralleling the thesis phase of the pre-doctoral student, the Committee on Demographic Training helps the student identify goals through: (1) enhancement of the individual's research skills and stronger training in price theory, statistics, demographic methods, sample design or survey research, or in some other area of expertise represented by our faculty; (2) support on a specific research project which can be expected to yield a publishable product within the period of the postdoctoral appointment. Often the research project will complement one of the ongoing research projects in the Population Research Center. This arrangement maximizes the involvement of the trainee in a project and assures daily interaction with project staff.
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