Handbook for the Master's Programmes in Demography - SUDA

Stockholm University Demography Unit (SUDA): 

Handbook for the Master’s Programmes in Demography 

(Subject to change: Last updated August 31, 2012) 

Coordinators: Sunnee Billingsley and Ann-Zofie Duvander

Contents 

Stockholm University Demography Unit (SUDA): Handbook for the Master’s Programmes in 

Demography .......................................................................................................................................1 

Contents ............................................................................................................................................2 

1. Multidisciplinary Master’s Programme in Demography (2-year, 120 credits) ...................................3 

2. Master’s Programme in Demography (1-year, 60 credits) ................................................................4 

3. Course application and registration .................................................................................................6 

4. Master’s Theses ..............................................................................................................................6 

5. Course Schedule .............................................................................................................................7 

6. Contact persons at other departments .......................................................................................... 10 

7. Miscellaneous and important! ...................................................................................................... 11 

8. To Write a Master’s Thesis in Demography at Stockholm University ............................................. 12 

Appendix 1. Course descriptions ...................................................................................................... 15 

Appendix 2. Rules and policies at Stockholm University .................................................................... 23

1. Multidisciplinary Master’s Programme in Demography 

2-year, 120 credits 

(Mångvetenskapligt masterprogram i demografi) 

Below we provide a short description of the structure of the two-year Master’s Programme hosted 

by the Department of Sociology. Other participating departments are (in alphabetical order): 

Economic History, Economics, Human Geography, and Statistics. In addition, Master’s students are 

eligible to apply for courses at CHESS (the Centre for Health Equity Studies). 

The two-year program consists of 120 ECTS credits in total, comprised of core courses, elective 

courses and independent research. The core courses are given in the Multidisciplinary Master's 

Programme in Demography and are compulsory for all students (Population Development and Social 

Change, Basic Demographic Methods, Population Processes, Research Methods, and Advanced 

Demographic Methods I). These courses make up about one-third of the programme, 37.5 ECTS 

credits, with two of the five courses focusing on demographic methods and one course focusing on 

the preparation of a short master’s thesis proposal to be submitted at the end of the second 

semester. 

Elective courses comprise 52.5 ECTS credits. Of these elective courses, 37.5 ECTS credits must be 

received from courses that have a clear demographic component and are offered by the 

departments that participate in the Multidisciplinary Master's Programme in Demography or CHESS. 

The remaining course work consists of 15 ECTS credits that can be taken in other elective courses 

offered by participating departments and CHESS. In total, at least 30 credits of the Master’s 

Programme are to be taken in research methods and analytical techniques. 

In line with the multidisciplinary nature of our program, we encourage students to take courses in 

the affiliated departments. Students may choose to complete a Demography Master’s thesis with a 

focus on one of these disciplines and receive specialized supervision accordingly. Courses included in 

the Master’s degree should be at an advanced level, but a maximum of 15 ECTS on the basic level will 

be accepted. Table 1 synthesizes information on the programme requirements and lists the courses 

that are part of the programme or that we recommend. 

It is also possible to do an internship, which counts as one course (7.5 or 15 credits) in the Master’s 

programme (see Appendix 1, Course Descriptions). 

The remaining 30 ECTS credits are acquired during one semester of independent full-time study to 

complete the Master’s thesis. 

Please note that required and elective courses are usually offered only once per year and sometimes 

less often (see also section 5 below). Students are encouraged to start planning their own personal 

combination of courses as soon as possible. Questions about course planning should be discussed 

with the Master’s Programme Coordinators.

2. Master’s Programme in Demography 

1-year, 60 credits 

(Magisterprogram i demografi) 

The one-year Multidisciplinary Master’s Programme in Demography is also hosted by the 

Department of Sociology. Other participating departments are (in alphabetical order): Economic 

History, Economics, Human Geography, and Statistics. In addition, Master’s students are eligible to 

apply for courses at CHESS (the Centre for Health Equity Studies). 

This programme consists of a 15-credit thesis and a total of 45 ECTS credits in course work. The first 

three core courses listed in Table 1 are compulsory for all students (Population Development and 

Social Change, Basic Demographic Methods, and Population Processes). In addition, 22.5 ECTS credits 

are taken in elective courses, offered by any of the participating departments and CHESS. Of these 

elective credits, 15 must have a demographic component (listed in the second section of Table 1) and 

7.5 can be taken in a course without a demographic component (listed in the bottom section of Table 

1). All courses included in this Master’s degree must be on an advanced level. 

Please note that required and elective courses are usually offered only once per year and sometimes 

less often (see also section 5 below). Students are encouraged to start planning their own personal 

combination of courses as soon as possible. Questions about course planning should be discussed 

with the Master’s Programme Coordinators.

Table 1. Course distribution and listing for the 1 and 2-year Master’s Programmes 

Program 

requirement 

Core courses 

2-year Master’s: 

all 5 courses 


first 3 courses 

Course name Host department ECTS 

credits 

Population development and social change Sociology 7.5 

Basic demographic methods Sociology 7.5 

Population processes Sociology 7.5 

Research methods (Master’s thesis proposal course) Sociology 7.5 

Advanced demographic methods Sociology 7.5 

Elective courses 

with a 

demographic 

component 


37.5 ECTS credits 


15 ECTS credits 

Family sociology Sociology 7.5 

Introduction to quantitative data and statistics Sociology 7.5 

Advanced demographic methods 2: Further topics and Sociology 7.5 

an empirical project in event-history analysis 

Family dynamics in a changing Europe Sociology 7.5 

Migration and economic growth: Sweden and the Economic History 7.5 

world, 1800-2000 

Migration and social change – a life course perspective Human Geography 15 

Analysis of survival data with demographic applications Statistics 7.5 

Elective courses* Welfare states in a changing Europe Sociology 7.5 

Quantitative methods in the social sciences Sociology 7.5 

2-year Master’s: Doing gender: mapping transitions in institutions, Sociology 7.5 

15 ECTS credits policies and practices 

Social Stratification Sociology 7.5 


Modern Sociological Theory Sociology 7.5 

7.5 ECTS credits The Swedish Model Economics 7.5 

Intermediate development economics Economics 7.5 

Urbanization and environment Human Geography 15 

Feminist Theories and the Gendered Global Division of Economic History 15 

Labor 

BRIC in the Global Economy: Development and 

Economic History 15 

Strategies of Brazil, Russia, India and China 

Globalization, environment and social change Economic History 15 

*This is not a complete list. Please see courses offered at the participating departments and CHESS.

3. Course application and registration 

Course application/enrolment and course registration are two separate processes. Application/ 

enrolment requests a seat in a course, whereas registration confirms that the student will attend the 

course. To be admitted to a course, you need to apply by the deadline. Dates for applications are 

found at the respective departments’ websites. After being accepted into a course, students need to 

confirm participation by registering. Until registered, students are not guaranteed a place in the 

course. If applying for a course in a participating department (not Sociology), it may be a good idea to 

apply for alternative courses you would like to take in case you are not admitted. Applications can be 

made centrally or locally at individual departments, registration in courses takes place at the 

individual department. See below! 

Course applications 

All students registered in the Master’s Programmes are guaranteed admission to all core courses and 

are automatically enrolled in the first three core courses in the first fall term (Population 

Development and Social Change, Basic Demographic Methods, Population Processes). Registration 

for the last course in the fall semester (period 4) can be done in the beginning of the fall semester. 

Students in the Master’s Programmes must apply individually for the additional courses they 

choose, regardless of the department in which the courses are offered, including the Department 

of Sociology. 

The application deadline for courses offered in the spring semester 2013 is October 15. Please use 

the studera.nu website to apply. Unfortunately, information is missing on the English site; if you need 

assistance, applications can be made internally at the respective department’s student office (for 

example, contact Maria Bagger-Sjöbäck for courses offered by the Department of Sociology: B908, e- 

mail maria.bagger-sjoback@sociology.su.se, phone 08-16 20 28). The application deadline for 

courses offered in the fall semester 2013 is April 15. 

Course registration 

All students must register for every course to which they are admitted, including core courses. 

Registration must be done by each individual student, for both the first semester and the remaining 

semesters. The consequence of not registering might be that you are excluded from the course. 

Please consult each individual department for information regarding registration (see 

http://www.su.se for web pages). 

4. Master’s Theses 

Students should start thinking about a possible thesis topic and advisor as early as the first semester. 

A start-up meeting with potential supervisors will be held early during the first fall semester. A website 

(called “Mondo”) with information on suggested topics, available data, previous theses, etc. will 

be available from the start of the first fall semester. In January-February of the first spring semester, 

an introductory seminar will be held to help students refine their thesis ideas. Preparatory work for 

the thesis begins in the latter half of the first spring semester with the Research Methods – Master’s 

thesis proposal course.

5. Course Schedule 

Below you will find information on courses and when they are offered. Each individual student will – 

independently or in collaboration with the coordinator and/or student counselor – choose the 

courses that will allow them to complete the program. As outlined above, certain courses are core 

courses and thus compulsory. Students are encouraged to begin making their own personalized 

course plan as soon as possible. Please note again that courses are usually offered only once each 

year (and sometimes less often). Moreover, some courses of interest may be offered at the same 

time. A full-time course load consists of 7,5 ECTS credits per period, which means a 7,5 credit course 

scheduled to last only one period is a full-time course and a 7,5 credit course scheduled over two 

periods is a half-time course. Students should consult with the coordinator and/or student counselor 

before enrolling for more than a full-time course load. The tables below provide an overview of the 

main courses offered within the Master’s programmes by semester, study period, and department. 

Other courses may be available, however, and we encourage students to search for courses that are 

suitable to their specific research interests. Courses not listed here must be approved by the 

Master’s Programme coordinators before applying and registering. 

Please note that the range of courses is subject to change. Keep yourself updated via studera.nu 

First fall term 

Core courses 

Dep. of Sociology 

Dep. of Economic 

History 

Period 1 Period 2 Period 3 Period 4 

Population Basic 

Population 

development and demographic processes 

social change methods 

(7,5 ECTS credits) 

(7,5 ECTS credits) (7,5 ECTS credits) 

Introduction to 

quantitative data 

and statistics 


Feminist Theories and the Gendered 

Global Division of Labor 

(15 ECTS credits)

First spring term 


Core courses 

Research methods (Master’s thesis 

proposal course) 

(7,5 ECTS credits, half time) 

Dep. of Sociology Modern sociological theory 


Family sociology 


Quantitative methods in the social 

sciences 


Welfare states in 

a changing 

Europe 


Dep. of 

Economics 

The Swedish model 



History 

Migration and 

economic 

growth: Sweden 

and the world, 

1800-2000 


BRIC in the Global Economy: 

Development and Strategies of Brazil, 

Russia, India and China 

(15 ECTS credits) 

Dep. of Human 

Geography 

Dep. of Statistics 

Urbanization and environment 


Migration and social change – a life 

course perspective 


Analysis of 

survival data 

with 

demographic 

applications 

(7,5 ECTS credits)

Second fall term 


Core courses Advanced demographic methods 1: 

an introduction to event-history 

analysis 


Dep. of Sociology Family Dynamics 

in a Changing 

Europe 


Dep. of 

Economics 


History 

Dep. of Human 

Geography 

Social 

Stratification 


Intermediate development 

economics 


Globalization, environment and social 

change 


Doing gender: 

mapping 

transitions in 

institutions, 

policies and 

practices 


Advanced 

demographic 

methods 2: 

Further topics 

and an empirical 

project in eventhistory 

analysis 


Introduction to 

quantitative data 

and statistics 


Migration and 

social change – a 

life course 

perspective 


Second spring term 


Thesis (30 ECTS credits)

6. Contact persons at other departments 

Economic history 

http://www.ekohist.su.se/pub/jsp/polopoly.jspd=10042 

Johanna Andersson-Raeder (main student contact) 

Room A902 

Phone 08-16 3120 

E-mail johanna.andersson-raeder@ekohist.su.se 

Visiting hours: Mondays 9-12 and 14-16 

Per Hilding 

Room A9630 

Phone 08-16 47 52 

E-mail per.hilding@ekohist.su.se 

Economics 

http://www.ne.su.se/english/education/economics-at-stockholm-university-1.21437 

Anders Fjellström (main student contact) 

Room A716 

Phone 08-16 4241 

E-mail anders.fjellstrom@ne.su.se 

Visiting hours: Mondays-Thursday 12:30-13:30 and Tuesday 17-18:00 

Peter Langenius 

Room A718 

Phone 08-16 39 22 

E-mail lan@ne.su.se 

Human Geography 

http://www.humangeo.su.se/english/ 

Veronica Hohl (main student contact) 

Room X331 

Phone 08-16 48 37 

E-mail veronica.hohl@humangeo.su.se 

Bo Malmberg 

Room X328 

Phone 08-16 48 53 

E-mail bo.malmberg@humangeo.su.se 

Visiting hours: According to agreement

Statistics 

http://www.statistics.su.se/english/ 

Pär Stockhammar (main student contact) 

Room B777 

Phone 08-16 29 81 

E-mail par.stockhammar@stat.su.se 

Visiting hours: Monday & Thursday 12:30-14 

Gebrenegus Ghilagaber 

Room B718 

Phone 08-16 75 11 

E-mail Gebre@stat.su.se 

CHESS (Centre for Health Equity Studies) 

http://www.chess.su.se/ 

Jenny Eklund 

Phone 08-674 79 70 

E-mail jenny.eklund@chess.su.se 

7. Miscellaneous and important! 

• Questions regarding registration for courses, registration of grades in LADOK, transcripts etc. 

can be addressed to the students’ office: B980, e-mail studentexp@sociology.su.se, phone 

08-16 12 85. Telephone hours are: Tuesdays and Thursdays 9-12. Visiting hours are: Tuesdays 

and Thursdays 9:15-12:15, and Tuesdays 14-16. For questions about course schedules please 

consult the responsible teacher! 

• The student counselor is Maria Lind. Her office is in B982. Telephone hours are Tuesdays 14- 

15 and Thursdays 9-11, and visiting hours are Tuesdays 15-16 and Thursdays 11-12. All other 

appointments made by agreement. 

• Current coordinators of the Master’s programmes are Sunnee Billingsley and Ann-Zofie 

Duvander. Sunnee offers visiting hours in her office (B860) on Thursdays between 15 and 

16:00 or by appointment, which can be made through email 

sunnee.billingsley@sociology.su.se or phone 08-16 1762. Ann-Zofie’s email is 

ann-zofie.duvander@sociology.su.se and phone 08-16 32 12. Consult Sunnee if your question 

deals with course choices or equivalent academic questions. Regarding academic matters 

you can also consult Maria Bagger-Sjöbäck (B908, e-mail maria.baggersjoback@sociology.su.se, 

phone 08-16 20 28) or the department’s student counselor.

• Please note that the range of courses is subject to change. Keep yourself updated via 

studera.nu and through contact with the department in question. 

• Almost all information on changes of dates, rooms etc. is communicated either through e- 

mail or Mondo http://www.mondo.su.se . Check your e-mail (including your SU-account) and 

your Mondo-sites regularly, and make sure teachers and coordinator have your correct e- 

mail address. 

• The fall semester of 2012 begins September 3, and ends January 16, 2012. The spring 

semester of 2013 begins January 21 and ends June 1. For the academic year 2013/2014 the 

dates will be similar. 

• The syllabus for both Master’s programmes can be found on the Multidisciplinary Master’s Program in 

Demography website. 

• Useful homepages are: 

http://www.suda.su.se (our own webpage!) 

http://www.sociology.su.se/ (Sociology Department webpage) 

http://www.su.se (here you can search for other participating departments) 

http://www.studera.nu (here you apply for courses) 

http://www.mitt.su.se (your SU-e-mailaccount etc) 

http://www.mondo.su.se (course material, submissions, etc) 

http://studenthalsanistockholm.se (students’ health services) 

8. To Write a Master’s or Magister Thesis in Demography 

at Stockholm University 

Introduction 

The Master’s thesis completes your degree in Demography. Writing a thesis means that you will be 

able to specialize in an area that interests you, that you will develop your skills in demographic 

theory and methods, and that you will practice the art of academic writing. You will be able to write 

your thesis within an area in which the sociology and demography faculty can offer qualified 

supervision. 

For 2-year Master’s students, the entire fourth semester is devoted to thesis writing (30 ECTS 

credits), while 1-year Master’s students write their thesis during study periods three and four of the 

second and last semester (15 ECTS credits). Preparation for the thesis should, however, begin early in 

the first semester. To prepare for the thesis, you will begin considering possible thesis topics and 

establish contact with a supervisor early in the program. We will organize an informal gathering with 

students and potential supervisors mid-term during the first semester. An introductory seminar will 

be given early the second semester. At this point, students should have decided on a thesis topic in 

consultation with the supervisor. 

Expectations for the 1-year and 2-year Master’s Thesis

1. Common features 

Both Master’s theses must produce new scientific knowledge. They must demonstrate 

understanding and application of appropriate theory and method to a specific research question. 

And they must draw conclusions about theoretical processes from empirical results. Theoretical 

arguments and inferences should be made at the ‘middle range’, i.e., general explanations for 

specific behaviors, events, conditions – not general theories of society, human behavior, and so 

forth. Appropriate theory and method come from Demography as well as other affiliated disciplines. 

Both theses require original analyses directed toward a specific research question. 

The most important requirement for a thesis is that the theoretical argument be clear, wellorganized 

and tightly connected to the empirical analysis. Good models can be found among the 

published work you have read. Although 1-year Master’s students may not have the experience or 

skills to conduct analyses at the level of published research, they should be prepared to synthesize 

previous research and make a coherent argument that leads directly to the empirical analyses 

presented. Discussion of previous theory and research should demonstrate ability to critically 

evaluate theoretical foundations, logic of argument and methods applied. 

Both 1 and 2-year Master’s theses in Demography may use a variety of research methods but every 

thesis must demonstrate either in the review of previous research or in the analysis itself a clear 

understanding of fundamental demographic concepts and methods, e.g., rates, life tables, indirect 

estimation, and population projections where applicable. Theses that rely on qualitative or 

comparative historical methods must be especially strong in their discussion of demographic data 

and research. 

2. Distinct features 

The 2-year Master’s thesis is expected to show greater theoretical depth and application of more 

advanced research methods than is expected for the 1-year Master’s thesis. The 1-year Master’s 

thesis should provide a foundation for more extensive and definitive research while the 2-year 

Master’s thesis should include the more extensive and definitive answer to a research question. The 

1-year Master’s thesis should be of at least the complexity of a research report for a government or 

private agency; the 2-year Master’s thesis should be of a similar complexity to articles in social 

science journals. 

Types of analysis expected for a 1-year Master’s thesis include but are not limited to ordinary lifetable 

calculations, descriptive statistics, estimates of bivariate relationships in tabular or statistical 

form, presentation of qualitative data that provide a ‘deep description’ of determinants or 

consequences of demographic phenomena, time-series comparisons, etc. For 2-year Master’s 

theses, multivariate statistical analyses will be required or, in the case of qualitative studies a 

theoretically driven contextual analysis. One-year Master’s theses may be based on new 

organization of published data while 2-year Master’s theses will usually be based on analyses of ‘raw’ 

data.

The craft of thesis writing 

The most important task in producing a high-quality thesis is to specify a good research question. 

The task of framing a research question requires that you be knowledgeable about relevant theory 

and research on a topic and that you are able to critically evaluate what is known and what remains 

to be studied. The question should be very specific and closely related to data that you know you 

can easily access and analyze. Feasibility is key! The question must be specified to fit the student’s 

abilities and experience and the time allotted for the research. Extensive consultation with a 

supervisor is necessary to ensure that the research is both worthwhile and feasible. 

Although personal interests and commitments may play a role in selecting a research question, 

beginning researchers usually learn more and produce better work when they select a question 

within the research program or interest area of the supervisor. Students receive a list of topics in 

which demography faculty are especially interested and for which they have the most expertise, and 

are strongly encouraged to select one of the suggested topics. Students may suggest other topics, 

especially if they already have some research experience and access to appropriate data. 

Early preparation is also key to producing a Master’s thesis in the allotted time. Once a topic is 

selected, you should outline the theoretical argument and supporting evidence. For 2-year Master’s 

theses, much of this work will be accomplished in the Master’s proposal course. As you acquire and 

analyze data you will undoubtedly need to revisit your arguments and evidence; but you will save 

time in analysis if you have some direction from the beginning. The research process is incremental; 

a thesis cannot be done ‘all at once’. Structured opportunities are provided to ensure that students 

make progress toward the thesis so that they can finish in the allotted time. 

Time-table 

Mid-Fall: 

January-February 

End of March: 

Meet Demography faculty and potential supervisors 

Introductory seminar: Refining thesis topics 

Advisor, research question and data identified 

1-year Master’s: Complete analysis and writing by end of spring term (semester 2) 

2-year Master’s: Draft theory/design by end of spring term (semester 2) 

Complete annotated bibliography & theory by end of fall term 

(semester 3) 

Complete analysis and writing by end of spring term (semester 4)

Appendix 1. 

Course descriptions 

Core courses 

Population development and social change 

7.5 ECTS 

An advanced level course for students who are interested in population issues such as fertility, 

mortality and migration. The aim is to familiarize students with the discipline of demography, also 

called population studies. Population development, basic demographic theories and methods as well 

as demographic data sources are discussed in the course. Important social issues related to 

population development, population structure (including population ageing) and population policies 

are studied both from a historical perspective and in recent periods. The course covers international 

research (both rich and poor countries) as well as demographic issues in Sweden. 

Basic demographic methods 


An advanced level course for students who are interested in population issues such as fertility, 

mortality and migration. The aim is to familiarize students with basic demographic methods, 

including the life table, standardization, measurement of population processes and population 

prognoses. 

Population processes 


An advanced level course for students who are interested in issues related to population, the family 

and the individual. The three main population processes -- fertility, mortality and migration -- are 

studied by focusing on population developments in Sweden and Europe from the end of the 1800s 

onwards, with some attention to the major population trends and issues in poorer countries. The 

course is structured in three parts. Family dynamics focuses especially on the links between female 

employment, family policies and childbearing. The section on mortality considers both biological and 

social aspects of morbidity and mortality. The final section considers the causes and consequences 

for individuals and society of international and internal migration. 

Research methods – Master’s thesis proposal 


The course is designed to generate proposals for the master’s thesis in demography. The course will 

also be useful to students planning master’s theses in other social science disciplines. The first part of 

the course focuses on how to organize a research project, including developing the research 

question, reviewing and synthesizing prior research and writing, and understanding the elements of a 

research proposal. Course participants will work together to help each other develop an appropriate 

and feasible research design, considering the merits of alternative methods. In the second part of the 

course, students draft sections and eventually a full proposal with ongoing review by classmates, 

advisors (handledare) and the course instructor. Students should plan to meet several times with

their advisors during this period. The course Introduction to quantitative data and statistics is 

strongly recommended to be taken before this course. The course is required for the master's 

proposal course if the student has no previous equivalent courses or training. 

Advanced demographic methods I: An introduction to event-history analysis 


This course is an introduction to event-history analysis (also known as survival analysis, hazard 

regression, intensity regression, or duration data analysis) and is given at the advanced (Masters / 

PhD level). Duration data is commonly used to address many research questions in demography, 

social sciences, and epidemiology. Examples of such questions are: Which factors influence how long 

people live, how long they stay unemployed, or when they start a family This course introduces the 

techniques for analyzing such questions and data and covers univariate and basic multivariate 

(regression) methods for analysis of duration (event-history) data. Students also learn data 

management skills specific to conducting event-history analysis in Stata. Further topics are covered in 

the follow-up course Advanced Demographic Methods 2. 

For more information, see www.suda.su.se 

Elective courses 

Demographic Internship 

7.5 or 15 ECTS credits 

The course consist of either 7,5 or 15 ECTS credits. Course participants should be registered at the 

Multidisciplinary Master’s Program in Demography and have completed at least 30 ECTS credits 

within the program. The student can be admitted to the course Demographic Internship when 

agreement is reached with a workplace and the Department of Sociology has approved this 

agreement. To arrange an internship, students take the initiative to find a workplace where the 

activity is focused on demography and where the work tasks are expected to further development of 

the student’s skills or knowledge. The internship must be discussed and approved by the thesis 

supervisor as well as Master’s Programme Coordinators. The workplace may be at Stockholm 

University but not at the Department of Sociology. The duration of the internship is five weeks. A 

student who has passed the course Demographic Internship 15 ECTS credits cannot be registered in 

the course Demographic Internship 7,5 ECTS credits. The difference between the 7.5 ECTS credit 

course and the 15 ECTS credit course lies in the learning outcomes; students taking the 15 ECTS 

credit course are expected to gain a greater degree of independence in demographic work. 

Department of Sociology 

Family Sociology 


The aim of the course is to provide an overview of the field of ’Family Sociology’ as well as an insight 

in research regarding the relationship between family and work, including gender aspects of family 

life. The course focuses on changes in family patterns in Sweden, with some comparative insights.

Course literature consists of a theoretically oriented research overview as well as recent empirical 

research. Students are expected to critically examine and evaluate research on the family and to 

relate it to (contemporary) policy discourse in Sweden and other rich countries. Teaching is 

conducted through lectures and student-led discussion of materials from assigned readings and 

lectures. 

Quantitative methods in the social sciences 


The course emphasizes the practical “handicraft” more than statistical theory. It comprises OLS 

regression, binary logistic regression and (briefly) extensions of these methods such as panel data 

analysis, multilevel analysis and ordered and multinomial logit. The main core of the course is 

computer based exercises where the participants analyze data. Apart from this, problems in 

connection with establishing causality on the basis of quantitative analyses are dealt with. 

On demand, the course is given in English. Otherwise in Swedish. 

Introduction to quantitative data and statistics 


This is an advanced level course for students who wish to acquire practical skills in the management 

of quantitative data and detailed planning of statistical analyses. The course is offered within the 

Multidisciplinary Master’s program in Demography at Stockholm University. Among the covered 

topics are basic programming and combination of datasets, how to document data and analysis 

procedures, and how to write an analysis plan. The course will increase students’ ability to 

independently plan, execute and document statistical analyses. Students will throughout the course 

have access to a pre-existing dataset. The course will be given before the course “Research methods 

– Master’s thesis proposal“, and will partly be synchronized with this course. Completing this course, 

or its equivalent, is a requirement for the Master’s thesis proposal course, which is a core course. 

Welfare states in a changing Europe 


The course provides a comprehensive introduction to research on gender, class and politics in the 

longstanding welfare states of Europe. We will discuss variation among systems of social protection 

and regulation, commonly termed welfare regimes, and the impact of these variations in welfare 

arrangements on people’s living conditions and life chances. We also discuss different theoretical 

traditions for explaining the emergence and development of modern welfare states and their diverse 

forms as well as methodological issues in comparative research. The course is mainly given by 

researchers from the Swedish Institute for Social Research (SOFI), with a longstanding tradition of 

advanced comparative research on the welfare state. 

Doing gender: mapping transitions in institutions, policies and practices 


Doing gender is a term applied to what individual women and men experience and the strategies 

they choose in their daily lives: the choices and constraints they confront are mediated by gendered 

institutions, norms and policy contexts. But exactly how are these experiences and choices shaped by 

different institutional settings and sites in which gender relations are being renegotiated—in 

families, workplaces, in organizations and professions, in local/ national and supra-national political

venues How are gender relations within these sites being transformed by changing policies and 

discourses on gender equality and gender equity Are these changes producing greater differences 

among groups of men and women by age, ethnicity, religion, class, sexualities 

The purpose of the course is to provide theoretical and empirical tools to assess the continuities and 

discontinuities in gender relations in advanced industrialized societies. The course aims to extend the 

knowledge base of gender in the social sciences; building upon the new research that recognizes 

gender as a dynamic and contested research terrain across different sites and within diverse groups. 

The course offers a range of approaches and perspectives for analyzing gender considering different 

spheres of doing gender: work, family, politics, sexuality, and ethnic/gender conflict in communities, 

global tourism. The course will focus on both lived experiences (how men and women do gender) as 

well as how actors in different policymaking arenas frame and apply gender, in global, EU, national 

and local contexts. 

Family dynamics in a changing Europe 

7.5 ECTS) credits 

This course offers an introduction to contemporary research on fertility and family dynamics in 

Europe. It provides an overview of recent theory and research on changes and dynamics in family 

demographic behavior in Europe. With its variation in cultural, political, economic, and institutional 

settings, Europe is the ideal place to test various hypotheses on the causes and consequences of 

family demographic change in economically developed societies. The recent transformation of 

Central and Eastern Europe, and the increasing importance of international migration have added to 

the variety of demographic dynamics of the continent. The seminar will cover changes in living 

arrangements and union dynamics; changes in childbearing dynamics; causes and consequences of 

family-demographic change; relationships between social and economic policy and familydemographic 

change; and transnational vital events and family dynamics in the course of 

international migration. Particular attention will be devoted to comparative research within Europe 

and to theoretically informative comparisons with low fertility settings in other developed countries. 

The course consists of lectures and discussion of course contents by course participants. Examination 

is done by means of active participation in discussion of lecture contents and by presenting an 

independent course paper. 

Advanced demographic methods II: Further Topics and an Empirical Project in Event- 

History Analysis 


In this Master’s / PhD level course, students will learn how to apply event-history techniques to 

duration data. The course is a continuation of “Advanced Demographic Methods 2: An Introduction 

to Event-History Analysis” and provides further knowledge of topics such as different parametric 

models, Cox regression models, discrete-time models, selection issues, repeated events, and 

competing risks. Throughout the course students will apply event-history techniques to own research 

projects.

Social Stratification 


Course at advanced level for students who want an introduction to classic theory and contemporary 

research on social stratification. The course provides an overview of some classic and recent theory 

and research in (a) social mobility and inequality of educational opportunity, (b) theories of social 

class with empirical applications, and (c) social stratification in other dimensions, viz. gender, family, 

poverty, and elites. The focus will be on both descriptions of social stratification in modern societies, 

and on explanations. The course literature includes some relatively demanding texts for which prior 

knowledge in statistical methods is an asset. Particular attention is devoted to comparative research 

and to empirical examples from Sweden. 

Modern Sociological Theory 


The aim of this course is to give an overview of modern sociological theory and a deeper 

understanding of some modern sociological theorists and perspectives. With ”modern sociological 

theory” is understood the period after the decline of functionalism around 1960 and until today. To 

the most prominent theoretical sociologists in the latter half of the 20th century belong Pierre 

Bourdieu, Michel Foucault, Anthony Giddens, Erving Goffman and Jürgen Habermas. The list is made 

up of male sociologists and reflects the male dominance we have seen in sociology until recently. 

Among the more significant developments in modern sociological theory has been the rise of 

feminist perspectives to challenge this male dominance. Other important fields and perspectives in 

recent sociology are cultural theory, rational choice and structural analysis. 

Department of Economics 

Intermediate development economics 


It is well known that there are enormous differences across (and within) countries, not only in terms 

of economic wellbeing, but also regarding health, education and nutrition standards. The main 

objective of this course is to provide different explanations for why this is the case and what 

economists see as the chief remedies for reducing poverty in all forms. The central questions raised 

are to what extent, if any, growth reduces poverty and whether economic growth is necessary 

and/or sufficient for poverty alleviation. Is it the case that poverty can be seriously reduced through 

other means, such as redistribution of private income and wealth, and/or reallocation of government 

expenditures Or should other objectives than poverty reduction be the prime objective for 

development If so, which ones 

The main theories - old and new - of what determines growth will be presented and contrasted to 

the now rich empirical evidence on growth determinants. A key question is whether there are ''builtin" 

mechanisms in the growth process that lead to a widening gap between rich and poor countries, 

or whether growth in initially poor countries tend to be higher, ensuring convergence in living 

standards in the long term. 

Also different theories of how growth and income distribution within countries are interrelated (both 

ways) are brought to the empirical data. A related question is whether human capital in the form of 

better knowledge (education), health and nutrition standards are fostering growth - on top of being 

an outcome of growth. The different mechanisms through which population growth affects economic

growth - and vice versa - are examined theoretically as well as empirically. 

A further question explored is whether high economic growth and poverty alleviation in the now 

poor countries is compatible with a non-deteriorating environment and without depleting the 

resource base. How international trade, investment and globalization of markets affect the poorest 

countries are also brought up, theoretically as well as empirically. Finally, the question whether the 

main constraints on development are economical or political is explored. 

The Swedish model 


”The Swedish model” has been seen as a “Third Way” in combining price stability and economic 

growth with full employment and general welfare. But is Sweden still an example to follow in a world 

of globalization The course analyses the macroeconomic performance of Sweden in terms of the 

effects of the Swedish model from a comparative perspective. A central question: Do Sweden’s 

economic problems in the post-war period reflect economic policy mistakes or rather shortcomings 

of the model itself 

Department of Economic History 

Migration and economic growth: Sweden and the world, 1800-2000 


The aim of this course is to analyze from an historical demographic perspective economic growth 

versus poverty from pre-industrial society to the global society of today, including the transition to a 

post-industrial service society. The varying patterns of population development in Sweden and the 

world from 1800 to 2000 are examined, as well as theories about demographic change beginning 

with Malthus’ theory of the relationship between poverty and uncontrolled fertility. The course 

discusses different manifestations in history of the transition from a primarily agrarian society during 

the early 1800s to the urbanized industrial society that developed during the 1900s. Extensive and 

sustained migration between regions as well as between countries and continents is paid particular 

attention. Increasing mobility within and between countries is seen as setting the conditions for 

increasing wealth and social welfare. Women’s increased rights and liberties are a fundamental and 

obvious part of this development. 

Feminist theories, economic restructuring and the gendered global division of labor1600- 

2000 


The focus of this course is to analyze economic restructuring in different historical periods and 

geographical areas from a feminist perspective. Of special interest will be the production and 

reproduction of gendered global divisions of labour. The course will also highlight and deconstruct 

traditional constructions of economic historical periods, for instance did the industrialisation have 

the same consequences for women and men The course's main analytical perspective is feminist, 

but will also discuss questions and meanings of class, ethnicity, sexuality and nationality and will 

therefore touch upon post-colonial theory. Ideas about gender shape and are embedded in 

economic development, and have repercussions on how women's and men's work is valued but also 

on how labour divisions on labour are formed in practice.

BRIC in the Global Economy: Development and Strategies of Brazil, Russia, India and 

China 


The object of study is the historical trajectories and recent developments of Brazil, Russia, India and 

China as constituent parts of the global economy. The course focuses on analyses of institutional as 

well as resource based conditions for economic growth and social developments in the four 

countries. Its chronological emphasis is on the post-Cold War period, but historical roots of present 

patterns are analysed as well. The four development patterns are compared thematically concerning 

social and demographic, agricultural and energy issues. 

Globalization, Environment and Social Change 


This introductory module focuses on production and reproduction of life and resources – i.e. the 

material base of human existence and needs. How have humans exploited scarce resources What 

are the consequent structures, distribution of resources/wealth, institutions, organization, 

urbanization that have evolved around this human activity What are the environmental implications 

of human activities These are some of the main issues we look at in an interdisciplinary way – i.e. 

the Earth-System and World-System focus. We will also be using a global political economy (GPE) 

toolkit to understand the various phases of the evolution of international political economy and its 

implications for environment and social change. The fundamental issue we seek to highlight is to 

analyze historically the socioeconomic and environmental transformations that globalization has 

brought about. 

Department of Human Geography 

Migration and social change – a life course perspective 


This course deals with how social change is shaped by individual life strategies. It combines studies of 

the literature with practical exercises in life-course analysis, based on interviews as well as analyses 

of register-based longitudinal data. The focus is on migration as a key event in the life career and as a 

process that shapes regions and places in both developed and developing countries. 

Urbanization and environment 


Half of the world population now resides in urban areas. Many lack housing and services for water, 

sanitation and waste. The course analyses city and slum growth, environmental problems and 

economic and social polarization. The focus is on local environments and people’s actions –

individually and collectively. Various methods for studying human habitats and urban environmental 

impacts will be compared. 

Department of Statistics 

Analysis of survival data with demographic applications 


The course offers an introduction into statistical methods for the analysis of time-to event data with 

single and multiple causes of failure. Both statistical theory and empirical applications using relevant 

statistical packages are discussed. Topics covered include such basic concepts like Censoring, 

Functions of Survival time and their nonparametric and parametric estimation and comparison (Lifetable, 

Kaplan-Meier, Nelsen-Aalen methods; Log-Rank & related tests; as well as theoretical 

distributions like the Weibull, exponential, log-normal and gamma); Models of Regression type - 

Proportional Hazards models, Parametric Models for the survival time, Log-Linear hazard models for 

grouped survival data as well as logistic regression for dichotomous outcome variable – and overview 

to advanced topics like multilevel modeling, unobserved heterogeneity, and selection biases. The 

course is examined through a take-home exam in combination with some weekly 

assignments/exercises.

Appendix 2. Rules and policies at Stockholm University 

At Stockholm University, plagiarism is taken seriously and is reported to the University Disciplinary 

Board with a possible consequence that the student will be expelled for a time periods that can have 

severe implications for their studies. Please read the following webpages to learn more about rules 

and policies at Stockholm University: http://www.su.se/english/about/rules-and-policies/ in 

particular Rules and regulations and the following document (included by courtesy of the 

Department of Economic History, Lund University).

Department of Economic History 

September 3, 2012 

Information about plagiarism 

It is quite common that you as a student will be writing and handing in different assignments 

as memos, take-home exams, or essays while you are a student at the Department of 

Economic History. It is therefore important that you are aware of, and fully understand, that 

plagiarism is absolutely forbidden in conjunction with any assignment at the department! All 

incidents of suspected plagiarism will be reported to the Disciplinary Board of Lund 

University. If the Disciplinary Board finds you guilty of plagiarism, you will be suspended 

from all activities at the university for a period of one to several months. 

Plagiarism is passing off the work (either completely or in part) of another person, as one's 

own. Any work that you submit for assessment in your own name must be your own work. 

Where you draw on the work of others you must reference this work, using the appropriate 

convention. Therefore, any work that you submit which is not referenced is, by default, 

claimed as your own work. 

By “another person” or “others”, we mean anyone and everyone else apart from you, even 

where the individual is anonymous or unknown. Examples of what we mean by “work” 

include: writing (formal as journal articles or books and informal); thoughts (e.g. notes, 

correspondence); conversations (e.g. emails, web-pages, faxes); techniques (e.g. 

methodologies, structures, analytical techniques); graphics (e.g. diagrams, tables, exhibits, 

models); data (e.g. statistics, survey results); and many other examples. 

Even if the work in question is your own (e.g. from a previous assignment) then this too can 

be counted as plagiarism if it is not properly referenced. Further, re-writing the thoughts of 

someone else in your own words might also be counted as plagiarism if the substantive 

content of that person's work was not attributed – and so, by default, claimed as your own 

work. Please also remember that, obviously, you are not awarded marks for simply 

reproducing the work of others – so if your assignment is simply a collage of quotations and 

paraphrases, even where fully referenced, you will get no marks. If you allow another student 

access to your work and it is then plagiarized (by them or by anyone else) then too are you

egarded as being party to that plagiarism, whether you knew about it or not, and you risk 

being penalized. So, do not pass your work on to others. 

Finally, it is also unacceptable to represent your own work as being that of others – a sort of 

‘reverse plagiarism’. For example, inventing data or references to lend false credibility to your 

own work is misrepresentation and will be penalized. You may be required to produce (or 

locate for inspection) a copy of any references or data you cite in work submitted for 

assessment. 

The above should not be interpreted in the sense that you should avoid the work found in 

articles, books etc. It is not only allowed, but also encouraged that you as an author refer to 

and quote other persons’ work! It does not become plagiarism unless you overlook to mark 

the source/s. Quotes that are longer than three lines should be singled out by shorter lines in 

the text. References are preferably done according to the Harvard system (i.e. you refer to the 

last name of the author as well as the year of the publication). Porter (1980) is an example. If 

you refer to a specific page of Porter’s work, for example page 48, you write: Porter (1980: 

48). 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

I hereby officially state that I have read and fully understood what is meant by plagiarism, and 

I further certify that I will not conduct any actions of plagiarism while being a registered 

student at Lund University. 

Lund, ____/____ 2008 

(DD) 

(MM) 

Signature: 

Printed name: 

………………………………….. 

…………………………………… 

Department of Economic history, Lund University

Handbook for the Master's Programmes in Demography - SUDA

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