Introduction

This course introduces the main demographic approaches used to measure and interpret fertility at the population level. Participants will explore both period and cohort perspectives on childbearing and learn how commonly used fertility indicators are constructed and interpreted. The course examines how these measures help us understand changes in fertility levels, timing, and patterns across populations and over time. Through practical exercises in R, participants will calculate fertility measures using real demographic datasets and learn how to interpret them for research and policy analysis. Activities and guided examples will help participants build confidence in applying demographic methods to the study of fertility.

Participants Requirements

• Capable of following a graduate-level course in demography, statistics, economics, sociology, or related fields.
• Basic knowledge of demographic methods and data analysis.
• Experience with statistical software (R preferred).
• Laptop with R and R Studio installed.

Key Features

• Comprehensive Understanding of Fertility Measurement Methods
• Hands-on Fertility Analysis with R Programming
• Interpreting Fertility Trends for Research and Policy

Sessions

• Session 1 (Mon): Introduction to fertility measures with R
• Session 2 (Tue): Calculating and visualising period fertility measures
• Session 3 (Wed): Analysing cohort fertility
• Session 4 (Thu): Parity measures and fertility dynamics
• Session 5 (Fri): Fertility futures

Comments from Previous Participants