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The Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work offers a major and

minor in Demography at the undergraduate level, a diploma in Population and

Development for graduates in other fields, and a M.Sc. in Demography and

MPhil/PhD in Sociology (specializing in Demography) at the post-graduate

level. These programmes are designed to strengthen the cadre of professionals

trained in the analysis of population and development interactions, and in

demographic analysis in the Caribbean region.

The objectives of the training programmes are to:

Equip students with a body of demographic knowledge, skills and the

tools necessary for a clear understanding and analysis of population

dynamics and change within the region.

Raise the level of awareness of the impact of population change on

social and economic development, structures and processes and to

design appropriate responses to the region’s demographic challenges.

What is Demography?

Demography is the study of human population size, socio-economic

characteristics, structure, spatial distribution and development, and analysis of

how these features are trending. Focus is given to the three main components of

population change - fertility, mortality and migration, and other features such as

geographical or political structures, which contribute to population change.

Careers

.Researcher .Data Analyst. Statistician .Market Research Analyst .Social Policy

Analyst and many more.

Qualification for Admission

Before registration and before beginning courses in the Faculty of Social

Sciences the candidate must have satisfied the University Matriculation

requirements:

Either a minimum of 5 subjects including English Language and Mathematics

at the CSEC or CXC General or GCE O' Level and any two (2) or more A Level

or CAPE courses, Or other tertiary level qualifications (See University

requirements in UWI Calendar and Social Science Faculty Booklet).

Where students have been accepted without CXC/GCE O’ Level Mathematics,

they will be required to successfully complete EC08A (Pre-University

Mathematics) by the end of their Level I Programme.

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Requirements for the MAJOR in Demography

The programme is offered on a full time or part-time basis. Full–time students

are expected to complete the programme in three years (6 semesters) with a

maximum of five courses per semester.

Core Requirements

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Course Code Course Name

SOCI 1002 Introduction to Sociology I

SOCI 1001 Introduction to Social Research

SOCI 1005/

ECON 1005

Introductory Statistics for the Behavioural Sciences/Introductory

Statistics (Econ.)

FOUN 1013 Critical Reading and Writing in the Social Sciences

FOUN 1101 Caribbean Civilization

FOUN 1201 Science Medicine & Technology in Society

And four other Level One courses or free electives consisting of level one courses

Course code Course Name

SOCI 2004 Introduction To Population

SOCI 2000 Classical Social Theory

SOCI 2008 Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences

SOCI 2005 Reproductive Health and Family Life Education

SOCI 2007 Survey Design and Analysis

5 free electives, with at least two from the list below.

SOCI3015 Monitoring and Evaluation of Social Programmes

SOCI3041 Introduction to Social Marketing

SOCI3043 Health and Illness in Cultural Context

SOCI2007 Qualitative Research

Course Code Course Name

SOCI 3022 Population, Environment and Development

SOCI 3018 Demography I, Population Trends and Policies

SOCI 3021 Demography II, Demographic Techniques

SOCI 2009 Statistical Computing for Social Research

SOCI 3045 Capstone Course in Social Policy and Development (year-long)

And six free electives

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Requirements for the MINOR in Demography

Requirements for the Diploma in Population and Development

This Diploma will be of interest to the following:

Persons who wish to acquire core training in demography, in order to

qualify for entry into the M.Sc. Demography.

Professionals working in applied settings (economic and social

planning, social services, population, labour and social welfare,

statistics, communication) who already possess a Bachelors degree

from a recognized university.

The Diploma in Population and Development will be offered on a full-time (2

semesters) or part-time basis (3 semesters, not including the summer). The

programme will comprise ten 3-credit courses. It should be noted that some of

the Diploma courses require a background in Statistics and Research Methods.

Prospective candidates without this background are advised to take Level I pre-

requisites (e.g., SOCI1005, or ECON1005, SOCI1001 or SOCI1002) in the

summer prior to registering or in the first semester.

Core courses for the Diploma in Population and Development

Course Code Course Name

SOCI 2004 Introduction to Population

SOCI 2008 Statistics for the Behavioural Sciences

SOCI 2009 Statistical Computing for Social Research

SOCI 3018 Demography I, Population Trends and Policies.

SOCI 3021 Demography II, Demographic Techniques

Note: Students who have taken any of the above courses as a requirement for

completing a Major in another discipline should substitute that course with an

approved elective.

Course Code Course Name

SOCI 1003 Sociology of Development

SOCI 2004 Introduction to Population

SOCI 2005 Reproductive Health and Family Life Education

SOCI 2008 Statistics For The Behavioural Sciences

SOCI 2009 Statistical Computing For Social Research

SOCI 3015 Monitoring and Evaluation of Social Programmes or

SOCI 3041 Introduction to Social Marketing

SOCI 3018 Demography I, Population Trends And Policies

SOCI 3021 Demography II, Demographic Techniques

SOCI 3022 Population, Environment and Development

SOCI 2000 Classical Sociological Theory

Note: Students who have taken any of the above courses as a requirement for

another programme should substitute that course with an approved course.

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ABOUT THE MSc IN DEMOGRAPHY

The M.Sc. in Demography is designed to provide:

Exposure to the current body of demographic knowledge and

population issues deemed critical to development in the region.

A foundation in the techniques of demographic analysis and research

methods.

Avenues for the application of skills in the analysis of demographic

change and evaluation of population policy and programmes in the

Caribbean.

The courses will have a basis in Sociology, though emphasis will be given to

appropriate techniques along with the substantive areas of social change, all with

a comparative focus. The programme will allow persons without a foundation in

Sociology but who meet the prerequisites of their respective disciplines to

benefit from this training.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must possess a good Bachelors degree (at least second class honours)

from a recognized university, and a strong undergraduate foundation in

demography and statistics to be admitted. Applicants without a background in

Demography or lacking the relevant undergraduate courses in social theory

(SOCI 2000 or 2001), research methods or statistics (SOCI 2008 or 2009), may

be asked to complete the Diploma in Population and Development to improve

their chances of qualifying for entry to the programme.

This MSc. programme will be of interest to professionals working in applied

settings (economic and social planning, reproductive health, evaluation research

and urban planning), as well as those in the public sector or research institutions.

Admission is in alternate years.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

The MSc in Demography will be offered on a part-time basis over two years.

The programme will comprise nine taught courses (total of 36 credits) and

includes a research paper, seminars on critical issues in Caribbean society and a

technical writing course. Students will take seven courses from the demography

and research methods core, and have a choice of 2 electives. These electives

may be chosen from a selection within the Faculty of Social Sciences. In cases

where students have already taken one of the required courses within a five-year

period prior to entry into the programme, they will be assigned an elective to

replace this course.

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CORE COURSES

Year I Semester I

SOCI 6111 Demographic Methods I

SOCI 6067 Advanced Social Research Methods I

SOCI 6081 Technical Writing

Year I Semester II

SOCI 6112 Demographic Methods II

SOCI 6115 Quantitative Data Analysis in the Social Sciences

SOCI 6079 Continuing Seminar in Critical Approaches to Caribbean Society and

Culture

Year II Semester I

SOCI 6068 Advanced Social Research Methods II

SOCI 6069 Monitoring and Evaluation of Social Programmes

SOCI 6080 Continuing Seminar II

Year II Semester I

SOCI 6114 Social Demography

SOCI 6088 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems or

SOCI 6113 Applied Demography

Year III Semester I

SOCI 6083 Research Paper

SOCI 6066 Urban Sociology

METHOD OF ASSESSMENT

Each course will be assessed on the basis of coursework and a written

examination. Students are expected to obtain 50 percent or more of both the

course work grade and examination grade, and will only be allowed to repeat

any course once. Only a maximum of four courses may be repeated. Students

may be required to withdraw from the programme if their rate of progress is

deemed unsatisfactory.

Students, who obtain a grade ‘A’ in 7 courses, inclusive of taught courses and

the Research Paper, will receive a Distinction in the programme.

ABOUT THE MPHIL/PHD PROGRAMME

Admission to the MPhil/PhD Sociology (specializing in Demography) is offered

to highly qualified candidates who show capabilities for independent research

work. This programme is examined mainly by thesis. MPhil students are

required to complete 6 credits of coursework, while PhD students, 9 credits.

Students may also be required to satisfy other Departmental requirements based

on their readiness to undertake research and analysis in their chosen field.

Admission to the PhD programme is in alternate years, and depends on the

availability of Supervisors.

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ADMISSION PROCEDURES

1. Application forms are now available on-line or may be obtained from the

Assistant Registrar, Graduate Studies and Research at Mona, Cave Hill, and

St. Augustine and from the Resident Tutors/University Representatives in

Non-Campus Territories.

2. Local applicants are required to pay their application fee to the Cashier,

UWI Bursary. Daily opening hours for the Cashier are 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

3. Completed application forms must be submitted online or to the Office of

Graduate Studies and Research. The closing date for receipt of applications

is January 31 of the year in which the applicant wishes to enter the

programme.

4. Graduates of tertiary level institutions other than the University of the West

Indies, Mona, should request that those institutions forward transcripts

DIRECTLY to the Office of Graduate Studies and Research.

DEMOGRAPHY AND RELATED COURSE SUMMARIES

SOCI 2004: Introduction to Population

This course is designed to equip students from all faculties with a basic

understanding of the ways in which population variables interact with economic,

political, social, cultural, physical and environmental factors to create a

changing balance. The course introduces students to the basic measures which

are used by demographers to describe the structure of populations, as well as the

changes induced by births, deaths and migration.

SOCI 2005: Reproductive Health and Family Life Education

This course seeks to equip students with a working understanding of the

biological aspects of sexual and reproductive health, and the social and

psychological issues that surround the area. From this foundation, the ethical

and legal issues are also considered, as well as the key debates in the field.

Students are given an overview of the types of programmes for family planning

and family life education, and introduced to some of the approaches widely used

in counseling for reproductive health.

SOCI 3018: Demography I, Population Trends and Policies

The objective of this course is to empower the student with facts, theories and

controversies in the field of population studies, so that he/she can understand

and participate in discussions relating to the interface between population and

development in his/her nation, region or the world. This course examines

among other things: Source of demographic data; Types of errors in

demographic statistics; Basic rates and ratios in the study of fertility, nuptiality,

mortality and migration; Theories on fertility, mortality, migration and

population ageing.

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SOCI 3021: Demography II, Demographic Techniques

The objective of this course is to equip the student with the skills needed to

collect and analyze demographic data for decision-making at various levels.

Included are; Techniques for evaluating and adjusting errors in demographic

data; Construction of Life Tables; Use of Life Tables in demographic research;

Introduction to demographic models/Model Life Tables; Methods for estimating

fertility and mortality from defective data; Population estimates and projections;

Computer applications and analysis.

SOCI 3022: Population, Environment and Development

The major objective of this course is to explore the inter-relationships between

population, environment and sustainable development, with special emphasis on

the Caribbean. The focus will be on the human, rather than the physical

dimensions of population and environment issues, and the course will examine

critically the policy issues which arise as a result of these linkages.

SOCI 6067: Advanced Social Research Methods I

This is the first part of a three-course sequence in research methods and statistics

for MSc. programmes. This course will provide you with an overview of the

main methods of data collection used by social scientists in their work, with a

focus on the epistemological foundations of the different methods, and their

strengths and weaknesses. The second part will continue with intermediate

statistics but also involve analysis of a large dataset taken from one of Jamaica’s

national socio-economic and/or demographic surveys. The third part will

conclude with more advanced statistical methods along with the analysis of a

large national or international dataset. At the successful completion of the

sequence of courses the student should be proficient in the collection, analysis

and interpretation of data at a sufficient level of sophistication.

SOCI 6115: Quantitative Data Analysis in the Social Sciences

This is the second part of a three-course sequence in research methods and

statistics for MSc. Programmes. This course exposes students to a wide range of

commonly used statistical methods so that they are able to effectively undertake

secondary data analysis using SPSS.

SOCI 6068: Advanced Social Research Methods II

This third part of the three-course sequence focuses on statistics analysis. The

objective of this part is to empower students with statistical and data analytical

skills to facilitate their functioning as researchers, data analysts and consultants.

Topics to be covered include frequency distributions, contingency tables,

analysis of variance and covariance, factor analysis, ordinary least squares

regression, multiple regression, and logistic regression. Every student is

required to prepare a research report using the Statistical Package for the Social

Sciences (SPSS) software. Students who successfully complete this sequence

can take on important research undertakings with confidence.

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SOWK 6103: Advanced Qualitative Research Methods

This course serves to introduce students to the basic techniques of qualitative

research, to expose students to a range of instances in which qualitative research

is used, and to develop skills in applying qualitative techniques in social

research.

SOCI 6111: Advanced Demographic Techniques I

This is the first part of a two-course sequence. The objective of this part is to

expose the beginning graduate students to the basic tools of demographic

analysis. Topics covered include data evaluation methods, graduation and

interpolation, standardization and decomposition, direct methods of mortality,

fertility, nuptiality, internal and international migration. Mastery of available

demographic software is an important component of the course.

SOCI 6112:Advanced Demographic Techniques II

This second part of the sequence explores more advanced tools for demographic

analysis. Topics covered include model life tables and stable populations,

modelling age patterns of mortality, nuptiality, fertility, and migration;

population estimation and projection; indirect methods of estimating fertility,

child and adult mortality. Mastery of available demographic software is an

important component of the course. On successful completion of this sequence

of courses, the student should be able to analyze demographic data and report

the results with clarity and confidence.

SOCI 6113: Applied Demography

In this course students will understand the extent to which demographic changes

have consequences for social and economic processes and phenomena. Students

will explore the ways in which demographic theory, methods and data can

contribute to decision making in both the public and private sectors. Topics

covered include the scope and method of applied demography, recent population

trends and prospects and their implications for governments, businesses and

non-governmental organizations. The demographic aspects of selected public

policy issues will also be examined.

SOCI 6114: Social Demography

This course is designed to deepen the student’s knowledge of the substantive

areas rather than the technical issues in population studies. The course starts

from a review of population theory and proceeds to examine the theoretical

issues and the substantive patterns of change in each of the main components of

population change.

SOCI 6069: Programme Monitoring and Evaluation

A student who successfully completes this course will possess a reasonable level

of knowledge and skills related to programme monitoring and evaluation.

Students will work with an established social programme to develop skills in

each area of monitoring and evaluation. Case studies of relevant social

programmes and policies will be used as illustrative examples

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SOCI 6066: Urban Sociology

This course will examine the structure of urban areas and the cultural, political,

economic and demographic processes governing their development and change.

Students will also be exposed to the ways in which patterns of urbanization

interact with policies to promote economic growth and social inequalities. These

relationships will be demonstrated through an analysis of the ways in which the

emergence of new social groups within urban areas in the Caribbean coincides

with enormous social pressure as it relates to crime, unemployment, poverty,

housing and the provision of social services.

SOCI 6104: Health-Related Programmes and Interventions in the

Caribbean

A student who successfully completes this course will possess a reasonable level

of knowledge related to heath status, including assessing status and needs,

designing and implementing public health programmes and interventions and

developing demographic and epidemiologic profiles within the Caribbean

context. Specifically, students will choose one Caribbean country and apply the

knowledge learned to develop a demographic and epidemiological profile for the

chosen country. For each special study area, the topics covered in the beginning

of the course will be discussed (e.g., assessing health needs related to

HIV/AIDS; designing and implementing public health programmes to prevent

HIV/AIDS, etc.).

SOCI 6088: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems

This introductory course is designed to facilitate the adoption of GIS in the

social sciences, and is skewed towards demography. Students will be

introduced to the components of GIS and the procedures for executing spatial

data analysis. Since the power of a GIS can be bound in its analytical

capabilities, and the social sciences place great emphasis on decision-making,

the course content will weigh heavily on the use of GIS for decision support.

Data quality issues will focus on scales, projections and sources of errors in

spatial data. Laboratory exercises will provide hands-on training to supplement

the theoretical aspects of GIS.

SOCI 6079: Critical Approaches to Caribbean Society and Culture I

This course consists of a series of presentations by staff, graduate students or

other invited speakers. Students are expected to demonstrate their ability

evaluate these presentations by producing two critical reviews, objective

assessments of the presentation’s strengths and weaknesses.

SOCI 6080: Critical Approaches to Caribbean Society and Culture II

This course focuses on honing methodological skills. Students are expected to

demonstrate a clear understanding of the philosophical pillars of scientific

research in order to apply them to an evaluation of empirical research. Students

should review material from previous research methodology courses to assist

them in this course. After attending seminars presented by staff, graduate

students or other invited speakers, students will choose one presentation to focus

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their work on. They will submit two assignments: a detailed critique of the

methodology used by the selected seminar presenter and an alternative, pretested

research instrument for researching his/her topic.

SOCI 6081: Technical Writing

This course is designed to improve graduate students’ writing competence. In

order to establish a foundation for academic and professional writing, it will

involve the correction of common grammatical errors. Students will also have

the opportunity to enhance their critical thinking skills by evaluating academic

texts. The course will also focus on the very important skill of writing concisely.

Students will use the skills learned in class to write a policy brief. The course

will make use of collaborative methods (such as peer reviewing) and involve

frequent short writing exercises.

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For additional information on admission to undergraduate programmes

contact the Recruitment Office:

Tel: 876-927-2271

E-mail: recruiting@uwimona.edu.jm

For additional information on the undergraduate and post-graduate

programmes contact:

Dr. Julian Devonish

Dept. of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work

Tel: 876-977-6267 or 876-970-6323

Fax: 876-977-1809

E-mail: julian.devonish@uwimona.edu.jm

Dr. Sharon Priestley

Dept. of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work

Tel: 876-977-6267 or 876-970-6310

Fax: 876-977-1809

E-mail: sharon.priestley@uwimona.edu.jm

Mrs. Janette Phillips-Higgins

Dept. of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work

Tel: 876-977-6267 or 876-977-3319

Fax: 876-977-1809

E-mail: janette.phillipshiggins@uwimona.edu.jm

For the Office of Graduate Studies and Research contact:

Miss Nardalee Powis

Admissions Section, UWI Mona and Office of Graduate Studies and Research

Tel: 876-970-6369

For additional information on the undergraduate and post-graduate fee

structure, see the following links:

https://www.mona.uwi.edu/content/check-fees http://myspot.mona.uwi.edu/postgrad/scholarship

August 2015

Cover design and graphics were provided by Michael D. Gordon