Department of Demography
The Department of Demography provides training intended to increase the understanding of the size, distribution, composition and growth of human populations. The Department’s program focuses on developing an understanding of the conceptual basis of population structure, processes, analytical methods, and related policy issues. They offer a Ph.D. in Applied Demography and the focus of the Ph.D. program is on the application of demographic analysis analyses to policy issues encountered in the public and private sectors.
The Department, through the College of Public Policy, provides financial support as many as 8 full time students. The Departmental Office and most faculty offices are located on the second floor of the University’s Main Building.
The Department of Demography was established and the Ph.D. in Applied Demography was approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in January of 2006. The first class of students enrolled in the Fall Semester 2006. Current enrollment is about 32 students.
The Department, through the College of Public Policy and the Institute for Demographic and Socioeconomic Research (IDSER), provides financial support to as many as 8 full time students. The Demography departmental office and most faculty offices are located in suite 2.270 on the second floor of the university’s Monterey Building at the Downtown Campus.
The Institute for Demographic and Socioeconomic Research (IDSER) is the largest applied demographic research institute in Texas and is directed by Dr. Lloyd Potter and operates collaboratively with the Department of Demography. IDSER faculty and staff conduct ongoing analyses of the impacts of demographic change on Texas and other parts of the nation. The Institute employs several full-time Demography Ph.D. students on research projects.
Located in the Institute for Demographic and Socioeconomic Research is the Texas State Data Center which supplies, distributes and analyzes demographic data for the state, providing extensive access to demographic and other databases on its website. It also completes annual population estimates and biennial projections which are used for facility, personnel, and budgetary planning by state agencies and others in the State of Texas.
Dr. Lloyd Potter serves as a State Demographer of Texas providing expertise and advice to the state in regard to demographic issues. The Texas State Data Center serves as the San Antonio Office of the State Demographer. Please contact Beverly Pecotte (210) 458-6543, for more information.
The Institute for Demographic and Socioeconomic Research (IDSER) is located on the 4th floor of the Monterey Building at UTSA’s downtown campus.
Professor and demographer Corey Sparks gives a brief overview of graduate opportunities in demography at the University of Texas at San Antonio during the PIPS Graduate Programs in the Population Sciences webinar in November, 2017.
Areas of Specialization
Pathways into Program
The Ph.D. in Applied Demography is a multi-disciplinary, multi-college, degree offered through the Department of Demography in the College of Public Policy at The University of Texas at San Antonio. The program is in collaboration with the San Antonio location of the University of Texas School of Public Health. This unique partnership offers one of the top programs in the field of Applied Demography and addresses the growing national demand for individuals with doctoral training in the area of Applied Demography. The Ph.D. program includes courses from public policy, life sciences, medicine, business, and the social sciences. Students who complete the Ph.D. in Applied Demography can pursue careers in university-based health science and medical centers, social science departments, or in federal, state, or local government. Additionally, students may find opportunities in the government or in the private sector to work in areas such as data management and analysis, marketing, planning, advertising and policy.
The requirements for this degree comply with the general University requirements (refer to Chapter 3, General Academic Regulations, and 6, Doctoral Degree Regulations) of the UTSA Graduate Catalog.
In addition to satisfying the University-wide requirements for admission to graduate programs, all prospective students must have a Bachelor’s degree and a Master of Science or Master of Art degree from an accredited university in demography/sociology, geography, economics, biology, political science, statistics, mathematics, business or similar fields. Students who have not earned a qualifying masters degree may be required to complete the equivalent courses in the appropriate discipline area before admission to the Ph.D. program in Applied Demography.