Course Syllabus

Jump to Today

Welcome to APDEM 803: Applications in Applied Demography

Overview

CATEGORY INFORMATION
Credits 3
Prerequisites APDEM 801 and APDEM 802 
Delivery Web (Canvas, https://psu.instructure.com)
Dates See the Calendar.
Instructor See the Orientation module under the Modules tab.


Description

In this course, students will understand and analyze real-world applications of applied demography from a global perspective. Topics will include applied demography in business, government, public policy, health, and non-profit organizations. Students will identify further opportunities to use a demographic framework in these and other fields. Students will engage in the course through a variety of assignments including viewing video interviews, reading case studies and research reports, producing a preproposal, and developing summaries and recommendations.

Objectives

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

  1. Identify several main areas of application for applied demography.
  2. Analyze issues and solve problems using a demographic framework.
  3. Think critically about real-world situations presented in readings and interviews.
  4. Prepare to conduct research on an applied demography topic by developing a preproposal.
  5. Develop an ePortfolio to showcase your growth and performance for future employers and colleagues.

Organization

This course is made up of fifteen lessons.

For a typical lesson, you will complete the following activities and assignments:

  • Access and view all class videos
  • Read class materials that show how the demographic and the applied demography perspective are employed in both the public and private sector
  • Read and submit application assignments

In addition, you will complete the following major assignments:

  • Applied demography preproposal
  • Unit summaries for each of the four main units (business demography, public sector demography, applied demography and health, and program evaluation and policy)
  • ePortfolio for future employers and colleagues

Online Learning and Attendance

This course has been developed to promote asynchronous learning. The instructor and students do NOT meet on a designated day and time each week. For each lesson, there is a timeframe to complete all activities and assignments, and you may work at your own pace within that timeframe. However, you must adhere to the due dates outlined on the Calendar. (Due dates can also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) You should log into the course daily to check for updates, review lessons, and participate in activities.

Materials

Texts

The following text is optional:

  • Rowland, Donald T. (2003). Demographic methods and concepts. Oxford University Press, Inc., New York. [ISBN#: 978-0198752639] NOTE: This text was used in SOC 573 so you likely already purchased this text book.

Course Reserves (e-Reserves):

There are also readings on Electronic Course Reserve that can be accessed through the Penn State Libraries (ebooks, research articles, etc.).

Accessing Course Reserves:

  1. Click Library Resources from the course menu.
  2. Click on the link for the listed reading. 
  3. Click on the Detailed Information button.
  4. Click on the Click Here for Full Text link.
  5. This is a PDF file. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to open this file. 

Harvard Business Review:

HBR articles must be accessed and purchased via the Harvard Business Review site. The following Course Readings must be accessed through the HBR site.

  • Lesson 5: Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff. The Social Technographics Profile. Applying Social Media Demographics to Your Business Strategy. Harvard Business Review
  • Lesson 14: Seattle Public Schools, 1995-2002: Race, Class, and School Choice. Harvard Business Review

To access Harvard Business Review articles: Go to the HBR website at http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/access/57320460 and make sure to register so you can access your course readings. (Though you need to register, you do not need to subscribe.)

If this is your first time registering on the HBR website, please refer to How to register for a course as a student document for instructions.

You will need to purchase your HBR readings using your credit card. To read PDF articles, make sure you have Adobe Reader, which you can download for free at Adobe's website. For technical assistance contact Harvard Business School Publishing at 1-800-810-8858.

IGI Global:

The IGI Global case study must be accessed and purchased via the IGI Global site. The following Course Readings must be accessed through the IGR Global site.

  • Lesson 4: Chao, Gary H., Maxwell K. Hsu, and Carol Scovotti. 2011. Predicting Donations from a Cohort Group of Donors to Charities: A Direct Marketing Case Study. IGI Global

To access the IGI Global case study: Go to the IGI Global site at http://www.igi-global.com/chapter/predicting-donations-cohort-group-donors/74018. 

Other required article readings and videos will be posted in Canvas, located in the Lesson Overview section.

Library Services

Penn State Libraries provides a wide variety of services and resources. To learn how to take advantage, refer to the Online Student Library Guide at http://guides.libraries.psu.edu/onlinestudentlibraryguide. This guide serves as your starting point for access to all that Penn State Libraries can offer you as an online student. Use this guide if you have questions on library services offered to you, how the library can help you, how to use the library, or what resources you can access via the library! The guide will connect you to important pages and resources within Penn State Libraries and save time from you searching for the information you need.

Applied Demography Learning Module and Research Guide

We will also be using a Applications in Applied Demography Learning Module and an Applied Demography Research Guide that have been created for you to use as you complete research and assignments throughout the course (Note: The guide is linked from within the learning module.). Please see the customized learning module and research guide by accessing the Library Resources link in the course navigation menu.

Grading

Final letter grades will be assigned based on the scale below.

Scale

LETTER
GRADE		 MINIMUM
PERCENT		 MINIMUM
POINTS
A 93 930
A- 90 900
B+ 87 870
B 83 830
B- 80 800
C+ 77 770
C 70 700
D 60 600
F 0 0


Due Dates

All assignments are due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the date indicated on the Calendar. (Due dates can be also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) Please be aware that Canvas follows the Eastern Time (ET) time zone. Assignment due dates adhere to this time zone, and it is your responsibility to submit assignments accordingly. If you are outside of the ET time zone, you can set your Canvas account to sync to it. Refer to the Set a Time Zone article in the Canvas Guide (Links to an external site.) at https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-2891.

As a general rule, you will NOT be able to go back and make up missed assignments. It is your responsibility to keep up with your assignments. Students with an excused absence (e.g. hospitalization, jury duty, family emergency, or military service) may be asked to produce proper documentation in order to make up graded work. All make-up work is at the discretion of the instructor.

Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g. upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, disabilities, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.

Notes

  • To Do List: Some assignments may not appear in the To Do list under the Home tab. Use the Calendar or Syllabus to ensure that you are fully aware of assignment due dates.
  • Late Assignments: Late assignments will lose the point equivalent of TEN percent per calendar day, and they will not be accepted later than THREE calendar days after the due date.

Assignments

Basic information about each assignment group is provided below. For detailed directions about an individual assignment, see the assignment information under the Modules tab.

You can expect meaningful feedback on assignments within SEVEN days of their due date.

ASSIGNMENT GROUP POINTS    PERCENTAGE 
Preproposal Paper 380 38%
Application Assignments    300 30%
Unit Summaries 240 24%
ePortfolio 80  8%
Total 1000 100%


Preproposal

Value: 30 PTS (Research Question), 50 PTS (Introduction to Research Question), 50 PTS (Outline), 75 PTS (First Draft), 75 PTS (Peer Review), 100 PTS (Final Draft), 380 PTS total

Students will create a mini proposal that can be used to inform future research. The preproposal assignments throughout the semester will include a 2-page introduction to a research problem/question, a preproposal outline, a preproposal draft, a preproposal peer review assignment, and a final draft. 

Note on Turnitin: For this assignment, you will need to upload the Final Draft of Preproposal to the course section at Turnitin (Links to an external site.). Please be aware that Turnitin will produce an originality report. See the Academic Integrity section of the Syllabus for information about the potential consequences of plagiarism and other violations of academic integrity.

Application Assignments

Value: 12 x 25 PTS, 300 PTS total

Students will answer reading comprehension questions, summarize relevant research, propose new research, demonstrate an applied demography perspective, and use a demographic framework in several application assignments. These assignments will be based on assigned readings and video interviews

Unit Summaries

Value: 4 x 60 PTS, 240 PTS total

Students will summarize each topic (business demography, public sector demography, applied demography and health, and applied demography and nonprofit organizations), highlighting the main applications of demography in each.

ePortfolio

Value: 3 x 20 PTS, 4 x 5 PTS - 80 PTS total

Throughout the semester students will develop an ePortfolio, drawing on material produced in this and other APDEM courses.

Note: If you would like to add any other assignments you complete in APDEM 803 to your ePortfolio and/or have any other personal reflections you would like to incorporate, feel free to post those to your ePortfolio site.

University Policies

Academic Integrity

According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity, an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.

Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic sanctions, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes (see G-9: Academic Integrity).

Disability Access

Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources website provides contact information for every Penn State campus at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/campus-offices. For further information, please visit the Student Disability Resources website at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources.

In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation described at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/applying-for-services. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

Nondiscrimination

Penn State is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University's educational mission, and will not be tolerated. For further information, please visit the Affirmative Action Office website at https://affirmativeaction.psu.edu/.

Reporting a Bias Incident

Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage at http://equity.psu.edu/reportbias/.

Counseling and Psychological Services

Penn State's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office offers residential and distance-based Penn State students non-emergency mental health services in the form of case management, community resource referrals, supportive listening, care giver support, and much more.

Students may request assistance from CAPS regarding a variety of common mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and stress. CAPS services are designed to enhance students' ability to fully benefit from the University environment and academic experience. Call CAPS at 814-863-0395 (8 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday EST) or submit an inquiry online at http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/counseling/contact_form.shtml to schedule an appointment with a mental health advocate, who can help you address mental health concerns that may interfere with your academic progress or social development. This appointment will include a one-on-one session that can be conducted via telephone, teleconference (Skype, FaceTime, etc.), or locally at Penn State University Park. For more information on services provided through CAPS, please visit the Penn State CAPS website at http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/counseling/. Students enrolled at the World Campus are also encouraged to visit its Mental Health Services page at http://student.worldcampus.psu.edu/student-services/mental-health-services.

Reminder: These services are for non-emergencies only. If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis situation, please call your local crisis center or 911.

TEACH Act

The materials on the course website are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.

University Emergency Procedure

In the event of a University-wide emergency, the course may be subject to changes. Exigent circumstances may require alternative delivery methods, class materials, and interactions with the instructor and/or classmates. In addition, there may be revisions to grading policies and the Calendar, including assignments and their due dates.

In the event of a University-wide emergency, please refer to the Canvas website at https://psu.instructure.com for specific information related to the course. For more general information about the emergency situation, please refer to the Penn State website at http://www.psu.edu or Penn State News website at http://news.psu.edu.

To register with PSUAlert, a service designed to alert the Penn State community when situations arise that affect the ability of a campus to function normally, please go to the PSU Alert website at https://psualert.psu.edu/. Subscribers can receive alerts by text message to cell phones, and also can elect to have alerts sent to an email address.

Syllabus Subject to Change

The class will likely adhere to the information outlined in this Syllabus and the Calendar, but adjustments may be made based on what actually transpires during the semester. Remaining in the course after reading this Syllabus will signal that you accept the possibility of changes and responsibility for being aware of them.

Course Summary:

Date Details Due