Use Demographic Analysis to Aid Governments, Businesses, or Organizations
The 30-credit Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.) in Applied Demography delivered through Penn State World Campus is designed to provide working professionals with an understanding of concepts, measures, data, software, and analytical skills to use in the workplace in both the public and private sector.
Demographers are employed by administrative, planning, and statistics divisions across the federal government and also in vastly larger numbers at the state and local levels. From transportation planning to environmental mitigation efforts by state and local agencies, an ability to analyze and visualize demographic patterns and projects is key to making critical decisions. Population statistics, for example, are used by demographers in government at all levels to provide data for decisions impacting an extensive range of health, education, and economic issues.
In nongovernment settings, applied demographers are employed by research organizations. The private sector includes many businesses and industries in need of demographic data analysis, employing applied demographers as marketing analysts, data analysts, statisticians, and survey researchers. Applied demographers are employed by companies and other organizations that have implemented data-driven decision making in their corporate policies. Marketing demographics play a major role in decisions related to tracking trends in the purchase of consumer products, using statistical data based on age, gender, education, and more.
Once you complete this degree, you should be able to:
- describe demographic principles and population trends that impact decision-making in business, the public sector, and nonprofit organizations
- demonstrate technical competence in demographic methods, GIS applications to population questions, and demographic data sources and their use
- address the immediate questions and planning objectives of managers, administrators, and government officials by examining case studies of how to use demographic science
- demonstrate unique comparative understanding of applied demographic knowledge and skills by utilizing international demographic data and problem-solving examples
- incorporate advanced geo-demographic analysis, big data, and applied statistical methods in your line of work
How Can You Benefit from Earning the M.P.S. in Applied Demography?
With the program’s emphasis on acquiring the knowledge and skills to work in either the public or private sector, you can play a crucial role in strategic decision-making processes, as you enhance your career and support organizational goals and objectives.
Why Study Applied Demography at Penn State?
Penn State’s residential demography program has been consistently ranked in the top five among the 120 schools offering a demography program. As a student in this online program, you can learn from resident instructors and other highly qualified applied demography faculty.