Short Course - The Demography of Fertility and Reproduction

Short Course - The Demography of Fertility and Reproduction

Short Course: The Demography of Fertility and Reproduction

Course Date: April 20th-24th 2026

Course Fees: £450, for students £350

Course Description

By: Joshua Wilde, Ursula Gazeley, Jasmin Abdel Ghany, Emma Romell, Jorden Jackson

Location: Nuffield College, University of Oxford

Course Description: Join us for an immersive and intellectually engaging week at the beautiful Nuffield College, University of Oxford. This in-person, fully-catered course offers an intensive introduction to the key demographic, health, and social science debates shaping research on fertility and reproduction today. Over five days, you’ll receive 30 hours of high-impact training, covering core concepts, measurement techniques, and the latest research in fertility, maternal health, and reproductive dynamics across global contexts. Designed to be both accessible and rigorous, this course is ideal for researchers, students, and professionals from any discipline. For successful participation in this course, basic/intermediate understanding of statistical methods is recommended. Prior experience in statistical programming, such as in R or Stata, is an advantage.

Each day runs from 9:30 to 16:30, with: 

• Morning lectures (9:30–12:30) introducing key demographic and measurement frameworks, as well as topical research debates.
• Lunch, provided at Nuffield college (12:30-13:30)
• Afternoon practicals (13:30–15:30) focused on hands-on group work, guided data activities, and interactive learning.
• Research talks (15:30–16:30) showcasing innovative research on the theme of the day.

By the end of this course, you’ll gain: 

• A working knowledge of demographic theory and measurement approaches in fertility and reproductive health.
• Practical skills in accessing and analysing publicly available demographic data.
• Exposure to interdisciplinary research at the frontiers of reproductive demography.
• Tools to critically engage with global and local debates on maternal and reproductive health, family change, and inequality.

Lunch and refreshments are provided daily, fostering an informal, collaborative environment in the heart of Oxford’s academic community. 

Course content by day: 

• Day 1: Foundations - Demographic concepts and methods for the study of fertility and reproduction
• Day 2: Theory - Discussion and application of fertility theories in research and in media, focusing on theories such as reproductive justice, demographic transition, and others
• Day 3: Maternal Health - Global trends, measurement, and outcomes (mortality, morbidity, perinatal health)
• Day 4: Climate & maternal and infant health - Concepts and methods to identify the impact of environmental exposures on fertility and reproductive health
• Day 5: Stratified reproduction - Concepts, trends, and current issues in inequality and reproduction

Attendance will be recognised through [Accredible] badges. To register for this course and for information on course fees, please see [this link].  Please send any queries to teaching@demographic.ox.ac.uk. We look forward to welcoming you!