This course introduces the big issues associated with changes in our global population. The world’s population is increasing rapidly, but population growth is far from even. Some of the most vulnerable parts of the world are growing the fastest, while other countries have too few working people to support their rapidly ageing population. This course will consider how population change is linked to sustainable development, migration and settlement, rapid population growth, ageing societies, housing and infrastructure, poverty, food and water supply, and the environment.

The course will consider these population challenges from a demographic perspective, introducing the reasons populations change through birth, migration and death. A focus of the course will be on the large disparities across the planet, and students will engage in thinking critically about these global challenges.

Overall, the course will:

1.    identify past, present and future global population challenges

2.    provide an understanding of how demographers and population scientists can contribute to understanding and addressing these challenges

3.    demonstrate the demographic approach to understanding societal issues

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. demonstrate an understanding of demographic changes in the world and their major determinants;
2. apply demographic concepts to understand contemporary socio-economic issues and current affairs;
3. explain the key approaches used by demographers to understand population change;
4. critically read, source, understand and evaluate credible information; and
5. develop a logical, demographically-informed argument supported by empirical evidence.

Examination Material or equipment

Students may bring in notes to use during the exam.

Recommended Resources

Whether you are on campus or studying online, there are a variety of online platforms you will use to participate in your study program. These could include videos for lectures and other instruction, two-way video conferencing for interactive learning, email and other messaging tools for communication, interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities, print and/or photo/scan for handwritten work and drawings, and home-based assessment.

ANU outlines recommended student system requirements to ensure you are able to participate fully in your learning. Other information is also available about the various Learning Platforms you may use.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Other Information

The information published in this Class Summary may be subject to change, any changes in assessments or other course details will be communicated via Wattle and during the first week of the Semester. Any questions or concerns should be raised with the course convenor/lecturer as soon as possible.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introduction to Global Population Challenges	No tutorial
2	Population Change and the Demographic Transition
3	Fertility Trends and Implications
4	Ageing Populations and Depopulation
5	Migration and Population Mobility
6	Urbanization and Megacities	Assessment: Critical analysis due
7	Climate Change and Population Dynamics
8	Health, Mortality and Longevity	Assessment: Group project - Podcast and short report due
9	Changing Family Structures and Gender Dynamics
10	Population Policies
11	The Future of Population: Projections and Scenarios
12	Summary and Future Directions	Assessment: Exam during exam period

Tutorial Registration

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Critical analysis (20%)	20 %	26/03/2025	16/04/2025	1,2,3,4,5
Group project: Podcast and short report (40%)	40 %	23/04/2025	14/05/2025	1,2,3,4,5
Class Participation (10%)	10 %	*	*	1,2,3,4,5
Exam (30%)	30 %	*	*	1,2,3,4,5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Students are expected to actively engage in tutorials. Participation includes providing views on the topic, asking questions, raising issues, or providing other contributions. Participation should be shared across all participants, and respectful discussion will be facilitated.

Examination(s)

The Exam will assess students on their understanding of the course material presented throughout weeks 1-12.

The Exam will be held in person, scheduled during the Exam period.

The Exam will comprise multiple choice and short answer questions. Students will have three hours to complete the Exam.

Students may bring their notes to the Exam.

Assessment Task 1

Critical analysis (20%)

Critical analysis of a newspaper article on a demographic megatrend

For this assessment, you will critically analyse a newspaper article that discusses a demographic megatrend. The goal is to evaluate the article’s argument, evidence, and implications while applying demographic concepts covered in the course.

Rubric

Criteria	High Distinction	Distinction	Credit	Pass	Fail
Summary (15%)	Clear, concise, and accurately captures all key arguments and context	Mostly clear but may miss minor details	Covers main points but lacks depth or clarity	Covers some main points but lacks clarity or coherence	Largely inaccurate, missing key arguments, or unclear
Critical analysis (40%)	Deep engagement with evidence, theory, and policy implications; insightful critique	Engages with evidence and theory but lacks some depth; mostly well-argued	Some engagement with concepts but may be surface-level	Limited analysis with minimal engagement with evidence or theory	Little or no analysis; mostly descriptive with unsupported claims
Use of sources (20%)	Strong integration of academic sources and demographic data; well-supported arguments	Uses sources effectively but may lack critical evaluation	Some use of sources but not always relevant or well-integrated	Minimal use of sources, weak connection to arguments	No or inappropriate sources used; lack of citations
Structure and clarity (15%)	Well-organised, clear, and logically structured; strong flow of ideas	Mostly well-structured with minor clarity issues	Adequate structure but may have minor disorganisation	Basic structure, but some sections unclear or disjointed	Poorly structured; difficult to follow; lacks logical flow
Referencing (10%)	Proper citation format (APA/Harvard)	Citations mostly correct	Inconsistent citations	Inconsistent or numerous errors in citations	Citations missing or incorrect

Assessment Task 2

Group project: Podcast and short report (40%)

In this group project, you will create a podcast episode (maximum 15 minutes) on a demographic megatrend and submit a 2-page report reflecting on your choice of topic and unexpected insights gained during your research and preparation.

This assessment encourages teamwork, creativity, and critical engagement with population challenges.

Rubric

Criteria	High Distinction	Distinction	Credit	Pass	Fail
Content & analysis (40%)	Engaging, well-researched, and insightful discussion of the topic; strong use of data and theory	Well-researched with solid analysis	Covers key points but with limited depth or insight	Basic coverage with minimal critical engagement	Lacks coherence, depth, or accurate research
Clarity & structure of Podcast (20%)	Well-structured, clear, and engaging; strong flow	Mostly clear and organised; minor structural issues	Some disorganisation but generally understandable	Lacks structure but still delivers some key points	Disorganised, unclear, or difficult to follow
Use of sources (15%)	Strong integration of demographic data, scholarly sources, and policy discussions	Good use of sources but may lack depth in application	Some sources used but not always well-integrated	Minimal use of sources or reliance on non-academic sources	No use of academic sources or unverified claims
Audio quality & presentation (10%)	High-quality recording, clear speech, engaging presentation style	Mostly clear, with minor sound quality or pacing issues	Understandable but may have noticeable sound issues	Poor sound quality or difficult to follow in parts	Unclear audio, difficult to understand, or poorly edited
Short report (15%)	Thoughtful, well-written, and reflective on both the topic and learning process	Covers key reflections with minor gaps	Some reflection but lacks depth	Minimal reflection with limited engagement	Lacks coherence, depth, or fails to address key prompts

Assessment Task 3

Class Participation (10%)

Students are expected to actively engage in tutorials.

Participation includes providing views on the topic, asking questions, raising issues, or providing other contributions. Participation should be shared across all participants, and respectful discussion will be facilitated.

Assessment Task 4

Exam (30%)

The Exam will assess students on their understanding of the course material presented throughout weeks 1-12.

The Exam will be held in person, scheduled during the Exam period.

The Exam will comprise multiple choice and short answer questions. Students will have three hours to complete the Exam.

Students may bring their notes to the Exam.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission not permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.
• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Accessibility for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students