Department of Demography

During your Studies

On this page, you'll learn everything you need to know to navigate your studies in the Master Programme Global Demography. Information on the master thesis and master's examination is collected on a separate page.

Violetta König

Registration for courses and exams

You need to register for the courses you want to take each semester during the registration period. The exact registration period depends on the course type, and is listed for each course in the University of Vienna's course directory u:find.

For courses with non-continuous assessment, you need register for the exam separately. Teachers typically offer four exam appointments per year for this course type. You are free to choose when to participate in the exam.

What types of courses are there?

  • Course with non-continuous assessment

    Courses with non-continuous assessment (npi LV) are, for example, lectures (Vorlesung, VO). The following applies to lectures:

    • Attendance is not compulsory.
    • The number of participants is not limited.
    • You do not obtain ECTS credits simply by attending a lecture. To complete a lecture and obtain ECTS credits, you must take an exam at the end.
    • Registration for the exam is mandatory. 

    In general, we recommend registering for lectures, as you will then automatically be enrolled on the corresponding Moodle course. This gives you access to the learning materials.

    PLEASE NOTE: You must also register for the exam even if you have already registered for the course with non-continuous assessment.

  • Course with continuous assessment

    Courses with continuous assessment (pi LV) are, for example, seminars (Seminar, SE) and exercises (Übung, UE). Please note the following:

    • You must register for courses within the registration period.
    • Assessment is based on active participation through written and/or oral achievements during the semester.
    • Attendance may be compulsory.

    The number of participants is usually limited. After the registration period, you can check in u:space whether you have been allocated a place in the course. 

    PLEASE NOTE: If you miss the first course unit without providing a reason, you will be deregistered and lose your place.

  • Module examinations

    A module examination or subject examination is an examination on the content of an entire module (i.e. an examination on the content of several courses). 

    • Assessment is based solely on the examination result.
    • Attendance or participation in the courses is not taken into account in the assessment.
    • Module examinations – with the exception of STEOP examinations – take place three times during each semester.

  • Do you still have questions about certain university terms?

    We have compiled an overview of all important terms and abbreviations in our ABC of terminology.

How to prepare your timetable

At the University of Vienna you do not get a pre-defined timetable, but follow a recommended study path – you plan your semester yourself. The most important tools for planning your semester are the curriculum of your degree programme, the student portal u:space and the course directory u:find.

In your record of examinations in u:space you can also view all the grades you receive during your degree programme. This overview will help you plan the next semesters.

Registering for courses

Search four suitable courses in the course directory (u:find) and choose “register/deregister for this course”. You will be automatically redirected to u:space where you complete the registration. For courses with continuous assessment, the registration link is only active during the registration period. 

The semester planner in u:space (under the “courses” menu item) shows you the currently offered courses and a calendar. This helps you plan your semester effectively. 

Use your record of examinations in u:space and the curriculum to check which courses and examinations you still have to complete. Please also bear in mind any prerequisite chains: you can only register if you meet the prerequisites specified in the curriculum.

Registration status

After registering for a course with continuous assessment, the status “allocation by registration deadline” will appear initially. The places are allocated once the registration period has ended. Attendance at the first session is compulsory – you will lose your place if you are absent without a valid excuse! A person on the waiting list will then take your place. 
If you are on the “waiting list” yourself, you should definitely attend the first session. Any places that become available will be allocated at short notice. 

You also register for courses with non-continuous assessment via u:find or u:space. The system only checks whether all requirements have been met when you register for the examination.

The status “registered” indicates that your registration was successful. 

Hauptgebäude Arkadenhof
Ian Ehm

Registering for exams

In the course directory u:find, you can view the details of the exam for your respective course.

Click ‘Register/Deregister for this exam’ to be redirected to u:space where you can complete your registration.

Next, you have to select your degree programme and the respective curriculum item (module) in u:space. If you can choose from several modules, select the one that is specified in the u:find course directory. Otherwise, your grade will be assigned to the wrong module in the record of examinations. 

Click ‘Register’ to complete your registration for the exam.

Students in front of the lockers at the department library
Ian Ehm

Study Programme and Curriculum

The curriculum of the Master Programme Global Demography details the content and structure of the degree programme. Your record of examinations in u:space outlines the structure of your curriculum as well as the prerequisites and the status of your completed study achievements.

At the end of the curriculum, you will find details on the recommended study path. It shows in which semester you would ideally take your courses. You can view it below and in u:space in the record of examinations and the semester planner, or directly when you register for courses.

How does the recommended study path influence the allocation of places on courses?

The recommended study path is a method in the registration system for allocating places in courses with continuous assessment. If you complete all courses in the recommended order of the study path, your chances of getting a place increase.

We recommend that you check your study path in the record of exams or in the semester planner on u:space before registering for a course with continuous assessment. The record of exams and the semester planner will show a percentage for each course or module. The higher the percentage, the better your chances of getting a place on the course.

Courses in Module 5

Please be aware that you can only take courses in Module 5 once you have completed Modules 1 and 2. You won't be able to graduate within 4 semesters if you do not complete Modules 1 and 2 during the first two semesters.

Recommended study path

Module 1: Demographic Theories, Global Demographic Trends and Drivers (24 ECTS)

  • UE Propedeuticum: Scientific Working (4 ECTS)
  • VO Introduction to Demographic Theories, Global Human
  • Capital and Social Change (4 ECTS)
  • SE Fertility and Family (6 ECTS)
  • SE Mortality, Health and Ageing (6 ECTS)
  • VO Migration, Urbanisation and Spatial Distribution (4 ECTS)

Module 2: Demographic Methods and Statistics for Social Scientists (8 ECTS)

  • SE Basic Methods of Demographic Analysis (4 ECTS)
  • VO Statistics for Social Scientists 1 (4 ECTS)

Module 2: Demographic Methods and Statistics for Social Scientists (8 ECTS)

  • SE Statistics for Social Scientists 2 (4 ECTS)
  • SE Advanced Methods of Demographic Analysis (hands-on intensive course) (4 ECTS)
  • UE Tutorial to Advanced Methods Course (4 ECTS)

Module 3: Population and Global Human Capital (16 ECTS)

  • SE Population History: The long-run (4 ECTS)
  • SE Human Capital and Economic Demography (4 ECTS)
  • VO Policy Research: Public Health, Fertility and Migration (4 ECTS)
  • VO Electives in other Social Sciences (4 ECTS)

Module 4: Population Change and Sustainable Development (12 ECTS)

  • SE Population Forecasting (4 ECTS)
  • VO Population, Climate Change and Sustainable Development (4 ECTS)
  • SE Fertility, Mortality and Human Capital Trends in a Global Systemic Perspective (4 ECTS)

Module 5: Demographic Research Projects (18 ECTS)

Modules 1 and 2 must be completed before students can take courses in Module 5!

  • SE Forschungsseminar Empirical Study (10 ECTS)
  • SE Forschungsseminar Demographic Debate: Literature Review
    and Contemporary Demographic Debates (8 ECTS)

Master thesis (25 ECTS) and master's examination (5 ECTS).

Starting your studies in the summer semester?

Starting your studies in the summer semester is referred to as a lateral entry. 

Please note that we currently only offer first semester courses in the winter term, and second semester courses build on the knowledge imparted in the first semester courses. Therefore, we recommend that students start in the winter term if they can. 

If you're starting in the summer term, please get in touch with master.demography(at)univie.ac.at so we can best support you.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Student life & study organisation

You can find a list of student spaces on the following websites: 

You can find information on students mobility programmes at the University of Vienna here: International Office - Study abroad with Erasmus+ & co.

We also ask that students planning an exchange reach out to master.demography(at)univie.ac.at early on in the process of planning their exchange.

Module 3: Elective

To be eligible as an elective, your chosen course should:

  1. Be a lecture (course type “VO = Vorlesung”)
  2. Be on Master level
  3. Hail from the Directorate of Studies (SPL) 21, 23, 24, or 29

Eligible master programmes from the study programme directories mentioned above include:

SPL 21: Poltical Sciences

SPL 23: Sociology

SPL 24: Social and Cultural Anthropology

SPL 29: Geography

Please note that some of the listed Master Programmes are instructed primarily or exclusively in German.

If you find a course that does not meet the criteria listed above, but you'd like to take it regardless, please reach out to master.demography(at)univie.ac.at - we will decide on a case-by-case basis whether your chosen course is eligible.

The course you choose as your elective should carry at least 4 ECTS credits. Alternatively, you can also choose to take multiple courses as your elective, as long as their total ECTS credits add up to 4 or more.

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