Dr. Jesper Birkelund

Assistant Professor

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Biography

Jesper Fels Birkelund is a Tenure Track Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Copenhagen. His research primarily focuses on sociological themes such as education, ethnic inequalities, and social mobility, utilizing state-of-the-art statistical methods to analyze register survey data. He has published work in leading peer-reviewed journals including Social Forces, Social Science Research, European Sociological Review, and British Journal of Sociology. Birkelund's recent contributions to research include exploring the dynamics of ethnic inequalities, particularly the paradox evident in children of immigrants from Western countries who maintain high educational aspirations despite comparatively poor academic performance. His 2020 paper in the European Sociological Review introduced a counterfactual analytical model quantifying these aspirations. Birkelund's work on social mobility examines how parental resources impact children's labor market outcomes, integrating theories of human, cultural, social, and economic capital. Additionally, he investigates the role of parents' occupational networks and family firm inheritance in the intergenerational transmission of resources. He is also actively engaged in teaching various courses related to statistics and welfare studies, shaping the understanding of future sociologists regarding these critical societal issues.

Research Interests

Awards

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ECSR Prize

Courses

Basic Statistics (BA) Sociology Danish Society (BA) Advanced Welfare, Inequality, Mobility (MA)

Requirements for University of Copenhagen

Master Program
Requirements
IELTS
Overall
Required:6.5
TOEFL
Total
Required:83
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Psychology Minimum 45 ECTS in core psychology areas Minimum 20 ECTS in methodology and statistics
Application Checklist
  • Bachelor's diploma
  • Transcript of records
  • Course descriptions
  • Self-assessment form
  • Documentation of English proficiency
Specialization Notes

Focuses on clinical, social, and cognitive psychology.