Subsidized by UNFPA and approved by Liaoning Higher Education Bureau, Institution of Population Research of Liaoning University was established in 1983. It has 1 PhD authorized unit and 1 postdoctoral research station to Population, Resource and Environment Economics, 5 authorized units of master degree to Population, Resource and Environment Economics, Demography, Educational Economy and Management, Social Insurance and Land Resources Management, as well as 1 authorized unit of master degree to Social Work Profession.

Led by Professor Mu Huaizhong, famous expert in social security, the social security discipline is developing vigorously in Liaoning University, focusing on the researches of such theories and practices as income distribution and social security, endowment insurance system reform and design as well as aging population and employment policies etc. Liaoning University was authorized to confer master degree of first “Social Security” with Renmin University of China and Wuhan University in 1998. The discipline was awarded as the specialty to innovation team of Liaoning institutions of higher education in 2007 and characteristic discipline in 2008. In 2009 and 2011, it obtained 2 major projects under national social science fund successively, keeping ahead in domestic discipline development. 

Dedicating to the cooperation with functional government departments all along, the Institution serves as the idea bank for local social construction. In 2007, Liaoning Social Security Research Center was set up in the Institution, which cooperated with Department of Environmental Protection of Liaoning to jointly develop the Research Institution of Population Resources and Environment and the Research Center of Atmospheric Environment of Liaoning University in 2014. As approved as master degree authorized unit in 2010, it built twelve practice bases for social work and conducted professional practice together with Health and Family Planning Commission of Liaoning, Shenyang Lions Club etc welfare agencies and social work organizations, with extensive social impact.

Academic Master programs

Population, resources and environmental economics

Demography

Educational economy and management

Social insurance

Land resources management

Professional master Programs 

Social work

Doctor programs

Population, resources and environmental economics

Post-doctoral Mobile Research Station

Population, resources and environmental economics