Economics and Finance

Graduate Study

Charles Baum, Chair

Beauchamp, Deme, DeBacker, DePrince, Eff, Fayissa, Ford, Fowler, Gabel, Gallagher, Graddy, Hammock, Hollman, Homaifar, Kennedy, Klein, Lee, Michello, Nagel, Owens, Penn, Rennhoff, Salter, Sarver, Timmons, Zhao, E. Zietz, J. Zietz

The mission of the Department of Economics and Finance is to teach students the foundations of economics and finance theory and methodology with a global perspective on markets and the institutional environment.

The department offers programs which lead to the B.B.A. degree with majors in either Economics or Finance through the Jennings A. Jones College of Business and to the B.S. degree with a major in Economics through the College of Liberal Arts.

The Economics major program studies how society allocates scarce resources and comprises two parts–microeconomics and macroeconomics. Microeconomics studies individual firms and consumers and models the decisions they make in various types of markets and other institutional settings. Macroeconomics examines national income, growth, unemployment, and prices that result from the interaction of microeconomic agents. Economics majors may select a concentration in Labor Relations.

The Finance major program focuses on the financial sectors of modern economies. Students are provided analytical foundations and an introduction to financial processes and institutions. Finance majors may select a concentration in Business Finance, Financial Institution Management, Insurance, or Real Estate.

Students majoring in Economics and Finance are well prepared for careers in the private business sector, for public government service, and for graduate studies in business and law.

Minors are offered in Economics, Industrial Relations, Economics/Finance, Finance, Real Estate, Insurance, and Real Estate/Insurance.

The department houses the Weatherford Chair of Finance and the Martin Chair of Insurance. Holders of the two chairs are charged with promoting study leading to careers in financial institution management and insurance, respectively.

Graduate Study

The Master of Arts and Ph.D. degrees are offered in Economics. Degree requirements and a list of the courses offered for graduate credit may be found in the Graduate Catalog.