College of Social and Behavioral Science
Department Office: Bldg 73, Room 222
Mailing Address: 332 S. 1400 E. Room 222, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
Phone: 801-581-7481
Email: advising@economics.utah.edu, grad-advising@economics.utah.edu
Website: www.economics.utah.edu
Department Chair: Thomas Maloney
Undergraduate Advisors: Nicole O'Shea, Olivia Calvillo
Graduate Advisors: Kayla Suhrie
An economy is a social system where people engage in the production and distribution of goods and services. How does this happen? Who chooses what will be produced? What are prices and how are they determined? Do free markets improve the quality of life? How do poorer countries accelerate growth? What causes unemployment and inflation? Is there a role for government intervention in an economy? What is the role of money? Economics explores these sorts of questions. It addresses issues related to decision making with scarce resources, the history, organization, and direction of firms, industries, national, and international economies, and the structure and functions of social and economic institutions. The methods of economic analysis relate to public and private organizations. Economic analysis is widely applied to real world problems. Economics majors learn how to think critically about complex problems and how to analyze quantitative data. Because economic analysis is clear and precise, the major is attractive to job recruiters and graduate school advisors. An economics major is one of the best choices for students who wish to pursue careers in law, management, finance, public service, public administration, business, government, and teaching. Economics is an excellent choice for students who want to obtain advanced degrees in business. The most prestigious Master's of Business Administration (MBA) programs prefer economics majors to business majors and other programs view economics as equally attractive. Economics is increasingly a popular undergraduate prelaw major. Several graduate schools in the United States offer programs leading to advanced degrees in both law and economics. As part of a liberal education, economics helps students understand how information is gathered, analyzed, interpreted, and used for policy and managerial decision making.
Undergraduate Program
Assistantships and Financial Aid
The Economics Department awards scholarships and endeavors to provide other types of funding for as many students as possible. Applicants without either departmental funding or personal financial support sufficient to complete the program are discouraged from enrolling.
Graduate Program
For any questions not answered by the catalog, admitted graduate students are encouraged to consult their program's "Policy on Standards of Academic Performance and Academic Conduct."
Financial Aid and Fellowships
Graduate financial aid will be withdrawn if the student recipient is not currently enrolled in the Economics Ph.D. program. Funded students who fail one qualifying exam will have their funding reduced by 50 percent. Funded students failing two or more qualifying exams will lose all funding. Students receiving a marginal result on all three qualifying exams will have their funding reduced by 50 percent. Students who lose funding because of poor exam grades will not have their funding automatically restored if their performance improves upon retaking the necessary exams. The department chair or Ph.D. Committee can also withdraw funding as a result of poor performance as a research or teaching assistant.
Students entering without support can become eligible for support by compiling a satisfactory record in their coursework and qualifier exams and by demonstrating potential for teaching and research, although availability of support is contingent on departmental needs and resources. However, good performance in the Ph.D. program does not guarantee financial support for previously unfunded students.
Teaching assignments and funding beyond the fourth year will be based on the following criteria: (1) Clearance for teaching by the university; (2) Satisfactory performance of previous assignments; (3) Satisfactory progress in the program; (4) Needs of the curriculum; (5) Knowledge of the subject. The Department Chair interprets and applies these rules in individual cases. Graduate students are also eligible for fellowships offered by the University.