Economics

Janie M. Chermak, Chairperson
The University of New Mexico
Department of Economics
MSC05 3060
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
(505) 277-5304; FAX (505) 277-9445

Professors
Robert P. Berrens, Ph.D., Oregon State University
Alok K. Bohara, Ph.D., University of Colorado
David S. Brookshire, Ph.D., The University of New Mexico
Janie M. Chermak, Ph.D., Colorado School of Mines
Philip Ganderton, Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara
Kate Krause, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin
Christine Sauer, Ph.D., Brown University
Richard Santos, Ph.D., Michigan State University
Robert O. Valdez, Ph.D., Pardee RAND School of Public Policy

Associate Professors
Melissa Binder, Ph.D., Columbia University
Matias Fontenla, Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin
Jennifer Thacher, Ph.D., University of Colorado

Assistant Professors
Shana McDermott, Ph.D., University of Wyoming, Laramie
David N. van der Goes, Ph.D., Lehigh University
Jingjing Wang, Ph.D., University of California, Riverside
Brady Horn, Ph.D., Washington State University
Sarah S. Stith, Ph.D., University of Michigan

Lecturers
Claudia Diaz Fuentes, Ph.D., Pardee RAND Graduate School
Cristina Reiser, Ph.D., University of Tennessee

Affiliated Faculty
Richard Bernknopf, Ph.D., George Washington University (Research Professor)
Samuel Howorth, Ph.D., The University of New Mexico (Research Scholar)
Maurice Moffett, Ph.D., The University of New Mexico (Adjunct Assistant Professor)
Lawrence Waldman, Ph.D., The University of New Mexico (Lecturer III)

Professors Emeriti
Shaul Ben-David, Ph.D., Cornell University
F. Lee Brown, Ph.D., Purdue University
H. Stuart Burness, Ph.D., University of Kansas
Donald Coes, Ph.D., Princeton University
Ronald Cummings, Ph.D., University of Kansas
Micha Gisser, Ph.D., University of Chicago
Peter Gregory, Ph.D., Harvard University
David Hamilton, Ph.D., University of Texas
Chung Pham, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania
Donald Tailby, Ph.D., Rutgers University
Paul Therkildsen, Ph.D., University of Colorado

Introduction to the Undergraduate Program for Economics

What’s the best way to reduce carbon emissions? Is a green economy possible? What should be done about the federal budget deficit? Will graduating seniors ever collect on Social Security? Can government policies reduce unemployment? Is crime an economic problem? Is obesity an economic problem? Why are some countries rich and others poor? Does international trade help or hurt workers in the United States?

Economics provides answers to questions like these by analyzing how societies and markets allocate scarce resources, how incentives shape human behavior and why there are tradeoffs in virtually all public policy options. Majors develop analytical and quantitative skills including modeling and data analysis. They understand macroeconomic relationships that explain economic growth, unemployment and inflation and exchange rate fluctuations. They also study the microeconomics of the public sector, industrial organization, labor and human resources, health, natural resource use, the environment, trade and development.

Our graduates go on to careers in consulting, banking, finance, teaching and government. The major also provides excellent preparation for advanced degrees in economics, business, planning, medicine and law. Economics students make particularly good law school applicants (and outperform other majors on the LSAT), likely because both fields emphasize highly analytical thinking.

The major is an excellent choice for those interested in public policy and market research and students pursuing careers in business, government and non-profit organizations. An economics major is also highly desirable for students planning to study law, business, public administration, geography and international affairs at the graduate level.

Keys and Symbols Reference