Economics

The Clear Choice

Why economics? Why UWM?

Economics is an interesting and challenging subject

At UWM you will be trained by a strong faculty

Economics will help you develop skills necessary to build a successful career

So what is economics all about?

One thing to remember

Social ScienceEconomics is a social science

Economics is not all about money and trade

Economics is about understanding human behavior

Wide ApplicabilityEconomic models have wide applicability

Here are some recent questions asked by our faculty

Do smoking bans cause an increase in drunk driving incidents?

What is the risk of catastrophic terrorism?

Are financial crises today more contagious than in the past?

Do businesses still not cater to gays?

What makes retirees happy?

Do Walmart stores reduce employment and wages in the local retail sector?

Do unilateral divorce laws discourage fertility out of wedlock?

Is foreign direct investment into the United States good for black workers ?

Do Bono and Bob have a clue? Should we forgive poor-country debt?

Does unionization increase the chance of plant closures?

Is corruption always a bad thing?

The quality of your education is directly related to the strength of the faculty

The Faculty at UWM

Our faculty joined UWM after completing their graduate work in some of the best schools in the world…

University of Chicago

University of California at Berkeley

Duke University

University of Michigan University of Washington

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

University of California at San Diego

Brown University

Over the last ten yearsthe Economics Department

has hired 12 new faculty members...

...not including Dean Meadows and former Chancellor Santiago, who are also economists

Today our department is 21 strong

With special expertise in the fields of...

Labor economics (ranked 35th)

Industrial Organization (ranked 47th)

Economic Development (ranked 51st)

Urban Economics (ranked 51st)

International economics (ranked 53rd)

Meet some of our faculty

...not the creator of Dilbert, though they share the same name and sense of humor

Our new Director of Graduate Studies

Associate Professor, Field: Labor Economics

Ph.D. Michigan State, 2000

Council of Economic Advisors to the President, 2008-2009

Scott’s work has received media attention inThe Economist and the Wall Street Journal

Scott J. Adams

Professor, Field: Industrial Organization

James is the President of the Transportation and Public Utilities Group and a Past President of the National Economics Association.

Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley

An expert on transportation and infrastructure, he recently testified to the President’s Council of Economic Advisors at the White House.

James H. Peoples

Vivian’s research has taken experimental economics to new levels. She is a pioneer in the field of experimental macroeconomics

Associate Professor, Fields: Experimental Economics and Macroeconomics

Ph.D. Purdue University, 2000

Vivian has publications in the best journals in economics including the American Economic Review and Econometrica

Vivian Lei

Keith’s accomplishments allow us to look past the fact that he is a Miami Dolphins fan

Associate Professor, Field: Labor Economics

Ph.D. Duke, 1994

Social Security Administration 1998-1999

Keith’s research is widely cited and has received media coverage in such outlets as the Wall Street Journal

Keith A. Bender

A few more faces...

Mohsen Bahmani, Wilmeth Professor of EconomicsMohsen is the editor of two journals and one of the most prolific economists today. He is also a UWM Distinguished Professor.

William Holahan, Department ChairBill was recently listed among the profession’s 50 best

undergraduate economics instructors

Rebecca Neumann, Undergraduate DirectorRebecca received a Fullbright Scholarship in

2005 to study “Globalization and Europeanization” in Germany.

HighSchool

CareerEconomics

Can economics build a bridge between you and your career?

Studying economics will help you develop a broad range of skills

The result:

“The Hot Major for Undergrads is Economics”

“In a global economy filled with uncertainty, many students see economics as the best vehicle for a job promising good pay and security”

Wall Street Journal, July 2005

Did you know that the average starting salary of economics graduate is $50,885

By mid career these salaries double to over $98,000

Wall Street Journal

PerhapsMoney talks after all

How have our students fared?

Get ready to be amazed

Some of our former students

Gary Hoover, Assistant Dean, University of Alabama

I-Ming Chiu, Assistant Professor, Rutgers University

Geoff Wallace, Associate Professor, UW Madison

Sumit Agarwal, Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

Luis E. Arreaga-Rodas, U.S. Ambassador to Iceland

Nabil Latifa, Senior Economist, International Monetary Fund

and many more are now pursuing successful careers at...

American Family Insurance, American Express, Aurora Health Care, Bank Mutual Corporation, Bean Street Cafe, Blommer Chocolate Company, Brewery Credit Union, Center for Forensic Economic Studies, Center for Naval Analysis, CFW Capital Management Company, Columbia-St. Mary's Hospital, ConocoPhillips, First Wisconsin Bank, Firstar Information Services, Foley & Lardner LLP, Frito Lay, Fulcrum Consulting Services, GE Healthcare, Harley-Davidson Motorbikes, Johnson Controls, JPMorgan Chase, K-9 Friend Behavioral Counseling LLC, Kemper Securities Investment Co., Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Landaas & Co Investments, Legal Aid Services of OK, Liberty Bank, M&I Bank, Merrill Lynch, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, Miller Coors, Milwaukee Journal Communications, Mutual Saving and Loan, North Shore Bank, Northrop Grumman, Northwestern Coffee Mills, Northwestern Mutual, Paratransit Inc, Quarles & Brady LLP, Potawatomi Bingo Casino, RFP Commercial, Robert W. Baird & Co., Rockwell Automation, Time Warner Cable, TJ Maxx, Tri City National Bank, United Airlines, US Bank, Vintage Mutual Funds, WE Energies, Wisconsin Asset Management

Economics

the choice is simple.