About the Department of Economics
Learn about our faculty and program offerings. We also house a center and lab that offer opportunities to apply our knowledge to the world of economics.
“If you have a passion, the Department of Economics will help you cultivate it and pursue it to the fullest extent.”
Department of Economics
What We Do
Economics majors use abstract theory to help analyze real-world
problems. They gain a broad understanding in analysis, statistics,
mathematics, organization, research methodology, and verbal and written
communication—all skills that are in demand by employers.
Who We Are
The University of Mississippi is categorized as an R1 research institution, which means that our faculty are at the top of their fields and actively conducting groundbreaking research. It also means students work and study alongside some of the best.
Our faculty members include award-winning educators and researchers with years of experience.
Welcome from the Chair
Economics is a social science that studies how people make decisions under scarcity. The world has finite resources—how do societies decide how to allocate them? From this basic premise, we can explore questions like: How does resource allocation differ between markets and government? Why are some countries rich and others poor? Why do airlines charge different prices to different people? Can our understanding of firms explain how the mafia operates? What causes inflation?
Economics provides a solid foundation for careers in business, law, and government. We offer two undergraduate emphases: Law and Economics for students interested in law school, and Financial Economics for those pursuing financial or quantitative careers. Our graduate program prepares students for careers in academia, government, and the private sector.
We have an outstanding faculty dedicated to both teaching and research. Our goal is not to tell students what to think, but to equip them with the tools to understand the economic way of thinking. This prepares them for a broad spectrum of careers with critical thinking and quantitative skills.
Joshua Robert Hendrickson
Chair and Professor of Economics
Program Leadership & Support
Joshua Hendrickson
- Chair and Professor of Economics
Cynthia Jeffries
- Administrative Assistant II
Thomas Garrett
- Professor of Economics
Ennio Piano
- Assistant Professor of Economics
Faculty
Julio Acuna Garcia
- Croft Instructional Assistant Professor of Economics
Tamer Bahloul
- Instructor in Economics
Nicholas Bergan
- Instructor in Economics
Martin Bolen
- Instructor in Economics
Valerie Carlisle
- Instructor in Economics
John Conlon
- Professor of Economics
Johnny Ducking
- Associate Professor of Economics
John Gardner
- Associate Professor of Economics
Thomas Garrett
- Professor of Economics
Sharon Hayes
- Instructor in Economics
Joshua Hendrickson
- Chair and Professor of Economics
Greg Jetton
- Instructor in Economics
Natalia Kolesnikova
- Associate Professor of Economics
Ying Kong
- Instructor in Economics
Michelle Matthews
- Instructional Professor of Economics
Ronnie McGinness
- Senior Lecturer in Economics
Jon Moen
- Professor of Economics
Clara Piano
- Visiting Assistant Professor of Economics
Ennio Piano
- Assistant Professor of Economics
Ryan Rholes
- Assistant Professor of Economics
Kenneth Rich
- Assistant Professor of Economics
Nicole Schoenecker
- Adjunct Instructor in Economics
Garrett Scott
- Assistant Professor of Economics
Rohan Shah
- Assistant Professor of Economics
Henry Thompson
- Assistant Professor of Economics
Nicole Trachman
- Adjunct Instructor in Economics
Mark Van Boening
- Professor of Economics
Joseph White
- Adjunct Instructional Assistant Professor of Economics
Department Center & Lab
Center for Economic Science and Economic Education
The Center for Economic Science and Economic Education seeks to educate the general public, teachers, educators, and policymakers about economic theory and policy.
Mississippi Experimental Research Laboratory
A computerized research facility where economics faculty and graduate students conduct a variety of research, including experimental economics, econometrics, and microeconomics.
Lab includes:
Dell Optiplex computers—Intel Core 2 Duo processors (E8400 @ 3.00 GHZ), 4 GB of RAM, 32-bit operating system, and Windows 7 Professional
Lab server—Intel Xeon processor (3040 @ 1.86 GHZ), 2 GB RAM, and Microsoft Windows Server R2.
Network—Computers are networked to the fileserver and UM’s internet backbone
Flat panel monitors
Our Community
A Place That Ever Calls
Located 70 miles from Memphis and surrounded by the natural beauty of Northern Mississippi, Oxford boasts thriving music, art, and literary scenes along with great restaurants. UM's athletics provide many opportunities to watch and participate in sports—and one of the world's best tailgating parties.
With everything Oxford has to offer, it's no wonder USA Today named Oxford as one of the Top Six College Towns in the Nation.
Come see why.