Undergraduate Programs in Economics
Study the allocation of resources in society.
"I cannot praise the economics department enough for all of the encouragement they have given me. Every professor I have had, especially in my more advanced courses, has been enthusiastic about their students’ all-around success."
Earn a Degree in an Exciting and Dynamic Field
Study how resources such as labor, land, money, and technology are distributed. Understand major economic trends and issues.
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.
The B.A. degree is a flexible program that provides broad social science training and requires a minor field of study, while the B.S. degree takes a more technical and quantitative approach.
Economics majors in either degree program can choose from two optional emphases:
- Financial Economics
- Law and Economics
Undergraduate Mentor
“Whether you’re considering an economics major or already are one, I’m here to help.”
Thomas A Garrett
Professor of Economics
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Academic Advising
Freshmen economics majors are advised through the Center for Student Success and First Year Experience (CSSFYE). Sophomore through senior economics majors are advised by the College of Liberal Arts Student Services team.
CSSFYE Academic Advising Page -
Accelerated Law (3+3)
In a partnership with the UM School of Law, students admitted to the Accelerated Law Program may earn baccalaureate and law degrees in 6 years instead of 7 by using first year law school courses to complete their undergraduate degree. They start law school during their senior year.
Accelerated Law (3+3) -
Student Success Resources and Scholarships
The Department of Economics has different sources of support for the success of students in the courses and programs. Alumni and friends have given funding to support scholarships dedicated to students.
Department Resources & Scholarships -
Careers & Alumni
See the top sectors for the employers of our economics undergraduate alumni. Meet a few alumni and how they view the value of their major in today's world.
Economics Careers & Alumni
Planning for Law Career
“I love how my major takes an interdisciplinary approach by combining economic and business principles. I enjoy how my courses emphasize analytical thinking and problem-solving, which are skills that are highly valued in various fields. This combination not only provides me with a comprehensive understanding of economic phenomena but also equips me with practical skills applicable across diverse industries.”
Hema Patel
Economics major
Beyond the classroom
Internships
According to surveys of employers, internships are the #1 desired experience on college resumes. Employers want to know that you have experienced the professional world and have solidified your career goals through interactions in a related work place. Economics students internships include government, business and finance, and nonprofits. One student participated in an economic development internship with the city of Germantown, Tennessee. Another interned at the U.S. Department of State in the Trade Policy Programs Office where he analyzed foreign trade practices for use by diplomats in trade negotiations and helped brief U.S. Ambassadors to Latin America on challenges facing U.S. commerce.
Travel Courses
Students have opportunities to broaden their horizons via travel and study both inside and outside the U.S. to learn more about economics around the world. Earn credit for general education, major, or minor requirements by enrolling at a partner university or study abroad organization for as few as two weeks or as long as an academic year. Even better, travel with a UM professor during a 2-week term. Generous donors help many College of Liberal Arts students participate in these faculty-led programs.
Mississippi Experimental Research Laboratory
On campus, the Mississippi Experimental Research Laboratory (MERL) is used by faculty and students to conduct a wide variety of economics research, including experimental economics, econometrics, and microeconomics.
Center for Economic Science & Economic Education
Seeking to educate the general public, teachers, educators, and policymakers about economic theory and policy, the Center for Economic Science & Economic Education provides analysis and outreach, a weekly newsletter, and support to high school teachers.
Grisham-McLean Institute for Public Service & Community Engagement
Promote economic development in Mississippi with the Insitute empowering campus and community partners to fight poverty through education, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Partnerships inspire a sense of entrepreneurship in scholars while promoting economic development in rural communities. The M Partner initiative supports credit-bearing courses, community service, research, internships, and technical assistance. The Catalyzing Entrepreneurship and Economic Development initiative builds actionable partnerships.
Student Research
Preston David Antes
Professor Ronald Mau
“County-Level Unemployment Dynamics Following the Covid Recession: The Effects of PPP Loan Take Up”
B.S. Economics, B.A. Public Policy Leadership
Caleb Joseph Bohannon
Professor Zachary Vereb
“An Ethical Analysis of Sports Specialization and the Harms It Poses to Youth Athletes”
B.A. Economics, Public Policy Leadership
Emma Grace Brewer
Professor Kyle Fritz
“Accountability in Prosecutorial Discretion”
B.A. Economics, Public Policy Leadership
Davis William Bunn
Professor Shaio Zerba
“An Analysis of the Taliban’s Ban of Poppy Cultivation within Afghanistan 2021 and Onwards”
B.A. Economics, Public Policy Leadership
Nicholas Fletcher Castellanos
Professor Joshua Hendrickson
"Indie Illness: An Evaluation of the Orphan Drug Act"
B.A. Economics
Tate Dorsey Charping
Professor Joshua Hendrickson
“Growing the Game: A Reflection”
B.A. Economics
Madeleine Rachel Dotson
Professor John Conlon
“Bargaining on the Nile: the Impact of GERD on Egyptian and Ethiopian Negotiations”
B.A. Arabic, Economics, Political Science
Grace Louise Dragna
Professor Melissa Bass
“Barriers to Breastfeeding for Mothers in the Mississippi Women, Infants, and Children Program: Insights of Peer Counselors”
B.A. Economics, Public Policy Leadership
Clark Allen Etzel
Professor Christian Sellar
“A Valorization of Cultural Heritage Sites Surrounding Caserta, Italy”
B.A. Economics, Public Policy Leadership
Kaden Seth Grace
Professor Thomas Garrett
“Save, Gamble or Both? The Relationship between Premium Bond Sales and Lottery Sales in the United Kingdom”
B.S. Economics, B.A. Mathematics
Richard Harrison Grimes
Professor Natalia Kolesnikova
“Effects of Instructional Expenditures on Educational Outcomes in Mississippi Public Schools”
B.A. Economics, Mathematics
William Darryl Hengehold
Professor John Conlon
“Education, Income, Racial Composition, and Urbanization: An Examination of factors that Affect Drug-Related Arrests and the Use of Adult Intervention Courts in Mississippi”
B.B.A. Economics, Finance
James Hirsch
Professor John Conlon
“Family History, Cultural Custom, and Personal Preference: The Accents of Food Access in Oxford, Mississippi”
B.A. Economics, Public Policy Leadership
Jacob William Holifield
Professor Thomas Garrett
“The Effect of Bike Share Expansion on Bay Area Rapid Transit Ridership”
B.A. Economics, Mathematics
Kendra Ingram
Professor John Gardner
“Prostitution Law: A Study of The Impact of the Sex Buyer Law in Northern Ireland on Sex Violence”
B.A. Economics
William Barron Liston
Professor Henry Thompson
“Funny Business: The Decline of the Comedy Film”
B.B.A. Economics
Michael Jacob Messina
Professor Ron Mau
“Tracking the Fed's Balance Sheet: Adjustments and Implications of Monetary Policy in Response to the Financial Crisis and COVID-19”
B.A. Economics, Public Policy Leadership
Andrew Michael Moore
Professor Joshua Hendrikson
“From Cypherpunks to Congress: A Historical Analysis of the Development, Uses and Regulatory Landscape of Cryptocurrencies”
B.A. Economics, Public Policy Leadership
Hemangi Dharmendra Patel
Professor Henry Thompson
“The Law and Economics of Scamming”
B.B.A. Economics
Hayden Cushenberry Pierce
Professor Marcos Mendoza
“El Mirador: A Look at Corporate-Community Relations in Ecuador’s Mining Industry”
B.A. Economics, International Studies, Spanish
Emma Grace Richbourg
Professor Joshua Hendrickson
“The Coronavirus Pandemic and Participation in the Influencer Economy”
B.B.A Economics
Benjamin Patrick Sullivan
Professor Weixing Chen
"Exogenous Supply Chain Shocks and Onshoring: An Analysis of the Trump Trade War and the U.S.-China Bilateral Trade Relationship”
B.A. Economics, Public Policy Leadership
Sydney Pearl Wheeler
Professor Nicole Ashpole
“Effects of Cannabichromene on Pain and Neuroinflammation in HIV-Tat Transgenic Mice”
B.A. Economics
Undergraduate Research Assistant
As a student Sophie Fosdick learned macroeconomic time-series forecasting and how better to estimate variables such as GDP. She interned with CoreLogic as a business systems analyst. “Being one of the top research institutions in the U.S. means that there are opportunities to partner with professors on their research as well as get help on your own research. The Honors College provided two fully funded research trips to Boston and New York, which played integral roles in developing my thesis research topic. If you have a passion, the economics department will help you pursue it to the fullest extent.” As an Actuarial Manager with Milliman Consulting in Chicago, the UM alumna performs quantitative research on the state of health care in the U.S. using the predictive analytical skills developed through her research assistantship.
Sophie Fosdick
BA Economics with minors in Arabic and Computer Science, BS Mathematics