General Catalog 2021-22

College of Letters and Science

8283 Bunche Hall
Box 951477
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1477

Economics
310-825-1011

Jinyong Hahn, PhD, Chair

Kathleen M. McGarry, PhD, Undergraduate Vice Chair

Ichiro Obara, PhD, Graduate Vice Chair

Andrew G. Atkeson, PhD, Director, Business Economics

 

The UCLA Department of Economics is one top-ranked departments in the world. Through their research, the young and active faculty shape policy and inform the public on critical issues affecting the U.S. and the world. The department’s work covers diverse topics such as the origins and persistence of the Great Depression and its lessons for today’s economy, the relationship between education and health outcomes, cartels and antitrust policy, the economics of health care, and the impact of immigration on labor markets. Many faculty have received special recognition for their body of research by election to prestigious institutions such as the National Academy of Science, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Econometric Society, or have received celebrated awards such as the Guggenheim and Sloan Fellowships.

The undergraduate students are equally impressive. They are among the brightest students on campus and consistently go on to find success in the job market and in graduate school. Approximately 3,000 majors make the department the largest among major economics departments across the country, and the one of the largest majors on campus. Students come from countries around the world, but the majority call California their home. Many are the first in their families to attend college, and the department is proud of them and their accomplishments.

An economics degree opens the door to a world of opportunities beyond UCLA. Department alumni play important roles in business, entertainment, and academia. Many maintain strong ties with UCLA and with the department. Undergraduate students go on to attend business school, law school, medical school, and graduate school in a variety of disciplines.

Undergraduate Study

The Department of Economics undergraduate program is designed for students who wish to gain a thorough understanding of both empirical and theoretical approaches to economics. Emphasis is on economic principles applied to resolving interpersonal conflicts of interest and coordinating productive activity in a world of scarce resources. Because students must gain a thorough theoretical and technical competence before extensive study of the applied specializations in the discipline, the analytic core of the major in Economics is closely structured. Some courses are appropriate for nonmajors, but the curriculum is most suitable for students who wish to make the study of economics the primary focus in their undergraduate education.

The undergraduate major provides students with analytical training in reference to socioeconomic phenomena and provides an excellent theoretical background for those pursuing graduate education in economics, law, management, public administration, journalism, social welfare, architecture and urban planning, and education.

Graduate Study

The graduate program is designed primarily for students pursuing the PhD degree. The doctorate is awarded to those students who have achieved the level of study and training required for a professional economist. The degree recognizes students’ ability to make scholarly contributions in their fields of specialization and to undertake advanced research in those areas.

Course Numbering

Economics courses are organized by number into the categories shown.