BE EFFICIENT

DEPARTMENT OF

Economics

3114 TYDINGS HALL7343 PREINKERT DR.COLLEGE PARK, MD 20742

WWW.ECON.UMD.EDUP 301.405.3266 / F 301.405.3542

The Department of Economics is one of the College

of Behavioral and Social Sciences’ 10 interdisciplinary

departments and programs, all committed to

investigating and improving the human condition.

www.bsos.umd.edu

AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIESBE EMPOWERED

ANTHROPOLOGYBE CULTURAL

CRIMINOLOGY & CRIMINAL JUSTICEBE JUST

ECONOMICSBE EFFICIENT

GEOGRAPHICAL SCIENCESBE GLOBAL

GOVERNMENT & POLITICSBE CIVIL

HEARING & SPEECH SCIENCESBE HEARD

JOINT PROGRAM IN SURVEY METHODOLOGYBE COUNTED

PSYCHOLOGYBE UNDERSTOOD

SOCIOLOGYBE SOCIAL

Economics at Maryland >>

At the University of Maryland’s Department of Economics, we

are discovering new knowledge about how people make

choices and about how public policy affects economic behavior

at the micro and macro levels. Our focus is on applied econom-

ics, from testing whether economic theories work in the real

world to assessing the impact of government programs on

the economy. We are inspiring Maryland pride through the

Maryland Center for Economics and Policy, which shares our

faculty’s innovative research with the public, and by convening

forums featuring thought leaders in economics and policy.

Working with organizations including the Census Bureau and

the World Bank, our instructors are transforming the student

experience by including students in exciting research proj-

ects. They are examining the effect of house prices on fertility

decisions, the impact of foreign aid on developing countries

and how Europe’s sovereign debt crisis has affected business

investment. Our faculty members turn imagination into

innovation through government appointments and advisory

positions that shape economic policy.

Research that Shapes Policy >>

From serving as economic advisers to the president to developing

policies that incentivize savings behavior, researchers in the Department

of Economics are committed to finding real-world solutions to social

problems. Our faculty, students, partners and alumni focus their work in

five main areas:

» Development, Labor & Public Economics

» Macroeconomics & International Economics

» Microeconomic Theory, Behavioral Economics, Industrial Organization

» Econometrics

» Economic History, Institutions & Political Economy

go.umd.edu/ECONResearch

THROUGH OUR WORK, WE INFORM SOUND

economic practices and policies.Academic Offerings >>

UNDERGRADUATE OFFERINGS

Bachelor of Arts

Bachelor of Science

Our B.A. track and our new B.S. track both include foundation

courses in economic theory and empirical analysis. The B.A. empha-

sizes a breadth of exposure to different topics in economics, and the

B.S. emphasizes the techniques of economic analysis.

go.umd.edu/ECONUndergraduate

GRADUATE OFFERINGS

Master of Professional Studies in Applied Economics

Doctor of Philosophy

go.umd.edu/ECONGraduate

NISHKA BATRA, ECON ’16Founding Member, Delta Sigma Pi Professional Business Fraternity; Recipient, Melanie E. (Lee) Easley Memorial Scholarship

“The advisors and faculty are very approach-

able. My future work will be dedicated to

helping others find ways out of poverty.”

GARY L. ROZIER, ECON ’99Senior Vice President of Institutional Marketing & Client Services, Ariel Investments; Member, Board of Visitors, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences

“ What sets Maryland apart is the diversity of

the community and overall experience.

I studied alongside and learned from the best

and brightest.”

Innovative Centers & Projects >>

Several large-scale research projects—which are usually supported

by outside funding—have been undertaken in association with the

Department of Economics. They provide opportunities for students to

conduct research and to work as research assistants.

The Maryland Center for Economics and Policy connects our faculty

and students and the policy community. The Center for International

Economics provides a focal point for research on international eco-

nomics within the Department. INFORUM improves business planning,

government policy analysis, and the general understanding of the

economic environment. The Maryland Population Research Center

unites leading scholars from diverse disciplines to produce popula-

tion-related research of the highest scientific merit.

go.umd.edu/ECONCenters

Faculty Research Highlights >>

BORAGAN ARUOBA develops accurate and

easy-to-use tools to help the Federal Reserve and

other central banks around the world to better

track their economies. His research led to the

development of three tools that are now produced

by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia:

Aruoba-Diebold-Scotti Business Conditions Index,

GDPplus and Aruoba Term Structure of Inflation Expectations.

MELISSA S. KEARNEY answers real-world

questions with her research—and the results are

often surprising. She has found, for example, that

MTV’s 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom series have

significantly reduced the rate of births to teens

in America. She discovered that greater access

to Sesame Street in the show’s early days led to

improved educational outcomes for children. She also briefed President

Obama on a proposal she developed with LESLEY J. TURNER showing

implementation of a second-earner tax credit would make a positive

difference for U.S. families and for the economy.

How can we better understand the role of

financial markets in creating jobs and a stable

national economy? SEBNEM KALEMLI-OZCAN’S

research shows that in healthy economies with

competitive financial markets, financial institu-

tions such as banks allocate funds to the best

firms, who in turn create new jobs and consumer

products using these funds. This flow promotes growth and welfare.

If the funds are misallocated due to corrupt banks, then a country’s

growth and productivity decline.

ERKUT OZBAY directs

UMD’s Experimental

Economics Laboratory,

which leverages technology

and experimental design to

test economic theory

and learn from the behavior

of participating subjects. His research explores behavioral finance and

saving behaviors. With EMEL FILIZ-OZBAY, MELISSA S. KEARNEY

and researchers from other universities, he is designing an incentivized

savings program where participants are encouraged to save money in

a “lottery” system, where they have a chance to earn an unusually high

interest rate.

go.umd.edu/ECONPeople

ECON Points of Pride >>

OUR AWARD-WINNING FACULTY ARE EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELD; ARE FREQUENTLY INVITED TO LECTURE AND TO ADVISE ELECTED LEADERS; AND ARE OFTEN FEATURED BY THE MEDIA.

OUR PROGRAM IS CONSISTENTLY RANKED AMONG THE TOP 25 PROGRAMS IN THE NATION BY U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT.

25OUR EXPERT INSTRUCTORS REP-RESENT A HIGHER-THAN-AVERAGE PROPORTION OF FEMALE ECONO-MISTS, MAKING OURS A UNIQUELY DIVERSE AND RICH FACULTY.

OUR LOCATION NEAR WASHINGTON, D.C., ANNAPOLIS AND BALTIMORE ALLOWS FOR EXCEPTIONAL INTERNSHIPS AND OPPORTUNITIES.

STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS OFFER LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCES.

ECON STUDENTS WORK WITH FACULTY ON CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH PROJECTS.