| Economics
College of Social Sciences
Social Sciences 542
2424 Maile Way
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-8496
Fax: (808) 956-4347
E-mail: econ@hawaii.edu
Web: http://www2.soc.hawaii.edu/css/dept/econ/
Faculty
*A. Mason, PhD (Chair)-population economics, macroeconomics
*C. Bonham, PhD-applied macroeconomics, monetary theory
K. Cheong, PhD-public finance, corporate finance, industrial organization
*B. Gangnes, PhD-international macroeconomic modeling, U.S.-Japan trade relations
*D. E. Konan, PhD-international trade
*S. La Croix, PhD-industrial organization, law and economics, economic history
*C. Lee, PhD-international economics, development economics
*S. H. Lee, PhD-econometrics, labor economics
*J. Mak, PhD-economics of tourism, health economics, economic history
*J. Moncur, PhD-water resource economics, economic statistics, microeconomics
*S. Naya, PhD (on leave)-international economics, development economics
*J. Roumasset, PhD-development economics, public resource allocation, resource economics
*J. Russo, PhD-health economics, applied microeconomics
*K. V. Sherstyuk, PhD-experimental economics, game theory
*M. Snow, PhD-applied microeconomics, mathematical economics, telecommunications economics
*Y. Yeh, PhD-international economics, macroeconomics
Cooperating Graduate Faculty
P. Garrod, PhD-marketing and production economics
E. Im, PhD-econometrics, statistical theory
P. S. Leung, PhD-production economics, quantitative methods
R. Blair, PhD-industrial organization antitrust economics
L. Cho, PhD-population economics
L. Endress, PhD-growth theory
F. Fesharaki, PhD-energy economics
M. Jussawalla, PhD-telecommunication economics
Affiliate Graduate Faculty
D. Ernst, Dr rer pol-science and technology in Asia
M. F. Montes, PhD-international monetary policy
S. G. Rhee, PhD-Asia-Pacific financial markets
*Graduate Faculty
Degrees Offered: BA in economics, MA in economics, PhD in economics
The Academic Program
Economics (ECON) is the social science that deals with the allocation and use of human and material resources under conditions of scarcity and uncertainty. It examines this subject matter at the micro level (the consumer, the household, the firm, and the industry) and the macro level (the region, the labor force, the government, the nation, and the world). Courses in these topics are complemented by instruction in the statistical and mathematical tools necessary for modeling, data collection and analysis, and hypothesis testing. Students of economics will learn a body of knowledge that is essential to understanding many aspects of the modern world and contemporary public policy issues, including such vital matters as international trade, economic development, the environment, the budget deficit, Hawai'i's economic challenges, deregulation, business cycles, and consumer behavior. A BA in economics is an excellent background for demanding analytical and policy positions in the public and private sectors; it is also a highly regarded preparation for graduate work in law, business, and political science, as well as economics.
Economics at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa is consciously directed toward policy challenges in the Asia Pacific region, which comprises the nations of the Pacific rim and the Pacific Islands, as well as Hawai'i. Many of the department's undergraduate and graduate students come from this part of the world. Geographic and subject matter interests of students and faculty contribute to a regional specialization in accord with the University of Hawai'i's overall mission. Theses and dissertations are thus well grounded in recent theory and methodology but deal insightfully with crucial policy issues of the region.
Affiliation
The UH Manoa Department of Economics participates in academic and educational exchanges with the Research Institute of Economics and Business Administration of Kobe University, Japan, and Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Advising
Advising is mandatory for all graduate and undergraduate economics majors. Contact the department office for specific information.
Undergraduate Study
Bachelor's Degree
The bachelor of arts in economics provides students with an intensive knowledge of the theory and practice of economics, with an emphasis on the analysis of contemporary policy challenges of Hawai'i and the United States in the Asia Pacific region. Majors study a wide range of current economic policy issues and learn a powerful framework for analyzing these issues. They also develop reasoning and communication skills that are useful across disciplines. As a result, the BA program has been successful in preparing graduates for advanced study in economics, business, law, and other social sciences, as well as challenging careers in business management, technical analysis, policy evaluation, and education.
Requirements
Students must complete 24 credit hours of approved upper division courses, including ECON 300, 301, and either 321 or 424
Minor
Requirements
Students must complete 15 credit hours of approved upper division courses, including ECON 300 and 301.
Graduate Study
The department offers a graduate program leading to the MA and PhD degrees. Graduate alumni are successful economists, entrepreneurs, and government policy experts in a variety of settings and institutions, especially in Hawai'i, Asia, and the Pacific region. Faculty research interests facilitate graduate field specializations with regional emphasis on Hawai'i, Asia, and the Pacific. Student and faculty research focuses on analyses of policy issues of importance to countries in Asia and the Pacific.
The MA program prepares students for policy analysis in government, international agencies, and the private sector, emphasizing application of theory to economic decision-making. The MA is not a prerequisite for the PhD. The PhD program provides state-of-the-art training for high level academic, government, and private-sector careers.
The department maintains strong links with the East-West Center, particularly with the center's Programs on Population, International Economics and Politics, Environment, and Resources: Energy and Minerals. Relationships also exist with various country centers located in the School of Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific Studies and with other programs in the College of Social Sciences. In conjunction with the College of Business Administration, the department also offers a program leading to a PhD in economics and business.
Entering graduate students are expected to have a bachelor's degree, not necessarily in economics, and to have completed courses in intermediate micro- and macroeconomic theory, elementary statistics, and mathematics through calculus. Students with deficiencies must make them up prior to entering the program or within the first year of study.
TOEFL scores (for all applicants from foreign countries where English is not the primary means of communication) and two letters of recommendation must be submitted by applicants. Students applying for the graduate program must submit official GRE General Test scores. |
