Welcome to the Department of Economics

The Department of Economics at the University of Connecticut is the home to 33 faculty members, nearly 1100 undergraduate majors and approximately 60 graduate students.  We are proud of the success of our students after graduation.  Many of our undergraduate majors have gone on to careers in insurance, banking and government both at the state and federal level.  Our Masters graduates have continued in the Ph.D. program or distinguished themselves in business and government positions.  Numerous colleges and universities in the region and around the world are staffed with faculty members who received their doctorate degree from the Department.

The department prides itself on the diversity of interests and fields of its faculty. All of the faculty are actively involved in research and publication activities, and are active in international, national, and regional professional societies. Faculty members have also served in positions with the national and state governments, and international institutions.

The department also welcomes private support, which helps us reward top scholarly effort and to competitively recruit students and faculty. For more information on donating to departmental efforts, click the "Giving" link above.

Department News

  • Graduate Assistant (GA) Training Workshop – Fall 2025
    The Department of Economics held its Fall 2025 Graduate Assistant (GA) Training Workshop on Monday, October 13. Offered each semester, the workshop brings together faculty and GAs to share practical guidance on effective teaching, classroom management, and student engagement. This semester’s session featured presentations by Professor Chihwa Kao, Professor Jackie Kai Zhao, and Professor Tianxu […]
  • Stamford Public Economics Students Learn About Public Service
    The curriculum of the Public Economics class includes discussions about government finance. It was then appropriate for students at the Stamford campus in Dr. Smirnova’s class to meet a public official from Stamford. Mr. Gerald R. Bosak Jr. has served Stamford as a member of the Board of Finance, the Board of Education, and currently […]
  • Professor Kai Zhao Elected to CES Board of Directors
    Professor Kai Zhao has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Chinese Economists Society. Founded in 1985, the Chinese Economists Society (CES) is a U.S.-registered non-profit academic organization. It aims to promote scholarly exchange among economists and to advance and disseminate research in economics and management sciences, with a focus on China. In […]

Events Calendar