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Economics
DO YOU WANT TO ENGAGE IN DISCUSSIONS about ways to address the problems on Wall Street or whether the Social Security system should be reformed? Or perhaps you'd like to investigate why working women earn a fraction of what men earn, or the effectiveness of policies aimed at improving the environment, or even the impact of our economy's growing globalization. If you are interested in developing a coherent framework to answer questions like these, then you should consider studying economics at Hamilton. More ...

Academic Program

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

Students at Hamilton have a great deal of access to their professors both in and out of the classroom. Selected economics concentrators work as tutors in the Quantitative Literacy Center and as graders (of problem sets or labs) for professors in the department. Some concentrators work during the academic year and in the summer as research assistants with faculty members, and the results of their collaborations have appeared in co-authored papers in professional journals. Some of this research is available online through a faculty-maintained working paper series.


THE SENIOR PROGRAM

The Senior Project in economics can be satisfied either by a project in a designated 400 level course or by a Senior Thesis. Projects require a paper or a series of papers demonstrating a mastery of advanced methods, an understanding of the scholarly literature on a topic or an understanding of the evolution of important issues in the discipline. The Senior Thesis is a written report of an original research project undertaken in the department's Research Seminar (Economics 560). Students participating in this seminar make a number of presentations of their work in progress during the semester and usually submit their theses to the department for consideration for department honors. On several occasions, these theses have become the basis for collaborative work with faculty supervisors that has resulted in collaborative publications in professional journals. More ...


RESOURCES

The Economics Department is headquartered in the newly renovated Kirner-Johnson Building. Classrooms are "technology-enhanced," including either a projection screen and data projector or a LCD screen on the wall, and are equipped with large flat-screen computer monitors that allow students to collaborate. "Annotation screens" allow students and professors to add comments to computer displays. Four tiered "case study" classrooms have two rows of seats in a horseshoe configuration to further encourage student-teacher and student-student interaction.

The Economics Department regularly sponsors guest lecturers, and, for the past several years, has held a joint seminar series with the Economics Department at Colgate University for faculty and students. The department also regularly receives funds from Procter & Gamble for academic needs.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Engage and Interact

    Economics Highlights

    Engage and Interact

    We offer active, hands-on learning at all levels of the curriculum. Students always have complete access to professors, in and out of the classroom. Courses are intensive, interactive and demand full student engagement. Some economics majors work as tutors in the Quantitative Literacy Center or as faculty assistants in the department.

    Recognized Scholars

    Faculty members in economics are dedicated teachers and scholars who publish regularly in leading academic journals, author textbooks and write articles on teaching economics to undergraduates. Several have received teaching awards from the College.

    Research Leader

    Hamilton's Economics Department is routinely ranked among the nation's top liberal arts economics departments in research productivity. A recent study placed Hamilton's department eighth overall and fourth when adjusted for size.

  • Recognized Scholars

    Economics Highlights

    Engage and Interact

    We offer active, hands-on learning at all levels of the curriculum. Students always have complete access to professors, in and out of the classroom. Courses are intensive, interactive and demand full student engagement. Some economics majors work as tutors in the Quantitative Literacy Center or as faculty assistants in the department.

    Recognized Scholars

    Faculty members in economics are dedicated teachers and scholars who publish regularly in leading academic journals, author textbooks and write articles on teaching economics to undergraduates. Several have received teaching awards from the College.

    Research Leader

    Hamilton's Economics Department is routinely ranked among the nation's top liberal arts economics departments in research productivity. A recent study placed Hamilton's department eighth overall and fourth when adjusted for size.

  • Research Leader

    Economics Highlights

    Engage and Interact

    We offer active, hands-on learning at all levels of the curriculum. Students always have complete access to professors, in and out of the classroom. Courses are intensive, interactive and demand full student engagement. Some economics majors work as tutors in the Quantitative Literacy Center or as faculty assistants in the department.

    Recognized Scholars

    Faculty members in economics are dedicated teachers and scholars who publish regularly in leading academic journals, author textbooks and write articles on teaching economics to undergraduates. Several have received teaching awards from the College.

    Research Leader

    Hamilton's Economics Department is routinely ranked among the nation's top liberal arts economics departments in research productivity. A recent study placed Hamilton's department eighth overall and fourth when adjusted for size.


After Hamilton

Hamilton graduates who majored in Economics are pursuing careers in a variety of fields, including:
  • Executive Director, Rochester City Ballet/Draper Center for Dance
  • Congressman, U.S. House of Representatives
  • Math Teacher/Golf Coach, Fayetteville-Manlius High School
  • Actuarial Analyst, Liberty Mutual Insurance
  • Director of Product Managment, The Gap, Inc.
  • Dentist, Princeton Dental Group
  • Professor of Economics & Public Policy, College of William and Mary
  • Physician, Orlando Heart Center
  • Special Counsel, Department of Homeland Security
  • Vice Chair GE, President and CEO GE Infrastructure, General Electric/GE Commercial Finance
  • Chief Financial Officer, Vermont Teddy Bear Co.
  • Vice President and Financial Strategist, Goldman, Sachs & Co.