Department of Economics History

The Department offers a liberal arts oriented undergraduate curriculum. Major revamping of our undergraduate program in recent years has significantly increased enrollment and improved the undergraduate experience in economics. We have an active undergraduate student mentoring program, a free tutoring program in our beginning courses, a student-run economics club, internships and co-op work arrangements, the departmentís own Study Abroad programs in Japan and Thailand, and an expanding Honors program.

Our graduate program is largely a Ph.D. program enrolling around 60 students. The program emphasizes 5 areas: economic development with special interest in the development experience of the Asia-Pacific region; international economics; population, labor, and health economics; public economics; and environmental and natural resource economics. Almost all of our students are fully financially supported by teaching or research assistantships. Some receive East West Center fellowships.

Our faculty members are engaged in significant research and publishing activities. The primary departmental research mission is to illuminate critical economic policy issues in the Hawaii and the Asia-Pacific region.