What is Economics?
Economics is the study of human energy—how we organize our efforts to get what we want. Market exchange plays a central role in this process, but processes of conflict and coordination that take place outside of markets are also important.
2026 Philip Gamble Memorial Lecture, featuring Dr. Jared Bernstein. The Political Economy of Affordability
Join us for the 2026 Philip Gamble Memorial Lecture, featuring Dr. Jared Bernstein. Dr. Bernstein served as Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Joseph Biden. He is currently a Senior Fellow for Economic Policy at the Center for American Progress and a Distinguished Policy Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research.
Thursday, April 16, 2026 | Bowker Auditorium 4:00–5:30pm
The Bachelor of Arts in Economics is now designated as a STEM degree for the purposes of Optional Practical Training (OPT) and the STEM extension for international students on a visa.
The Bachelor of Arts in Economics is now designated as a STEM degree for the purposes of Optional Practical Training (OPT) and the STEM extension for international students on a visa.
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Statement on Racist Violence and Social Exclusion
Black Lives Matter. We declare and affirm this truth in the face of any verbal or material attempt to deny it. The current tragedies and structures of violence, exclusion and exploitation of Black people were made by human actors. They date back to colonial times and slavery but persist to today. Teaching and research in the economics profession have often served to legitimize such structures portraying them as the outcome of the free and fair play of the market. The UMass Economics Department has a long tradition of research dedicated to uncovering structures of oppression, exploitation, exclusion and violence. This tradition must be rethought and adapted to place racial injustice at the center, as a dimension that should not be overlooked.