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Economics Department at UC Santa Cruz ranked ninth in world in international finance

The Economics Department at the University of California, Santa Cruz, was ranked ninth in the world in the field of international finance in a survey of more than 300 public and private research universities.

The ranking is based on the research productivity of faculty as measured by scholarly publications in 63 academic journals from 1993 to 2003. The survey results were published by econphd*net, an online resource for prospective graduate students in economics.

UCSC's high ranking in international finance--between Columbia University and New York University--is the result of a concerted effort to build excellence in international economics, said economics professor and former department chair Michael Hutchison, who is now interim dean of the Division of Social Sciences.

"These results reflect the work we've done to recruit top scholars and graduate students, and we are pleased to be at the top of the list," said Hutchison. "The Economics Department at UCSC has made a concerted effort over the past 15 years to develop complementary programs in the international field. The concentration of scholarly research and teaching in international economics has led to a highly distinguished program."

The department's focus on global economics, and the hiring of top international economists, set the stage for the doctoral program in international economics, which awarded its first Ph.D. in 1992. In addition, the Santa Cruz Center for International Economics (SCCIE) sponsors research, conferences, scholarly exchanges, and other activities.

Economics is the fastest-growing and one of the most popular undergraduate majors at UCSC. The department offers degrees in economics, business management economics, and global economics, as well as a joint degree in information systems management that is offered with the Computer Sciences Department, and a dual B.A./M.S. degree that offers a B.A. in economics in four years and a master's in applied economics and finance after a fifth year of study. A separate master's in applied economics and finance is also available.

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Editor's Note: Michael Hutchison is available at (831) 459-3212 or via e-mail at hutch@ucsc.edu.

Contact: Jennifer McNulty (831) 459-2495; jmcnulty@ucsc.edu