The upper division course work consists of intermediate microeconomics and macroeconomics courses, one economics history course followed by four advanced and three elective economics courses that can be selected from a wide range of subject areas. The upper division course work for the minor in Economics requires intermediate microeconomics and macroeconomics courses, two advanced and one elective economics courses. The topics cover traditional areas of economics as well as newer fields such as the Economics of East Asia, Health Economics and Economics of Education. For further details see the Economics Undergraduate Handbook . Permanent faculty of the Department of Economics teach over ninety percent of the department's undergraduate classes, and visiting instructors with a Ph.D. teach the remaining courses.
Graduate students act as teaching assistants who lead discussion sections.
The department sponsors its own annual Thomas Mayer Distinguished Teaching Award. The university also sponsors teaching awards, and Professor Peter Lindert received the leading award, the 1998-99 UC Davis Foundation prize for Undergraduate Teaching and Scholarly achievements.