USC Dornsife s Mathematics department incorporates many mathematical theoreticians as well as specialists in applications of finance and economics. This combination of theoretical and practical education gives the department a unique energy. The program of study allows students to use electives to prepare themselves for a specific field, whether in industry, teaching or advanced graduate research. In USC Dornsife s Economics department, economic theory is intertwined with practical models to address concepts across many disciplinary boundaries. In this original approach to research, scholars are developing analytical models to explain broad concepts, such as human behavior. Theories like the economics of happiness and the economics of uncertainty were honed within USC Dornsife walls. Emphasis is placed on practical economic research, such as how economics can be used to better understand business contracts and competition within industries.