What Is econ.unc.edu? The UNC Economics Department Website Explained

econ.unc.edu is the official website of the Economics Department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It serves current and prospective students, faculty, and visitors who need department information, academic resources, and event schedules. The site is organized around a few core areas: undergraduate and graduate programs, faculty, research, news, and events.

Main Sections of the Site

The homepage surfaces several primary navigation areas:

• Undergraduate – program information for economics majors and related academic needs
• Graduate – resources for graduate students in the department
• EconAid Center – an academic support resource listed in the main navigation
• Events – seminars, panels, and department gatherings
• News and Events – announcements and a news archive

These sections reflect the department's dual role: serving its own students and faculty while also presenting its research and public programming to a wider audience.

Faculty and Advising

The site's faculty section states that department faculty "use effective teaching methods and provide advising, independent study, and office hours to support student learning." In practical terms, this means the website is a starting point for finding instructors, understanding advising options, and locating office hours—useful if you are choosing courses, seeking a research supervisor, or trying to contact a specific professor.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

The department highlights hands-on undergraduate research, describing opportunities where students "analyze real-world data, develop critical insights, and contribute to meaningful economic solutions." If you are an undergraduate looking to go beyond coursework, this section is where the department points you toward research engagement.

Events and Seminars

The site maintains an events calendar with recurring series. Examples from the listed schedule include:

The department invites visitors to "join our economics seminars to explore cutting-edge research and engage with leading experts in the field." Seminars are typically aimed at faculty, graduate students, and advanced undergraduates, while panels like the internship event are more directly useful to students exploring careers.

News, Job Market Candidates, and Placements

The homepage also links to:

• News Archive – department announcements, awards, and research highlights (for example, coverage of graduates winning scholar-athlete awards and new research on risk modeling)
• Job Market Candidates – profiles of PhD candidates entering the academic and professional job market
• Recent Graduate Placements – where recent graduates have been placed

These sections matter most to prospective graduate students, recruiters, and anyone tracking the department's research output and outcomes.

Who Should Use This Site

• Prospective students – to review programs, faculty, and placement records
• Current students – to find advising, the EconAid Center, research opportunities, and events
• Researchers and academics – to follow seminars, news, and faculty work
• Recruiters and employers – to review job market candidates and graduate placements

If you are looking for course registration, grades, or official university records, those are handled through UNC's central systems rather than this department site. econ.unc.edu is the department's informational and community hub—program details, people, research, and events.