As more and more students decide to major in economics at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, some are voicing concern about waiting lists for required upper-division courses, the Wisconsin State Journal reported today.

Gary Sandefur, dean of the College of Letters & Science, said budget constraints had hindered the department’s ability to meet growing student interest. While the number of majors has increased from 183 to 442 during the past 10 years, only three positions have been added to the department’s staff of about 50.

According to James Jacobson, an undergraduate adviser for the department, most of the students on the waiting lists failed to register at their appointed times. “If they don’t use that registration priority, it does put them in a less-good position,” he said, noting that two upper-division electives remained open after all the seniors had registered.

The increased interest in economics at the university is part of a nationwide trend, according to Mr. Sandefur. In a slow economy, more students are drawn to the field because of the practical career opportunities it provides, Ananth Seshadri, the department chairman, told the Journal.

Another reason for the increase in majors may be the rising popularity of the university’s School of Business, which caps its enrollment at about 50 percent of its applicants. The economics department has no such limitations.

Although some students who are turned away from the business school decide to study economics instead, many students major in economics because it is their primary interest, said Steven Schroeder, director of undergraduate career services for the business school.

The department’s national recognition is likely to be another factor attracting students. It tied for 11th-best graduate program in U.S. News & World Report’s 2009 rankings. —Caitlin Moran