Syllabus

Title
1607 Specialization Course - International Economics
Instructors
Univ.Prof. Dr.Dr. Ingrid Kubin, Dr. Birgit Elisabeth Meyer, MSc.
Type
PI
Weekly hours
4
Language of instruction
Englisch
Registration
09/17/20 to 09/20/20
Registration via LPIS
Notes to the course
Dates
Day Date Time Room
Tuesday 10/06/20 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM TC.5.14
Wednesday 10/14/20 11:30 AM - 01:30 PM TC.5.12
Tuesday 10/20/20 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM TC.5.14
Wednesday 10/21/20 11:30 AM - 01:30 PM TC.5.18
Tuesday 10/27/20 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM TC.5.12
Wednesday 10/28/20 11:30 AM - 01:30 PM TC.5.18
Tuesday 11/03/20 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM TC.5.14
Wednesday 11/04/20 11:30 AM - 01:30 PM TC.5.18
Tuesday 11/10/20 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM TC.5.14
Wednesday 11/11/20 11:30 AM - 01:30 PM TC.5.18
Tuesday 11/17/20 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM Online-Einheit
Wednesday 11/18/20 11:30 AM - 01:30 PM Online-Einheit
Tuesday 11/24/20 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM Online-Einheit
Wednesday 11/25/20 11:30 AM - 01:30 PM Online-Einheit
Tuesday 12/01/20 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM Online-Einheit
Wednesday 12/02/20 11:30 AM - 01:30 PM Online-Einheit
Wednesday 12/09/20 11:30 AM - 01:30 PM Online-Einheit
Tuesday 12/15/20 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM Online-Einheit
Wednesday 12/16/20 02:00 PM - 04:00 PM Online-Einheit
Tuesday 01/12/21 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM Online-Einheit
Wednesday 01/13/21 11:30 AM - 01:30 PM Online-Einheit
Tuesday 01/19/21 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM Online-Einheit
Wednesday 01/20/21 11:30 AM - 01:30 PM Online-Einheit
Tuesday 01/26/21 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM Online-Einheit
Wednesday 01/27/21 11:30 AM - 01:30 PM Online-Einheit
Procedure for the course when limited activity on campus

Rotation mode:

The mode we propose corresponds to the rotation mode in so far as we provide that the student groups are present alternately in the lecture hall. It specifies the rotation mode in more detail, since we provide for the students who are not in the lecture room that they take part in the course units remotely and synchronously (we are not asking them to learn the material covered in the unit in self-study).

Please create access to Microsoft Teams before the first lesson. Microsoft Teams is used flexibly, either at the lecturer's desk in the lecture room (or – if it is not allowed to enter the lecture rooms – in the home office). The screen of the lecturer's desk is shared between the students in the lecture room and those at home. For the students in the lecture room, the lecturer's PC projects onto the whiteboard; students at home need their own laptop (tablet), with which MS-Teams can share the screen. The sound is transmitted from the lecture room via a microphone to the students in the home office. (It is not intended / necessary to film the lecturer.)

The course takes place synchronously; it is not intended to record the units for asynchronous use.

If you are not subject to travel restrictions, attendance is mandatory (either in the lecture room or remotely via MS-Teams) on specified dates. Please expect that – most likely – you will have to be present in the lecture room every second meeting. Depending on the Corona situation, the meetings with physical attendance will be announced shortly before the course begins. Please note that this mode is very flexible and the presence in the lecture room can vary between 0% - 100%.

Only if you are subject to travel restrictions can you take part in the course in remote mode.

Contents

This course consists of three parts:

  1. "International Trade" will be taught by B. Meyer (on tuesdays) and will cover the main theories of international trade, dealing with the causes and consequences of trade under perfect and imperfect competition and their implications on welfare. Based on these, several types of trade policies (tariffs, quotas, trade agreements, industry protectionism, ...) will be analysed in detail, focusing on their effects on welfare and equality under different economic environments. Various current and historic examples (USA-China trade war, WTO, NAFTA, ... ) will be used to motivate the presented concepts and support the understanding of the presented theories.
  2. "International macroeconomics" will be taught by Prof. I. Kubin (on wednesdays) and will focuse on trade in capital, the balance of payments and exchange rate determination.      
  3. After completing parts 1 and 2, selected topics and contemporary issues (e.g., monetary systems, optimal currency areas, the Euro, financial crises, sovereign default, trade policies, Brexit, infant industry protection, ...) will be presented by students. This part will be held jointly by both lecturers. 
Learning outcomes
After completing this course, students will have a good knowledge of the most important theories and models of international trade and exchange rate regimes. They will be able to apply them to real world issues and questions of economic policy relevance.
Attendance requirements

We accept two missed lectures in each part of the course (Tuesday and Wednesday respectively).

Teaching/learning method(s)
Lectures, exercises, presentations by students, essays.
Assessment

100 points achievable in total:

  • two exams (32 + 28 points)
  • several quizzes (total 15 points)
  • one data assignment (5 points)
  • one term paper - presentation and written essay (20 points)

For a positive completion of this course, at least 50 points have to be achieved in total, of which at least 25 points must be achieved in the written exams and at least 15 points in the quizzes, data assignment and term paper.

Grading:

  • Excellent (Sehr gut): 87.5 points
  • Good (Gut): 75 points
  • Satisfactory (Befriedigend): 62.5 points
  • Sufficient (Genügend): 50 points
  • Not sufficient (Nicht genügend): below 50 points
Readings
1 Author: Feenstra, R.C. and Taylor, A.M.
Title:

International Economics


Publisher: New York: Worth Publishers
Edition: 4th edition
Year: 2017
Content relevant for class examination: Yes
Recommendation: Essential reading for all students
Type: Book
2 Author: Krugman, P. R., Obstfeld, M. and Melitz, M. J.
Title: International Economics - Theory and Policy

Publisher: Pearson
Edition: Tenth edition
Year: 2015
Content relevant for class examination: No
Recommendation: Reference literature
Type: Book
Prerequisites for participation and waiting lists

Recommended pre-requisite:

  • Introduction to Economics (“Grundlagen der VWL” in STEOP)
  • Applied Microeconomics
  • International Macroeconomics
Recommended previous knowledge and skills
  • Introduction to Economics (“Grundlagen der VWL” in STEOP)
  • Applied Microeconomics
  • International Macroeconomics
Availability of lecturer(s)

Please feel free to get in touch with the lecturers via email. If you wish to meet them personally, plesae meet them after each class or ask for an appointment via email.

Last edited: 2020-07-14



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