University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Bryan School of Business and Economics
Department of Economics
ECO300
Instructor: Dr. Jeffrey K. Sarbaum
Office: BRYN #466
Office Hours: The “Questions for the Professor” discussion board is checked regularly
Email: jksarbau@uncg.edu
Office Phone: From campus X44866, off campus 334-4866 (anytime)
Course Description: Examines the history structure and institutional foundations of the
international trading system. Analyzes the impact of trade on economic growth, employment
and living standards with a focus on contemporary issues.
Prerequisites: ECO101 or 201 and ECO202, or their equivalent.
General Education Student Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course,
student will have met the Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) for a Global Perspectives (GL)
marker for the General Education Program:
• GL Marker SLO 1: Find, interpret, and evaluate information on diverse cultures. (This
SLO links with the General Education Program’s Learning Goal 1)
• GL Marker SLO 2: Describe interconnections among regions of the world. (Must include
substantial focus on at least one culture, nation, or sub-nationality beyond Great Britain
and North America). (This SLO links with the General Education Program’s Learning
Goal 3.)
• GL Marker SLO 3: Use diverse cultural frames of reference and alternative perspectives
to analyze issues. (This SLO links with the General Education Program’s Learning Goal
5.)
Course Learning Outcomes: To achieve these GL SLOs within the context of this course,
students who successfully complete this course will be able to critically analyze international
economic issues through achievement of the following course specific SLOs:
•
•
•
•
•
ECO 300 SLO 1: Identify important positive international economic issues present in the
global economy. (Links to GL Marker SLO 1)
ECO 300 SLO 2: Identify important public policy and other normative international
economic issues present in the global economy. (Links to GL Marker SLO 3)
ECO 300 SLO 3: Choose appropriate models and other frames of reference for
addressing global economics issues. (Links to GL Marker SLO 3)
ECO 300 SLO 4: Gather information appropriate to addressing global economic issues.
(Links to GL Marker SLO 2)
ECO 300 SLO 5: Use appropriate information, models, and other frames of reference to
analyze global economic issues. (Links to GL Marker SLO 1 and GL Marker SLO 2)
Required Text, Media, and Software
• ECO300 The International Economy: Custom Pearson Book by Jeff Sarbaum (2013),
ISBN 9781269260404.
• The Choice: A Fable of Free Trade and Protectionism, 3rd by Russell Roberts (2006),
ISBN 9780131433540
Web Resources
You will visit websites and UNCG e-reserves for additional reading and multimedia content as
you work through the course units and complete your assignments. Links to these materials are
provided within each unit.
General Description of Course Activities
The course has eight (8) Units. Each Unit has reading assignments and an assessment. Details
of the assignments are included within each unit. To begin your course work, click on the Unit 1
navigation bar within the Learning Area.
Communication
The best way to communicate with me is via the "Questions for the Professor" button in Canvas.
Please try to refrain from using email unless the question you have is personal in nature. All
content related questions and other basic questions should be submitted to the "Questions for
the Professor" forum.
Readings
For each Unit you are expected to read the Unit’s written text, read/browse/watch the web
and/or e-reserve materials, and read the required textbook materials.
Assignments
Unit Assessments – Every Unit has an assessment made up of a series of M/C questions and
an occasional essay question. There are a total of eight (8) Unit Assessments. You can go in
and out of an assessment as many times as you want to complete it before the due date.
However, each individual question will only be made available once. In other words, once you
answer a question you can log out of the assessment but when you return you’ll be taken to the
next question.
Grading
Eight Unit Assessments (m/c and essay questions) ~12.5% each
Each of the eight assessments is worth 100 points. At the end of the semester the total number
of points earned will be divided by 800 points. The percentage correct will determine your grade
according the following:
A+
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
C-
99% and above
93% to 99%
90% to 93%
86% to 90%
83% to 86%
80% to 83%
76% to 80%
73% to 76%
70% to 73%
D+
D
DF
66% to 70%
63% to 66%
60% to 63%
below 60%
Grades are not rounded-up. An average of 89.999% is a B+. An average of 90.001% is an A-.
ECO300 and MGT301 Similarities
Certain topics and course content appear in both the ECO 300 and MGT 301 syllabi. This
replication of topics is meant to build your knowledge, understanding, and analysis of global
issues facing economic policy makers in ECO 300 and business managers in MGT 301.
Academic Integrity: Students are expected to know and abide by the UNCG Academic
Integrity Policies. http://sa.uncg.edu/dean/academic-integrity/
Faculty/ Student Guidelines (Undergraduate Program Compact):
http://www.uncg.edu/bae/faculty_student_guidelines.pdf
The Bryan School of Business and Economics’ Mission Statement:
In the Bryan School of Business and Economics, we create and disseminate knowledge about
the theory and practice of business. In addition to our courses and research, we accomplish this
through hands-on projects, global experiences, and outreach to the community. Our work
produces principled leaders and exceptional problem solvers who have a global perspective, an
innovative mindset, a broad understanding of sustainability, and a commitment to improve the
organizations in which they work and the communities in which they live.
Student Learning Goals:
Each program within the Bryan school has separate learning goals as listed with the degree
program. The essential components of a professional education in business (excluding the B.S.
and B.A. in Economics, the B.S. in Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies and the B.A. in
Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality) include common courses for breadth and opportunities for
advanced work for depth in the various business disciplines. These core business programs
share the following common learning goals:
1. Students will implement the various steps of the critical thinking process, supported by
the appropriate use of analytical and quantitative techniques, to formulate
recommendations for subsequent decision making.
2. Students will apply appropriate ethical standards when making recommendations for
business decision making.
3. Students will evaluate business decisions in the context of sustainability goals,
balancing environmental, social, and economic needs, conditions, and potential
decision impacts.
4. Students will formulate appropriate strategies, in the context of global issues and
forces, to improve business performance in the world economy.
5. Students will explain the roles of innovation and innovation management in achieving
successful business strategies, decisions, and performance.
6. Students will be able to plan, schedule, contribute to, and lead projects.
Impact of this Course on the Program Student Learning Goals:
Upon successful completion of ECO300, students will have developed competencies toward
Learning Goals #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5