ECONOMICS 306 A01
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS
FALL 2014
CRN 10963
Instructor: Yolina Denchev
Office: BEC 328
Office hours: Wednesdays 5 - 6pm and by appointment
E-mail: ydenchev@uvic.ca
Course Web Page: http: http://coursespaces.uvic.ca
COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course covers topics in international trade and finance. We will begin by introducing the
classical theories of trade in order to demonstrate the overall benefits from trade and
distributional effects. Throughout the course you will learn to evaluate the effects of various
trade policies, including tariffs, quotas, export subsidies, anti-dumping and countervailing duties,
economics integration and trade embargoes. The analysis of government economic policy
concludes with policies towards the exchange rate. The course will incorporate relevant current
events in world markets.
REQUIRED TEXT
Pugel, T.A. International Economics, 15th edition, McGraw-Hill Irwin, 2012
Some lectures reference material from sources other than the text. Information and access are
available from the course web page.
TOPICS AND RELATED READINGS
Class
Topic(s)
Chapter(s)
Sept. 3
Introduction to international economics
Basic theory of international trade using demand and supply
1
2
Sept. 10
Theory of absolute and comparative advantage
Sept. 17
Heckscher-Ohlin theory of trade
Distributional effects of international trade
4
5
Sept 24
Trade policy: analysis of a tariff
8
3 and 4
1
Oct. 1
Midterm exam 1
Trade policy: non-tariff barriers
9
Oct. 8
Protectionist trade policies
10
Oct. 15
Export policies
11
Oct. 22
Economic integration – EU, NAFTA, WTO
Trade embargoes
12
Oct. 29
Payments among nations (review)
The foreign exchange market (review)
16
17
Nov. 5
Midterm exam 2
Government policies toward the exchange rate
20
Nov. 12
Reading Break
Nov. 19
International lending and financial crises
21
Nov. 26
Trade policies for developing countries
14
Dec. 3
One of the following topics*:
Trade and the environment
Choice of exchange rate policy
13
25
*The choice will be made collectively in class. Additional topics may be added to this list of
choices based on your interests/preferences.
GRADING
The course grade will be based on three assignments, two midterm exams and a comprehensive
final exam. The weights are as follows:
Midterm exam 1
Midterm exam 2
Final exam
30%
30%
40%
Oct. 1
Nov. 5
to be scheduled by Records Services
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The percentage scores you accumulate will be converted to a letter grade according to the
following scale:
A+
A
A-
>90
85 – 89%
80 – 84%
B+
B
B-
77 – 79%
73 -76%
70 – 72%
C+
C
D
F
65 – 69%
60 – 64%
50 – 59%
<50
You will be asked to present an I.D. on all exams. Electronic dictionaries and other electronic
equipment (for example, calculator function on cell phones) are not allowed during the exams. A
paper dictionary may be used with the prior approval from the instructor. You may use a nonprogrammable calculator.
If you have any questions about your mark on the midterm exams, you must contact the instructor
within a week after the exam has been handed back.
You may view your final exam after the exam period is over.
ATTENDANCE
It is important that you attend all classes. Some topics may be presented differently from text, or
may include material that is not in the text. Class participation and discussion of relevant current
events are incorporated in the class. Many students have observed a strong relationship between
attendance records and class performance.
If you have to miss a class due to extenuating circumstances, be sure to keep up with the readings
as a minimum, arrange with a fellow classmate (hopefully a good note-taker) to get class notes
and ask any questions on that material before the next class.
CLASSROOM ETIQUETE
Coming late or leaving early, talking to a classmate or texting a friend – most will find these
behaviours distracting. You will be expected to demonstrate respect to your classmates by
choosing to contribute to a positive learning environment for everyone.
Additional classroom rules will be established with your participation during the first class.
TRAVEL PLANS
Students are advised not to make work or travel plans until after the examination timetable has
been finalized. Students who wish to finalize their travel plans at an earlier date should book
flights that depart after the end of the examination period. There will be no special
accommodation if travel plans conflict with the examination.
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ACADEMIC CONCESSION
A. Academic Concession for work that will be completed before course grades are
submitted by the instructor.
A student whose academic performance is affected by injury, family or personal affliction, or
illness should immediately consult with University Counselling Services, University Health
Services, or another health professional, and may request, directly from the course instructor,
deferral or substitution of a mid-term test or examination, or of other work which is due during
the term. This request must be accompanied by supporting documentation from the health
professional and must specifically cover the date of the missed examination or assignment
deadline. It should normally be dated on or before the exam/deadline date and be submitted to the
instructor within 10 days of this date.
All work for which a Concession is approved must be completed before course grades are
submitted by the instructor.
If the request for deferral or substitution of term work is denied, a student may appeal as
described under Appeals in the Calendar.
If make‐up tests are assigned, they will be scheduled by the Department on designated Friday
afternoons at 2:30 p.m. Students must be registered for these tests by their instructors in order to
be permitted to take them.
B. Academic Concession for work that will be completed after course grades are
submitted by the instructor.
In the event of a missed final examination, or submission of an assignment after grades are
submitted by the instructor, students must submit a Request for Academic Concession (RAC) to
Undergraduate Records with the required official documentation from a health professional
within 10 working days of the end of the examination period. The RAC form is available on the
Undergraduate Records website (http://registrar.uvic.ca/undergrad/records/forms/forms.html).
To accommodate students under the circumstances described above, I will schedule one make-up
exam date. You can choose to take the make-up exam or have the weight of the missed midterm
redistributed between the other midterm exam and the final exam (midterm 40% and final 60%,
respectively). If you miss a scheduled make-up exam must provide a medical note.
POLICY ON E-MAIL
Emails should be limited to critical matters such as, inability to attend class or an exam or
prolonged illness and should include the course name and number in the subject line. Questions
on course material should be asked during office hours or in class. The standard format for
writing a letter must be used. This means it should start off with a salutation (e.g. Dear….),
include full sentences and conclude with a signature that includes your name (e.g. “Sincerely,
your full name). Text message lingo should not be used.
I discourage you from using e-mail to ask questions about the course material. Often I have to ask
questions back to find out which concept you may have difficulty with. Answers to your
questions usually require working with graphs or algebraic expressions. E-mail is not efficient for
this.
All questions regarding exam coverage and arrangements for the exams will be answered in class.
If you miss class, check with a classmate what was covered on that date.
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PRESENTATION NOTES
During most classes I will use Power Point notes along with writing on the board to allow you to
follow the lectures more easily. The Power Point slides will be provided to you in electronic
form. Note that these files do not replace coming to class and should be used together with your
complete class notes and the text to prepare for the exams.
WEB PAGE
The course materials are available on the Moodle course site (http://coursespaces.uvic.ca) . The
course site web page contains the lecture notes, practice questions, useful links and other course
information. The page will be updated throughout the term. The course web page can be accessed
through the Economics Department’s web page at
http://web.uvic.ca/econ/undergraduate/courses.php
FEEDBACK
Once or twice during the semester, I will ask you to provide written anonymous feedback about
your experience in the course. You will answer briefly a few short questions. Summary results
of this feedback will be presented in class. Your suggestions will be taken into account.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Academic integrity requires commitment to the values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and
responsibility. Students are expected to observe the same standards of scholarly integrity as their
academic and professional counterparts. A student who is found to have engaged in unethical
academic behaviour, including the practices described in the Policy on Academic Integrity in the
University Calendar, is subject to penalty by the University.
POLICY ON INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY
The University of Victoria is committed to promoting, providing and protecting a positive,
supportive and safe learning and working environment for all its members.
COURSE POLICIES
The complete department course policies can be accessed through the following link:
http://web.uvic.ca/econ/undergraduate/course_policies.php
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