ECON30160 International Trade Economics

Academic Year 2023/2024

This course introduces students to the basic concepts of international trade where the overarching interest is what determines the flow of goods, services, and capital across countries. In particular, this course explores the various factors that shape trade patterns from both a theoretical and empirical point of view. Students will be familiarised with theoretical models in order to understand the dynamics of international trade and to critically discuss their relevance in the context of the changing geopolitical environment in which these policies exist. Where relevant, we will also review data on trade and its impacts.

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Curricular information is subject to change

What will I learn?

Learning Outcomes:

On completing this module students will be able to
• Compare at the level of formal analysis, the major models of international trade and be able to distinguish between them in terms of their assumptions and economic implications.
• Employ the principle of comparative advantage and its formal expression and interpretation within different theoretical models.
• Demonstrate and contrast the economic effects of trade policy instruments such as tariffs, quotas, export subsidies as well as those of the creation of preferential trading arrangements such as free trade areas, customs unions and common markets.
• Identify and critically appraise major recent developments in the world trading system.

Indicative Module Content:

The main textbook for this module is:
International Trade, R. Feenstra and A. Taylor, 5th edition, Macmillan Education 2021. (FT) Earlier editions of this textbook are fine.
Please note, this is equivalent to Parts 1-4 (chapters 1-11) of:
International Economics, R. Feenstra and A. Taylor, 5th edition, Macmillan Education 2021.
This is available from the UCD library.

Additional readings may be offered for some topics. These will be announced in class.

Topics
- Trade in the global economy
- Gravity
- Trade and technology: The Ricardian model
- Trade and resources: The Heckscher-Ohlin model
- Trade imbalances
- Firms in the global economy
- Import tariffs and quotas under perfect competition
- International trade agreements: trade, labour and the environment
- Time permitting further topics may be covered.

How will I learn?

Student Effort Type	Hours
Small Group	22
Autonomous Student Learning	60
Online Learning	20
Total	102

Am I eligible to take this module?

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.

Module Requisites and Incompatibles

Not applicable to this module.

How will I be assessed?

Assessment Strategy

Description	Timing	Open Book Exam	Component Scale	Must Pass Component	% of Final Grade
Continuous Assessment: Bi-weekly online quizzes. These will be graded pass-fail. Each is worth 2 percentage points each for a maximum of 10 percentage points in total.	Throughout the Trimester	n/a	Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40%	No	10
Examination: Final Exam	2 hour End of Trimester Exam	No	Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40%	No	50
Class Test: Midterm Exam	Unspecified	n/a	Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40%	No	40

Carry forward of passed components
Yes

What happens if I fail?

Resit In	Terminal Exam
Summer	Yes - 2 Hour

Assessment feedback

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Associated Staff

Name	Role
Professor Ronald Davies	Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Matthew Amalitinga Abagna	Tutor

When is this module offered?


Spring
Lecture	Offering 1	Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33	Wed 16:00 - 17:50