SFB13509 Topics in International Economics (Spring 2014)

The course is connected to the following study programs

• Compulsory for bachelor students on the International Business Programme
• Compulsory for students on the Business Administration Programme, specializing in International Business.
• Optional for students on other study programmes/bachelor programmes.

Prerequisites

Based on foundation courses in economics, international economics or business economics like as:
Microeconomics. Macroeconomics. Introduction to Business Economics.

Lecture Semester

6^th semester (spring)

The course will give the students approximately 280 hours of work.

The student's learning outcomes after completing the course

Knowledge outcomes
Students will learn theories on economic integration and how they work in different regional and institutional arrangements in contemporary world economy. Students should be able to analyze selected problems in international economy, using theory and case-study approach and also interdisciplinary approaches. They should also understand limits of a model-based analysis and be able to accumulate the real world knowledge. Combining theory and practice should be an important benefit of the course.

Skills
The students should be able to construct graphic models, list the assumption for the models, discus limits of model approach. They should be able to collect and selects relevant information, statistics and data, verify and evaluate their reliability and so to structure it according to the purpose and present the results professionally.

General competence
Better understanding of ongoing world economic development and its dilemmas.

Content

The course will cover topics of international economic integration and globalization, with focus on different patterns of regional integration in world regions - Europe, North America or Asia. The content may differ from year to year, depending on the IBP programme adjustments, current economic debates, new research findings and other.

Forms of teaching and learning

Lectures, group work, students' presentations, study visits - study trip to the EU institutions in Brussels.

Coursework requirements - conditions for taking the exam

Group presentation of a case. Compulsory participation in instruction tutorial on references and academic writing. Completing of requirements has to be approved before signing up for written exam.

Examination

Term-paper (group work) 40% and written 3h exam (individual) 60%.
Aids allowed: calculator, mother tongue - English - mother tongue dictionary.
Grades: A - F.

Two partial marks will be given. These will be merged into one final mark. Each part of the portfolio assessment must be passed in order to pass the whole course. Each partial mark can be appealed. At a new exam it is only necessary to retake one of the parts.

If a student gets F, the re-sit exam might be arranged in December, in case three students sign up for the re-sit. If less than three apply for re-sit, the next exam will be a regular exam next Spring. Students must be aware of that the content, requirements and textbooks may have changed, and it is a student's responsibility to check it and get updated. Students have to sign up for the exam within the deadline

Course evaluation

To improve the course, we need the evaluations from the students. The course is evaluated by the students in the middle and in the end of the semester.

The evaluations from the students are treated by the staff and the committee for programme quality and internationalization

Literature

The readinglist was last updated 3 December 2013.

Feenstra, Robert C.,Taylor, Alan M.(2011) International Economics, 2nd ed., Worth Publishers, New York, 904p (parts of the book)

Supplementary text books: Baldwin Richard and Wyplosz Charles (2012) The Economics of European Integration, 4th edition, McGraw -Hill Higher Education, 560 p

Laursen Finn (ed) (2010) Comparative regional integration: Europe and beyond , Ashgate , 282 p

Library and web resources. Textbooks may differ, depending on the course content and will be announced at the start of each academic year