Course Description
International Trade Issues is a post principles course examining international trade theory and policy. This course will examine a variety of trade issues including the incentives to engage in trade, the motivation for and the effects of barriers to trade, and the impact of major trade agreements. A primary objective of this course will be to examine world trade issues and policies in a global context.
Means of Assessment
| Term Tests (minimum of one) |
30% - 50% |
| Assignments (minimum of two) |
10% - 30% |
| Essay/Research Project |
0% - 30% |
| Participation |
0% - 10% |
| Final Examination |
30% - 40% |
| Total |
100% |
Students may conduct research as part of their coursework in this class. Instructors for the course are responsible for ensuring that student research projects comply with College policies on ethical conduct for research involving humans, which can require obtaining Informed Consent from participants and getting the approval of the Douglas College Research Ethics Board prior to conducting the research.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
- Utilize trade theory to explain why nations trade and the various factors that determine the amount and terms of trade
- Analyze the role of national governments in controlling, limiting and encouraging international trade
- Evaluate the implications of major trade agreements such as the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT), North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the European Union and other regional trade agreements
- Analyze current issues before the World Trade Organization and debate the continued movement toward free trade in the global economy
- Determine the effect of the growing importance of the emerging economies in the world economy
Textbook Materials
The text is to be chosen from the following, or as approved by the Economics department:
Gerber, J. International Economics, Latest Ed. Addison Wesley Pearson.
Husted, S., et al. International Economics, Latest Ed. Addison Wesley Pearson.
Krugman, P., et al. International Trade: Theory and Policy, Latest Ed. Addison Wesley Pearson.