ECON E-303 · Spring 2026 syllabus excerpt
Survey of International Economics
Indiana University Bloomington · Department of Economics
Bonang N. Seoela · Associate Instructor (full teaching responsibility)
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Course description
This course examines the causes and consequences of international economic integration. We begin with an overview of global trade patterns and introduce the gravity model of trade. We then study classical and modern theories of international trade, including (a) comparative advantage, (b) economies of scale, and (c) imperfect competition. Building on these foundations, we analyze common trade policies and the political forces that shape them. We also explore how trade and international financial flows enter national income and balance-of-payments accounts, how exchange rates are determined and managed, and how countries organize themselves through international economic arrangements and policy frameworks. In the final part of the course, we turn to classic and contemporary issues in international trade, with particular attention to how trade interacts with development, migration, the environment, and labor markets—market failures that are increasingly central to international economics.
Schedule
| Week | Dates | Topics, readings, and deadlines |
|---|---|---|
| Part I: Foundations of International Trade | ||
| Week 1 | Jan 12 & 14 | Module 0: Course Introduction — Logistics, Syllabus and Other Resources; Module 1: Trade in the Global Economy — Gravity of International Trade Required readings: Chapter 1 and the article posted on Canvas Quiz 1: Jan 17, 11:59 p.m.; Empirical Assignment 1: Jan 23, 11:59 p.m. |
| Weeks 2–3 | Jan 19 | Martin Luther King Jr. Day — No classes |
| Weeks 2–3 | Jan 21, 26 & 28 | Module 2: Trade and Productivity — Ricardian Model Required readings: Chapter 2 and the article posted on Canvas Quiz 2: Jan 31, 11:59 p.m. |
| Week 4 | Feb 2 & 4 | Module 3: Trade, Economies of Scale, and Imperfect Competition Required readings: Chapter 3 and the article posted on Canvas Quiz 3: Feb 7, 11:59 p.m.; Empirical Assignment 2: Feb 11, 11:59 p.m. |
| Week 5 | Feb 9 & 11 | Module 4: Gains and Losses from Trade — Specific-Factors Model Required readings: Chapter 5 and the article posted on Canvas Quiz 4: Feb 14, 11:59 p.m. |
| Week 6 | Feb 16 & 18 | Module 5: Trade and Factor Endowments — Heckscher–Ohlin Model Required readings: Chapter 6 and the article posted on Canvas Quiz 5: Feb 21, 11:59 p.m. |
| Monday, Feb 23 | Exam 1: Modules 1–5 | |
| Part II: International Trade Policy | ||
| Weeks 7–8 | Feb 25, Mar 2 & 4 | Module 6: Trade Policy Under Perfect Competition — Tariffs, Subsidies, and Quotas Required readings: Chapter 7 and the article posted on Canvas Quiz 6: Mar 7, 11:59 p.m.; Empirical Assignment 3: Mar 11, 11:59 p.m. |
| Week 9 | Mar 9 & 11 | Module 7: Trade Policy and Political Economy Under Imperfect Competition Required readings: Chapters 8 & 9 and the article posted on Canvas Quiz 7: Mar 14, 11:59 p.m. |
| Mar 16–20 | Spring Break — No classes | |
| Part III: Exchange Rates and International Monetary Systems | ||
| Week 11 | Mar 23 & 25 | Module 8: National Income Accounts and the Balance of Trade Required readings: Assigned chapter notes and the article posted on Canvas Quiz 8: Mar 28, 11:59 p.m.; Empirical Assignment 4: Apr 1, 11:59 p.m. |
| Weeks 12–13 | Mar 30, Apr 1 & 6 | Module 9: Exchange Rates and the Foreign Exchange Market Required readings: Assigned chapter notes and the article posted on Canvas Quiz 9: Apr 7, 11:59 p.m. |
| Wednesday, Apr 8 | Exam 2: Modules 1–9 | |
| Part IV: Selected Topics in Classic and Modern Trade Issues | ||
| Week 14 | Apr 13 & 15 | Module 10: Challenges in Trade — Offshoring, Immigration and Human Rights Required readings: Chapters 11, 12 & 14 and the article posted on Canvas Quiz 10: Apr 18, 11:59 p.m. |
| Week 15 | Apr 20 & 22 | Module 11: Challenges in Trade — The Environment Required readings: Chapter 13 and the article posted on Canvas Quiz 11: Apr 25, 11:59 p.m. |
| Part V: Student Presentations | ||
| Week 16 | Apr 27 & 29 | Group Project Presentations (schedule TBA) Project proposal: Mar 6, 11:59 p.m.; Presentation slides: Apr 24, 11:59 p.m. |
| Final exam | Monday, May 4 | Comprehensive Final Exam — 3:00–5:00 p.m. (location TBA) |