NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
Stern School of Business
 
Executive MBA Program
 
International Trade and Finance
 

Fall 1998
Prof. Thomas A. Pugel
Prof. Ingo Walter

[Also View Course Outline]
 

Course Description:

This is a course in applied international economics. It discusses and analyzes the international economic environment within which businesses operate. It covers the theory of international trade, international trade policy and related topics, the balance of payments, foreign exchange markets, and international macroeconomics.

 
Text:

The following text will be used in the course:

Peter H. Lindert and Thomas A. Pugel, International Economics, tenth edition, Irwin, 1996. You are also receiving the Study Guide written by Kerry Odell, which you should use as you see fit. There are no specific assignments from the Study Guide.

It is highly advisable during the semester to keep up with current developments in the field of international economic relations, both for class purposes and for your own benefit. This can best be done by noting the relevant current articles in: (a) The financial section of the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal or the Financial Times; (b) the Economist (weekly); and (c) various weekly news magazines.

Students are strongly encouraged to bring up current problems for discussion in class, as time permits. Applications of concepts discussed in the course to current events (of which there are plenty) will be emphasized on the mid-term and final examinations.
 

Examinations:

There will be two exams. A take-home mid-term exam covers trade theory and commercial policy (sessions 1-4). The final exam covers sessions 1-8 but concentrates on the international monetary economics material covered in sessions 5-8. The final exam is closed book, with the exception that each student may bring two sheets of paper with notes on both sides.
 

Problem Sets and Cases:

Several problem sets will be distributed in class, with answers attached. These are not to be turned in. The problem sets, along with the problems at the end of chapters in the textbook and those in the study guide, can form the basis for your work outside of class, in your study groups or in individual study.

There will be two integrative policy-oriented cases discussed during the course. A write-up of each case is required, which will be graded and returned. These case write-ups are due at the beginning of sessions 4 and 8, respectively.

 
Grading:

Grading in the course will be as follows:

Take-home mid-term exam 35%
Final exam 45%
Cases 10% (5% each)
Classroom contribution 10%.

Course Content:

The outline divides the course material into the broad topics covered by international trade and international monetary economics. The first half of the course will deal with international trade and commercial policy, followed by the mid-term examination. The second half of the course will deal with international monetary economics.

All reading in the text is required. Read carefully! The text material will not necessarily be repeated in class and should be done in advance of the class for which it is assigned. Students will be held responsible for all of the course material on the examinations.