Description

In this course, we will develop theories of international economics and then use these theories to analyze recent events and current policy issues. The theory covers a broad range of topics including exchange rate determination, monetary and fiscal policy in an open economy, balance of payments crises, the choice of exchange rate systems and international debt. The insights provided by these theoretical frameworks will enable us to discuss topics such as the U.S. current account deficit and global financial imbalances, the Chinese exchange rate regime, proposed changes in the international financial architecture, the European financial crises, and the effect of international factors on a nation’s employment, wages and economic performance

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

1. Follow almost any discussion about international finance and how it relates to economic performance

2. Become familiar with real world economic events that affect us all

3. Share your newly acquired human capital with others

Organization

This course is made up of 12 lessons.

For each lesson, you will complete the following activities and assignments:

  Explore online course content.

  Read a few assigned readings.

In addition, you will complete sets of activities and homework problems. You will also take two midterm exams and one comprehensive final exam. The grade breakdown for these assignments is provided in the Assignments section of this syllabus.

Online Learning & Attendance

This course has been developed to promote asynchronous learning. The instructor and students do NOT meet on a designated day and time each week. For each lesson, there is a timeframe to complete all activities and assignments, and you may work at your own pace within that timeframe. However, you must adhere to the deadlines outlined on the calendar. (Click the Calendar tab in Canvas. Or check the Orientation page under the Modules tab.) You should loginto the course daily to check for updates, review lessons, and participate in activities.

Texts & Other Materials

There is one required text.

1. Robert C. Feenstra and Alan M. Taylor. International Macroeconomics, 2nd edition or later, Worth Publishers

  This class is not specific to any one version of the text. The text is currently in its 5th edition. Slightly older versions are still acceptable if you can find them for sale, new or used. The

following ISBNs are acceptable:

  2nd edition: 978-1429241038

  3rd edition: 978-1429278430

  4th edition: 978-1319061722

  5th edition: 978-1319344177

Course Reserves

There are electronic resources on reserve for this course that can be accessed through the Penn State Libraries. To access your Course Reserves, please use the Library Resources tab in the   course navigation menu. For any questions you may have about viewing or printing your Course  Reserves, refer to the View and Print Electronic Course Reserves page

(https://libraries.psu.edu/services/course-reserves/using-electronic-reserves/view-and-print-electronic- course-reserves) .

Due Dates

Please be aware that Canvas follows the Eastern Time (EST) time zone. Assignment due dates

adhere to this time zone, and it is your responsibility to submit them accordingly. If you are outside of the EST time zone, you can set your Canvas account to sync to it. Refer to the Set a Time Zone

article in the Canvas Guide      (https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-2891)  at

https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-2891

(https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-2891) .

All assignments are due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the date indicated on the Calendar. (Due

dates can be also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) Assignments will be available for submission until 4:00 AM Eastern Time the following day, but any submissions made between 11:59 PM and 4:00 AM will be marked late and points may be deducted at the instructor's discretion, up to and including all points, resulting in a zero. As a general rule, you will NOT be able to go back and make up missed assignments. It is your responsibility to keep up with your assignments. Students with an excused absence (e.g., hospitalization, jury duty, family emergency, or military service) may be asked to produce proper documentation in order to make up graded work. All make-up work is at the discretion of the instructor.

Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, disabilities, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.

Notes

  To Do List: Some assignments may not appear in the To Do list under the Home tab. Use the Calendar or Syllabus to ensure that you are fully aware of assignment due dates.

Valid Excuses

A major advantage of an online course is the flexibility it affords students for doing assignments. All assignments are intended to be accessed and completed within a window of several days duration, and can be done from anywhere in the world. (The necessary technology, even if you are not at home, will frequently be available at internet cafes, copy shops, or libraries.) The dates of these assignments have been provided to you well ahead of time in the course calendar. Given this flexibility, an unexpected event that makes it impossible for a student to complete an assignment on time should be very rare. It is expected that students plan ahead and allocate their time accordingly

In general, there will be no extensions given on the weekly lesson assignments (quizzes and homework). Early access to exams or extensions on exams will only be given in the case of a valid conflict, and a student must inform the instructor as early as possible if they anticipate being unable to complete the exam within the assigned window. Valid conflicts are items that make it impossible for a student to complete the assignment at the scheduled time, primarily including illness, hospitalization, or family emergencies. Travel plans (except as required by university-sponsored activities) DO NOT constitute a valid conflict. Students should plan to be available online until they finish the assignment. Encountering technical problems at the last minute is not a valid conflict. For     more information on valid excuses, please see the Department of Economics policy on valid excuses, which is available at the Department website      (http://econ.la.psu.edu/undergraduate/valid-excuses) 

.

Homework (25%)

Some homework assignments will be worth more points than other homework assignments.

Homework may also include both a written assignment and a multiple choice lesson activity. You total homework score, which represents 25% of your grade, is the percent you receive out of the total possible points.

Exams (75%)

There will be three exams (two midterm exams and a final) worth 75% of your final grade. Each exam is worth a different number of points. The two midterm exams and the final exam will be administered through Canvas. For each exam, there will be a two-day window in which you may take the exam.

Once you open an exam, you will have 2 hours to complete and submit it. Exams are open-ended.

You will be required to solve problems and illustrate ideas using graphs. Exams may include all reading assignments, online lectures notes and content of video lectures.