ECON 2543 – International Trade

 Syllabus  (PDF)          Grading Scale          Websites

DATES

TOPICS

READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Week 1

 

August

 

24, 26

Introduction and Review of Important Required Concepts

 

Trade in the Global Economy

Text (FT) Chapter 1

 

Chapter 1 Lecture – Trade in the Global Economy   (PPT)

 

Review of Utility Theory and Indifference Curves

 

Handout: Absolute Advantage and Comparative Advantage-A Primer

 

Problem Set 1 Assigned - Due Date: September 7, 2026

(Available in Canvas under Assignments)

Week 2

 

August 31

 

September 2

Trade and Technology:
The Ricardian Model

Text (FT) Chapter 2

 

Chapter 2 - Trade and Technology: The Ricardian Model   (PPT)

 

Handout: The Anatomy of Factor Markets   (PPT)

 

Problem Set 2 Assigned - Due Date: September 21, 2026

(Available in Canvas under Assignments)

Week 3

 

September

 

7, 9

 

Gains and Losses from Trade in the Specific-Factors Model

Text (FT) Chapter 3

 

Chapter 3 - Gains and Losses from Trade in the Specific-Factors Model   (PPT)

Week 4

 

 September

 

14, 16

Gains and Losses from Trade in the Specific-Factors Model Continued

 

Trade and Resources:
The Heckscher–Ohlin Model

 

Study Guide Exam 1   (PDF)

Text (FT) Chapters 3 and 4

 

Chapter 3 - Gains and Losses from Trade in the Specific-Factors Model   (PPT)

 

Chapter 4 - Trade and Resources: The Heckscher–Ohlin Model   (PPT)

 

Problem Set 3 Assigned - Due Date: September 28, 2026 (Not to be Handed In – We will go over it in class)

(Available in Canvas under Assignments)

Week 5

 

September

 

21,23

 

Trade and Resources:
The Heckscher–Ohlin Model Cont’d

 

Catching-up time

Text (FT) Chapter 4

 

Chapter 4 - Trade and Resources: The Heckscher–Ohlin Model   (PPT)

 

Relative Supply and Demand Example  

Week 6

 

September

 

28, 30

Review for Exam

 

Exam 1

 (September 30, 2026)

Exam 1

Week 7

 

October

 

5, 7

Movement of Labor and Capital Between Countries

Text (FT) Chapters 5 and 8

 

Chapter 5 – Movement of Labor and Capital Between Countries   (PPT)

Remittance Flows and GDP Impact By Country

 

Problem Set 4 Assigned - Due Date: October 21, 2026

(Available in Canvas under Assignments)

Week 8, Sunday, October 11, 2025 – Thursday, October 15, 2026

Fall Break, No Classes

Week 9

 

 

October

 

19, 21

 

Increasing Returns to Scale and Monopolistic Competition

 

 

Text (FT) Chapters 5 and 6

 

Chapter 6 – Increasing Returns to Scale and Monopolistic Competition   (PPT)

 

Problem Set 5 Assigned - Due Date: October 28, 2026

(Available in Canvas under Assignments)

WEEK 10

 

 

October

 

26, 28

Import Tariffs and Quotas Under Perfect Competition

 

Study Guide Exam 2 (PDF)

Text (FT) Chapters 6 and 8

 

Chapter 8 - Import Tariffs and Quotas Under Perfect Competition   (PPT)

 

Problem Set 6 Assigned - Due Date: November 4, 2026 (Not to be Handed In – We will go over in class)

(Available in Canvas under Assignments)

WEEK 11

 

November

 

2, 4

Import Tariffs and Quotas Under Perfect Competition cont’d

 

Catching-up Time and Review

Text (FT) Chapter 8

 

Chapter 8 - Import Tariffs and Quotas Under Perfect Competition   (PPT)

WEEK 12

 

November

 

9, 11

 

Exam 2 (November 9, 2025)

 

 Import Tariffs and Quotas Under Imperfect Competition

Text (FT) Chapter 9

 

Chapter 9 - Import Tariffs and Quotas Under Imperfect Competition   (PPT)

 

Problem Set 7 Assigned - Due Date: November 18, 2026

(Available in Canvas under Assignments)

WEEK 13

 

November

 

16 (no class), 18

Import Tariffs and Quotas Under Imperfect Competition cont’d

 

Study Guide for New Material on Final Exam (PDF)

Text (FT) Chapters 9

 

Chapter 9 - Import Tariffs and Quotas Under Imperfect Competition   (PPT)

 

Commercial Policy   (PPT)

 

Problem Set 8 Assigned - Due Date: December 2, 2026 (Not to be Handed In – We will go over in class)

(Available in Canvas under Assignments)

November 19 - Last Day to Withdraw from Courses with grade of W

WEEK 14

 

November

 

 23, 25 

Export Subsidies in Agriculture and High-Tech Industries

 

International Agreements: Trade, Labor, and the Environment

Text (FT) Chapters 10, 11

 

Chapter 10 - Export Policies in Resource-Based and High-Technology Industries   (PPT)

 

Chapter 11 - International Agreements on Trade and the Environment   (PPT)

WEEK 15

 

November 30

 

December 2

International Agreements: Trade, Labor, and the Environment

Catching-up time and Review

Text (FT) Chapter 11

 

Chapter 11 - International Agreements on Trade and the Environment   (PPT)

Exam Week

Final Exam

Final Exam Schedule