ECON 383 - International Trade

This course introduces students to classical, neo-classical, and modern international trade theories and applies them in the context of recent trade policy debates. The course addresses questions, such as: (i) why do countries trade? (ii) who trades with whom? (iii) what is traded? (iv) how policy shapes trade relations? (v) how trade impacts different parts of the economy? (vi) who benefits from trade and how? This serves as foundation for discussion of several important issues, such as global supply chains, the effect of trade on regional income inequality, the effects of free trade agreements on international trade and migration, and the importance of the World Trade Organization. The course is designed to strike a balance between learning rigorous analytical techniques and engaging in open-ended discussions. This is to acquaint you with the methods applied in the leading academic literature and also to help you better understand how those methods are used in formulating evidence-based arguments in the context of informed policy decision making.

Unit(s): 1
Group Distribution Requirement(s): Distribution Group II
Prerequisite(s): ECON 201, MATH 111
Instructional Method: Lecture-conference
Grading Mode: Letter grading (A-F)
Not offered: 2026-27
Group Distribution Learning Outcome(s):

Evaluate data and/or sources.
Analyze institutions, formations, languages, structures, or processes, whether social, political, religious, economic, cultural, intellectual or other.
Think in sophisticated ways about causation, social and/or historical change, human cognition, or the relationship between individuals and society, or engage with social, political, religious or economic theory in other areas.