Course Name Year Term Period Faculty / Graduate School All Instructors Credits
13025:[2025 Fall]IR18‐EE321 International Trade and Investment (R) § 13026:RUIR-3242 International Trade and Investment(R) § 13027:IR-EBS301 International Trade and Investment (R) 2025 Fall Mon3 College　Of　International　Relations YANE HARUKA 2

Campus

KIC

Class Venue

MEIGAKUKAN　MG003

Language

English

Course Outline and Method

This course will cover the fundamentals and basic theories of international trade and investment. Students will learn about the causes and consequences of international trade using economic models. We will go over the tools to evaluate various trade policies, past and current events in the world economy, emphasizing the understanding of applying the theoretical concepts and models to show how trade and trade policies impact economic welfare.


【+R-Jugyo】
Information for “+R-Jugyo” will be posted on the “Course News” on manaba+R by September 20. Be sure to check the “Course News” on manaba+R.

Student Attainment Objectives

On successful completion of this course, students should attain:
1. Basic knowledge on theories of international trade and investment;
2. The ability to apply these theories to real-world issues;
3. The ability to evaluate the effectiveness of trade policies and international economic trends.

Recommended Preparatory Course

Basic knowledge of microeconomics is recommended.

Course Schedule

Lecture/Instructor（When there are multiple instructors) Theme
Keyword, References and Supplementary Information
1

Course Overview, Overview of World Trade

World trade, Globalization
【+R-Jugyo】For details, refer to manaba +R

2

The Ricardian Model I

Comparative advantage, One-factor economy, Labor productivity, Gains from trade, Opportunity cost, Production possibility frontier, Unit labor requirement, Relative wage

3

The Ricardian Model II

Comparative advantage, One-factor economy, Labor productivity, Gains from trade, Opportunity cost, Production possibility frontier, Unit labor requirement, Relative wage

4

Specific Factors and Income Distribution

Budget constraint, Diminishing returns, Production function, Marginal product of labor

5

The Heckscher-Ohlin Model I

Two-factor economy, Stolper-Samuelson effect, Rybczynski effect, Factor price equalization theorem, Factor intensity, Relative prices

6

The Heckscher-Ohlin Model II

Two-factor economy, Stolper-Samuelson effect, Rybczynski effect, Factor price equalization theorem, Factor intensity, Relative prices

7

The Standard Trade Model and Growth I

Biased growth, Immiserizing growth, Terms of trade, Isovalue lines

8

The Standard Trade Model and Growth II

Biased growth, Immiserizing growth, Terms of trade, Isovalue lines

9

Firms in the Global Economy

Multinational enterprises, Foreign direct investment (FDI), Outsourcing, Offshoring, Product differentiation, Intra-industry trade

10

Instruments of Trade Policy I

Tariff, Export subsidy, Import quota, Voluntary export restraint (VER), Protectionism, Nontariff barriers

11

Instruments of Trade Policy II

Tariff, Export subsidy, Import quota, Voluntary export restraint (VER), Protectionism, Nontariff barriers

12

Political Economy of Trade Policy

Policy-making process, Rent seeking, Rational ignorance, Negotiation, Prisoner's Dilemma, Trade agreements

13

Concluding Session

Q&A session: All questions need to be posted on the designated LMS page by the specified deadline in order to be covered.

14

Final Examination

A face-to-face final examination on your understanding of our course content mainly based on problem sets, exercises and discussions covered in class.

Class Format

Classes will be conducted face-to-face, except for those scheduled on public holidays, which will be held in a media-based format (whether they will be livestreamed or on-demand will be announced after the university has confirmed the class dates and time).

Recommendations for Private Study

It is highly recommended to solve the Problem Sets and exercises provided in class and review them in order to understand the theories and their applications.

Grade Evaluation Method

Kind Percentage Grading Criteria etc.
Final Examination (Written)

Report Examination
(A report to be submitted by the unified deadline)

Exams and/or Reports other than those stated above, and Continuous Assessment　
(Evaluation of Everyday Performance in Class)		 100

Final exam (60%)
Problem sets (40%)

Grade Evaluation Method （Note）

There will be no makeup problem sets or examinations as a general rule. Please ensure you complete and submit all work ahead of the deadline to avoid any submission issues. The final examination will be strictly conducted in a face-to-face format, so please make sure to keep your schedule clear to attend.

Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods

Textbooks

Textbooks （Frequency of Use, Note）

Reference Books

Title Author Publisher ISBN Code Comment
International Trade: Theory and Policy Krugman, Paul R., Maurice Obstfeld, and Marc J. Melitz Pearson Education Limited 9781292417233 12th edition
The Choice: A Fable of Free Trade and Protectionism Roberts, Russell D. Pearson 3rd Edition

Reference Books （Frequency of Use, Note）

The content of this course will be based on this textbook.

Web Pages for Reference

How to Communicate with the Instructor In and Out of Class(Including Instructor Contact Information)

Learning Management System （manaba+R）,Talk with Students

Other Comments

CONTACT: yanehclass@gmail.com

Please make sure to include “International Trade and Investment” in the subject.
【科目ナンバリング・カリキュラムマップはこちらから/Click here to see the Curriculum-Map and Course-Numbering】
URL:https://secure.ritsumei.ac.jp/students/pathways-future/course/curriculum.html/