SYLLABUS

Click here for PDF printable version that includes all readings and lecture plan

This course discusses monetary equilibrium and policies of an open economy as well as global financial markets. We will focus on equilibrium exchange rates in short and long run, exchange rate policies, financial crises, international financial policy coordination. We will discuss developed and developing countries and use analytical tools to analyze resent events and issue: international financial crises, creation of the Euro, US current account deficit, various aspects of globalization. You will also learn about the functioning of the international financial markets and about international banking. After two terms of introductory economics and ECON 154a or b.

There will be:
eight problem sets (20% of the final grade),
two 25-minute quizzes (10% of the final grade each) 2/1 and 3/31,
one 75-minute midterm (30% of the final grade) 2/24 and a
non-cumulative 75-minute final (30% of the grade) 9/5 at 9am.. 

It might sound like too much, but it will allow you to do much less studying during the finals and takes the stress off the exams. It also encourages you to work throughout the semester without falling behind, which is the best way to learn the material in this class.  Class participation will also affect your grade at the margin. You are allowed to work on problem sets together but each student is supposed to write his or her own original answers.  Identical answers will be marked down.  To keep up with the class, please read ahead - assigned readings should be read before the lecture for which they are assigned.

Additional readings (some are required): click here.

We will be working with the data available on the World Wide Web: links.

Lecture plan is here.