500 Approaches to International Commerce and Policy (4:3:0) First foundation course in ICP program. Introduces national economic policy and international trade, investment, and finance. Uses case-study method to teach basic economic concepts such as national income accounting, balance of payments, and factors affecting foreign exchange rates. Also provides practice in comparing national strategies for growth and development, and using political and economic analysis to assess choice of national economic strategy and relative effectiveness.
501 Methods of Analysis for International Commerce and Policy (4:3:0) Provides the skills necessary to conduct qualitative and quantitative research and analysis of issues related to international commerce and policy. Students obtain practical information on sources of data, their origins, strengths, and weaknesses. Helps develop tools for statistical analysis of data, and includes use of computers for analyzing and displaying information. It covers major data sources as well and literature and indices related to international policy, including trade data, economics and financial indicators, and development indicators.
503 Investment and Macroeconomics (4:3:0) Provides overview of basic concepts in macroeconomic theory, as well as mathematical skills, with emphasis on application to problems of contemporary global economy. Covers monetary systems, balance of payments, foreign exchange market, foreign investment and international institutions, and issues in world monetary arrangements.
504 Trade and Microeconomics for International Commerce (4:3:0) Provides foundation in international economics, and presents fundamentals of international trade, finance, and transactions. Focuses on alternative approaches to understanding international economic system. Topics include classical and neoclassical theories of trade, alternative theories of trade and their extensions, tariffs, customs unions, institutions, and economic development. Students learn to employ appropriate analytical approaches, including graphical analyses, and communicate the results concisely. Throughout, emphasizes relating theory to practical applications.
602 International Financial Institutions and Globalization (3:3:0) Examines nature and dynamics of financial interactions between public and private sectors worldwide. Covers aims and actions of international financial institutions in fostering trade and development, with emphasis on emerging economies. Policy issues include devolving political and economic structures, differing resource and cultural endowments, privatization, financial crises, sector imbalances, and equity. Reviews international and domestic financial markets and instruments.
603 International Trade Relations (3:3:0) Examines U.S. role in world economy and evolving global trading system. Analyzes regulatory framework for trade, and political dynamics of international trade relations. Particular attention to domestic trading institutions, and global and regional institutions such as the GATT/WTO, NAFTA, EU, and APEC. Examines debate between free and fair trade advocates, and prospects for U.S. trade policy.
604 International Trade and Technology (3:3:0) Examines science and technology policies and international trade, with emphasis on relationships and interactions. Assesses roles of science and technology as economic drivers, and explores strategies employed by companies and governments to link research and development to economic growth and competitiveness. Examines research and development systems and technology-related trade policies of United States, Japan, Europe, major developing countries, and selected newly industrialized economies, emphasizing policies affecting trade and technology. Explores specific cases involving interactions among science, technology, and international trade.
612 International Business Operations and the Multinational Corporation (3:3:0) Examines international business environment and challenges facing companies in conducting operations in increasingly interconnected global marketplace. Focuses on issues of management and organization, and resolution of conflicts that may arise between business organizations and home and host governments. Also focuses on role of multinational corporations in international environment, and impact on global trade, economic development, and political system. Also studies trade and international investment theories and world financial environment. Explores broad issues such as sovereignty of decision making and global impact of business activities.
701 Special Topics in International Commerce and Policy (1–3:1–3:0) Offers specialized courses on various aspects of international commerce and policy.
702 Special Topics in International Commerce and Policy: Study Abroad (3:3:0) Provides opportunity for study abroad under supervision of Mason faculty. Course topics, content, and locations vary.
710 International Business Transactions: Finance and Investment (3:3:0) Focuses on techniques for financing trade and payment methods, including letters of credit, countertrade, and other approaches. Covers issues of direct concern in financing international business operations, such as preparing financing proposals, risk insurance, international taxation, pricing policies, and currency conversion and foreign exchange risk management. Introduces foreign direct investment, alliances and acquisitions, joint ventures, and other methods for investing overseas.
711 United States Law and Global Trade (3:3:0) Prerequisite: ITRN 603 or permission of instructor. Surveys types of regulations imposed by United States, foreign governments, and international institutions on transnational business activities. Reviews principal regulatory bodies in United States and overseas, and powers and authorities. Covers tariffs and customs regulations; product safety and environmental restrictions; intellectual property, copyright, trademark, and patent regulations; and licensing rules. Also covers special restrictions that may be imposed because of political considerations such as embargoes, munitions controls, and antibribery and antiboycott regulations.
712 World Trade Organization and Global Trade (3:3:0) Focuses on legal aspects of international trade regulation by studying international legal and political regime established under WTO, and assessing impact of domestic economic legislation on U.S. trade regulations.
713 U.S. Foreign and Economic Decision Making (3:3:0) Identifies and assesses approaches to foreign policy decision making within the United States and offices involved with political and trade issues. Examines congressional and executive processes and their interrelationship. Exercises involve historical and simulated cases; gives attention to conflicting interests of private and institutional entities. Assesses tension between political and economic issues within context of national security concerns.
715 Global Environment and the World Economy (3:3:0) Examines growing relationship between environmental interdependence and developing world economy. Assesses increased globalization of environmental and health issues with a focus on the impact on those issues on international transactions involving trade and development. Attempts to develop an understanding of relationship of scientific knowledge to global environment in context of existing political and economic institutions. Emphasizes formulating and assessing policies and structures for corporations, nations, regions, and international organizations. Tensions among free trade, international competitiveness, and regulatory responses are central. Gives attention to practices of nations and international organizations, emerging forms of regional and international cooperation and growing use of multilateral agreements.
716 European Union in the International System (3:3:0) Examines current developments in European market integration from global perspective. Emphasizes impact of single market, and proposed economic and monetary union of United States and other major trading partners. Examines European economic relations with Eastern Europe, former Soviet Union, and Lome Pact countries.
717 International Science and Technology (3:3:0) Examines U.S. science and technology policies (S&T) and structures, as well as those in other leading countries. Assesses functional links between S&T and international transactions focusing on trade, national security, finance, and development assistance. Considers emergence of multilateralism and international institutional arrangements as alternatives to traditional bilateral patterns of cooperation.
718 Global Economic and Human Development (3:3:0) Interdisciplinary examination of economic and human development in world economy. Introduces alternative concepts and theories of economic and human development, and analytical frameworks for assessing important issues that arise in development process. Topics include colonialism, economic growth, population, health, education, industrialization, and rural development.
720 Regional and Supranational Organizations (3:3:0) Assesses role of international organizations in international system today, and focuses on wide range of international and regional economic and political institutions. Emphasizes changing nature of these organizations in relation to nation states, and relationship of international organizations to U.S. national security and economic interests.
730 Information Technology Fundamentals for International Business and Trade (3:3:0) Deals with technology and issues relating to emergence of computing, information, and telecommunications technologies in mainstream of society. Aim is to provide general understanding and facility with technologies of contemporary interest.
731 Business-to-Business Marketing in International Commerce (3:3:0) Provides understanding of concepts of international marketing process, and international environment within which companies operate.
734 Pricing in International Commerce (3:3:0) Deals with theory and techniques of pricing that enable organizations to effectively pursue marketing and business strategies.
736 Sources of Growth in East Asia (3:3:0) Examines extraordinary economic success of East Asian NIEs and some of their problems. Focuses on understanding proximate sources of growth, role of technological development, and salient political issues.
737 World Trade in Semiconductors and Information Technologies (3:3:0) Examines bilateral and multilateral approaches to world trade in technology products. Compares U.S.-Japan Agreement on Semiconductors and its successor agreements with those of WTO. Also looks at effects of agreements on U.S. industry, their relevance to trade development, and commercial transactions.
738 Fundamentals of International Marketing (3:3:0) Offers working knowledge of principles and practices that enable managers to effectively market organizations, products, services, and brands. Emphasizes international dimensions of marketing where appropriate.
740 ABCs of Exporting and Importing (3:3:0) Acquaints students with legal, regulatory, and practical issues in importation and exportation of merchandise. Topics include theoretical framework for government oversight of international movement of goods; legal issues between parties and governments; and practical guidance concerning structuring of import and export transactions to avoid legal and tariff liability.
742 Technology Policy and International Strategies (3:3:0) Introduces opportunities and problems created for organizations and society by Internet, and policies affecting trajectory of Internet developments. Also covers technological factors in planning horizon; domestic policy and international treaty factors affecting Internet trajectory; and new horizons for Internet applications.
744 The Politics of International Competitiveness (3:3:0) Provides inquiry into governance problems of public managers and political leaders as they cope with global competitiveness in post-industrial era. Focuses on integrating public and private sectors worldwide, with special emphasis on U.S. role and how it influences such areas as technology transfer, national security, electronic commerce, trade policies, money flows, and human resources.
750 Trade and Politics in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union (3:3:0) Examines background and recent developments in political, business, and cultural environment confronting American firms seeking to do business in Eastern Europe and former Soviet Union. Emphasizes international trade patterns and relations between these states and United States. Examines modes of doing business in these countries, and unique problems American firms confront. Focuses on privatization, joint ventures, and countertrade.
751 Trade, Investment, and Politics in the Western Hemisphere (3:3:0) Examines cultural, political, economic, and legal aspects of conducting business and trade with countries of Western hemisphere. Focuses on evolving pattern of inter- and intra-hemisphere trade, as well as on region’s global trade integration. Special attention given to NAFTA and other bilateral and regional agreements, and to potential for and implications of free trade area in hemisphere. Emphasizes manipulation and analysis of regional trade data to describe and project trade patterns.
752 International Business Lobbying in the United States, Europe, and Japan (3:3:0) Presents comparative overview of lobbying process and practices, and explores representation of foreign firms in United States, European Community and member states, and Japan. Examines contemporary problems relating to lobbying by multinational corporations in foreign political and cultural setting.
753 Role of States and Virginia in the Global Economy (3:3:0) Examines roles of states, especially Virginia, in the international marketplace. Focuses on formulating specific export marketing plans for particular Virginia firms and industries. Examines state economic development policies, structure of state agencies, services, and resources available to domestic exporter and foreign investors contemplating direct investment.
754 International Commercialization of Space (3:3:0) Identifies and analyzes problems and transactions concerning privatization and commercialization of transnational space activities, including launch and satellite operations. Emphasizes interplay of new technologies with existing legal, political, and business structures in formulating viable commercial satellite and launch operations. Focuses on planning and implementing private space actions in conjunction with various public and private international organizations. Sessions focus on interdisciplinary aspects of space commercialization involving technology, finance, tax, insurance, joint venture and business matters, and international legal and national regulatory issues. Guest lecturers include leading business executives engaged in space and satellite operations.
756 National Security and the Global Economy (3:3:0) Examines impact of globalization and changes in international economic and political systems on concepts of national security. Emphasizes nexus of economic and security concerns in post-Cold War era, with particular attention to emerging issues including trade and economic security, proliferation of advanced military technology and control of weapons of mass destruction, international drug trafficking, and defense conversion. Focuses on implications of changing security requirements on U.S. defense and economic policy and activities.
757 Global Corporate Business Planning and the Competitive Edge (3:3:0) Provides introduction to planning international business activities, including licensing agreements, joint ventures, acquisitions, and divestitures. Using step-by-step planning methodology, students learn to integrate marketing, financial, regulatory, legal, and cultural factors into management strategy and business plan.
758 Global Market Planning Practicum (3:3:0) Provides opportunity to develop international market plan for specific industry or service sector. Students consult with industry experts and use key trade databases to develop strategic plan that recommends market entry strategies. Completed market plan submitted to industry experts for use and dissemination.
759 Trade Licensing, Controls, and Documentation (3:3:0) Examines legislation and practices concerning regulation of trade. Reviews current customs and import-export control regulations and documentation requirements for international transactions. Designed for students who need practical and detailed understanding of rules and documentation for international business transactions.
760 International Environmental Politics (3:3:0) Examines growing concerns related to global environmental issues and problems they pose to domestic, foreign, and international political institutions. Covers major environmental issues including global warming, ozone depletion, cross-border flow of pollution, and threats to biodiversity. Assesses strengths and weaknesses of traditional political institutions in dealing with these issues and providing for sustainable economic development while limiting environmental damage.
761 European Political and Economic Union (3:3:0) Examines movement for European integration since World War II, focusing on political and institutional development of European Community/Union. Topics include theories of European integration, Treaties of Rome, Single European Act, Maastricht Treaty, European Union (EU) policies and programs, and EU’s external relations. Analyzes changing nature of U.S.-EU relations and prospects for EU enlargement into Central and Eastern Europe.
763 International Real Estate Transactions (3:3:0) Provides overview of real estate market in the United States with emphasis on commercial real estate and issues of importance to national and international investors. Reviews recent developments in valuation approaches, marketing strategies, and performance trends. Discusses increasing use of securitization along with implications for traditional originators of mortgage financing. Emphasizes government experience and practices in real estate management and disposition.
764 Trade, Investment, and Politics in East Asia (3:3:0) Examines issues related to international transactions involving Korea, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, with some attention to Japan. Focuses on trade and financial relations between these East Asian nations and United States. Assesses impact of culture and domestic political and economic institutions within these states, and roles in regional institutions and in international system.
765 Trade, Investment, and Politics in Sub-Saharan Africa (3:3:0) Examines role and potential of sub-Saharan Africa in international trading system. Emphasizes political, historical, cultural, and development factors. Focuses on perspectives of U.S. firms and on international institutions trading or investing in region.
766 Trade, Investment, and Politics in the Middle East and North Africa (3:3:0) Examines major economic, political, and cultural issues that influence trade and investment relations with Middle East and North Africa. Focuses on roles of international and regional institutions in economic development, and develops understanding of challenges facing region and their implications for formulating trade and investment strategies by U.S. firms.
767 Political Economy and Integration in Latin America (3:3:0) Examines contemporary political, economic, and cultural dynamics of Latin American and Caribbean regions. Emphasizes issues and trends that affect U.S.-Latin American political, business, and trade relations, particularly recent political and economic reforms. Examines roles of domestic interest groups and decision-making systems in individual countries, and evolution of regional integration arrangements and integration with international system.
768 Global Intellectual Property Rights and International Trade (3:3:0) Examines national and regional systems, international contractual relations (licensing), and the evolving global system for protecting intellectual property. Addresses current international treaty system and the ongoing multilateral efforts to strengthen worldwide intellectual property protection. Examines intellectual property regimes worldwide, including regional and bilateral challenges and opportunities, and relevant U.S. law and policy responses.
769 International Entrepreneurship (3:3:0) Introduces practical planning approach for small and medium-size entrepreneurial firms seeking to enter international marketplace. Focuses on key business and financial documents related to doing business overseas; and assesses role of language, technology, and information systems in formulating successful business strategy. Role playing and simulated negotiations provide opportunities for students to sharpen business skills.
770 International Contract Negotiation (3:3:0) Reviews growing role of arbitration in international transactions. Examines international, national, and government arbitration bodies, with particular emphasis on how differing cultural characteristics affect negotiating behavior and effectiveness of arbitration.
771 Trade, Investment, and Politics in South and Southeast Asia (3:3:0) Focuses on trade and finance issues in the most dynamic countries of South and Southeast Asia. Assesses cultural and political factors, regional trade patterns, and institutions, focusing on implications for regional development and business opportunities for U.S. firms.
772 International Telecommunications (3:3:0) Focuses on developments in international telecommunications and satellite regulation. Examines regulatory environment, and business and financial aspects of global telecommunications industry.
773 International Strategic Management (3:3:0) Presents comprehensive approach to international strategy formulation, implementation, and evaluation processes affecting policy and program development within multinational firms and government agencies. Integrates marketing, finance, accounting, and management. Covers techniques for forecasting international business, political, economic, technological, legal, and sociocultural forces.
780 Internship (1–3:3:0) Open to authorized graduate majors only; departmental and advisor approval required before enrolling. Provides practical work experience in state, federal, or international agencies or private sector. Requires written project integrating work experience and academic program.
790 Independent Study (1–3:3:0) Open to authorized graduate majors only; departmental and advisor approval required before enrolling. Provides opportunity to pursue intensive research in area of interest not covered by other courses. Note: Not all courses earn 3 graduate credits. Some courses may vary in length and thus, in credits earned. Some course requirements subject to change.
791 Advanced Trade Policy (3:3:0) Covers international trade theory, trade policy analysis, regional economic integration, and institutional arrangements governing world trade. Examines dispute settlement regimes, and relationship between trade and environment. Includes WTO and constituent agreements in the areas of goods, services, intellectual property, and trade-related investment measures.
795 Final Project (1–3:3:0) Includes writing 40-page capstone paper that draws together key themes of program.