International Trade Minor

Flexible. Focus your coursework in a certain area – such as agricultural trade, economics, or policy – OR take a range of courses from several different areas. 

Interdisciplinary. International trade encompasses many subject areas. Whether you’re interested in business, economics, global studies, agriculture, or a certain region of the world, chances are you have already taken a class that is part of the minor – or have a class that is already part of your plan.

Hands-on. Many courses include in-class simulations and exercises.

Questions? Jill O'Donnell jodonnell2@unl.edu or Cheyenne Gerlach cgerlach2@unl.edu

Course Code and Name

Minor # of Credit Hours

Required:

9

INTF 320, International Trade Policy & Politics

3

Select two of: 

 

ECON 321, Introduction to International Economics

3

ECON 421, International Trade

3

AECN 420, International Food and Agricultural Trade

3

AECN 220, International Agricultural Trade

3

Electives:

7-9

Select a minimum of 4 hours from: 

 

INTF 391, Special Topics in International Trade

1-3

INTF 395, Internship in International Trade

3

SCMA 439, Global Sourcing and Distribution

3

ECON 422, International Finance

3

ECON 423, Economics of Less Developed Countries

3

AECN 346, World Food Economics*

3

AECN 367, Agricultural Development in Low Income Countries*

3

AECN 425, Agricultural Marketing in a Multinational Environment*

3

ANTH/GLST 474, Development in Theory and Practice*

3

Select up to 3 hours from:

 

POLS 277, Latin American Politics

3

POLS 375, Conflict and Development in Africa

3

HIST 380, China Since Mao: the Reform Era in Historical Perspective       

3

ANTH/ETHN 351, Exploring Cross-Cultural Diversities*

3

 Total

 16-18

*Existing courses that are in process to be added to catalog as electives in the minor.

NOTE: Alternative classes may be substituted for any courses in the above list if approved by the Steering Committee.

INTF 320 International Trade Policy and Politics (Fall 2023) (required course)
This course will cover the foundational elements necessary for understanding and analyzing modern-day trade policymaking, including the origins and evolution of the modern international trading system, U.S. domestic policy processes, the interaction between business goals and government policy, and the interplay between trade policy and overall U.S. foreign policy objectives. Students will have the opportunity to actively discuss course content in the classroom, participate in a mock Congressional hearing on trade policy, and refine their writing skills as they learn how to write a clear, concise memorandum on a trade policy topic. Location: Dinsdale, East Campus Rm. 217 on TR 9:30 - 10:45 AM. 

For Graduate and Law Students

  • ECON 921 Seminar in International Trade and Finance  
  • AECN 902D  Agricultural International Trade (Advanced Grad Students) | Instructor: John Beghin
  • ECON 822  International Finance (Graduate MBA program, Fall 2023) | Instructor: Uchechukwu (Uche) Jarrett
    This course provides in depth analyses of topics in International Finance and open macroeconomics. Through the study of various financial market interactions, this course will provide a more macroeconomic view of the way world economies work. Some of the topics covered include determinants of exchange rates, international payments, inflation, and capital and financial markets.

For Law Students ONLY

Matthew Schaefer teaches a 3-credit course in International Trade Law and a 3-credit course in International Business Transactions. Both are taught out of a problem-oriented (case study) coursebook that he co-authors. Topics addressed in the courses include U.S. customs law, U.S.-China trade relations, World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement, WTO rules in the area of  environmental protection and food safety measures, U.S. Free Trade Agreements (including the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement), U.S. statutes giving preferential tariff treatment to developing country products (including Generalized System of Preferences and Africa Growth and Opportunity Act), international trade agreement obligations in the area of government procurement, U.S. trade remedy statutes, international investment rules (including coverage of U.S. bilateral investment treaties), potential corporate liability and corporate codes of conduct related to human rights situations abroad, international contract rules (including the Convention on International Sale of Goods), U.S. and international rules on bribery in the conduct of international business (including Foreign Corrupt Practices Act), and methods of settling disputes in international business contracts (including arbitration and choice of course clauses). 

Professor Schaefer is the Clayton Yeutter Institute Chair and is the Veronica A. Haggart & Charles R. Work Professor of International Trade Law at the College of Law.

Past Yeutter Institute Courses

AGRI 496/896 Sec. 704 Tensions in U.S.-China Trade and Global Order
5-week session, online Tuesdays 6:00 - 8:30 pm, Sept. 13 - Oct. 11

The US-China relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. It will be a primary factor shaping not only your career and economic well-being, but also your entire life, - and probably the lives of your children, too. Importantly, US-China relations are not just about the US and China. Relations between these two countries will also shape progress and cooperation on a spectrum of global issues, ranging from climate change and pandemic responses to technological advancement and the maintenance of geopolitical stability – and peace. Unfortunately, the key dynamics driving US-China trade and economic relations are not as well understood as they need to be.

This course will help you to understand China’s unique system and the underlying dynamics driving the US-China economic relationship. The course will encourage you to “connect the dots” and see the broader tapestry of US-China relations. This course is designed to provide you with a critical framework for making sense of unfolding developments in the bilateral relationship and their connection to wider global issues. It is intended to equip you with skills and knowledge you can utilize for years in the future as the complex US-China relationship continues to play-out.

LAW 691/ 691G  Special Topics in International Trade: Trends in Regional Trade Agreement Models:  Integrating Flexibility, Sustainability, and Inclusivity in Trade Agreements (Spring 2021)
1 credit
The course will focus on a comparative assessment of recent trade agreement models, including, for example, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA); the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership CPTPP); the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA) between New Zealand, Chile, and Singapore; and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and African regional trade agreements. Students will examine these agreements from the perspective of innovations in trade law and policy as well as connection between trade agreements and sustainable, inclusive development.  Overall, the course will be broken into regional and substantive modules, with a short, essay-based exam.  The course will also include a practical in-class exercise focused on how to design a sustainable and inclusive trade agreement.

Instructor: Yeutter Visiting Professor of Law Katrin KuhlmannPresident and Founder, New Markets Lab; Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University Law Center; Lecturer on Law, Harvard Law School

LAW 691/691G  Special Topics in International Trade: International Trade and Development (Fall 2020)
1 Credit
Trade and development are increasingly interconnected, and the legal, regulatory, and policy frameworks that govern economic activity within and across borders have significant implications for economic and social development.  This course will examine the connection between trade law and development (including international and regional trade agreements, comparative law, and diverse areas of market regulation at the national level).  It will engage students in ways in which economic law can help encourage sustainable development and deliver impact.  It will also assess challenges associated with regulatory capacity and the uneven implementation of laws in practice. Overall, the course will highlight the role of law and regulation as a driver for sustainable development and inclusive growth and link broader legal frameworks and policy debates with the needs of individuals and enterprises on the ground. Cross-cutting and inter-disciplinary approaches in the field, such as rule of law, poverty alleviation, human rights, food security, global value chains, social entrepreneurship, and gender and trade will also be discussed.

Instructor: Yeutter Visiting Professor of Law Katrin KuhlmannPresident and Founder, New Markets Lab; Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University Law Center; Lecturer on Law, Harvard Law School

LAW 577/577G  International Trade: Agriculture, Food & Wine (Fall 2019)
1-3 Credit(s)
Seeks to raise competence in international trader and economic development through an understanding of the role and impact of agriculture and food. Understanding agricultural policy models, the role of intergovernmental organizations, and the growing impact of new impediments to trade such as those manifested in private standards are all key to appreciating today’s globalized market for agriculture and food. The food and agriculture area is one that has witnessed dramatic transformation in markets and methods in recent years with retailers gaining an ever greater influence over production and distribution decisions. This development has been concurrent with and in contrast to the growing efforts in Aid for Trade in agriculture, food production and food security when the world’s population is approaching 9 billion. Finally, trade in wine presents a microcosm of trade topics, including agriculture, technical barriers to trade (TBT), sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS), intellectual property, national treatment, and cross cultural negotiations, against the backdrop of a comparatively small agricultural sector. Provide students with a practical and case study-based background in global trade in food and agricultural products.

Instructor: Yeutter Visiting Professor of Law David MorfesiDirector of International Trade at MinterEllison, Australia’s largest law firm

LAW 575/575G  International Trade with China (April 2020)
1 Credit
Over the past thirty years, no single factor has impacted global trade regulation more than the rise of China as the largest trading nation on Earth.  The current focus on US-China trade relations cannot be fully understood without the context of the recent history of China’s international economic relations and development, China’s role at the WTO, China’s trade relations outside the US, and how the recent tensions came about.  Finally, the class will attempt to answer the question on everyone’s mind – where will we go from here (and will we go together, or on separate paths)? This course is intended to provide students with a practical and case study based overview of China’s role in global trade. The course is delivered via a blended learning approach, incorporating online teaching materials and modules.

Instructor: Yeutter Visiting Professor of Law David MorfesiDirector of International Trade at MinterEllison, Australia’s largest law firm

AGRI 496  Trade Policy and Negotiations: Context and Current Issues (February 2019)
1 Credit
Keep up with fast-moving trade policy developments and sharpen your negotiation skills! Recently, the U.S. has imposed tariff hikes on China, drawn upon trade laws not utilized in decades, incurred billions in retaliatory tariffs, re-negotiated a 25-year old agreement with Canada and Mexico, and challenged trading partners to examine whether the World Trade Organization has kept pace with changes in the global economy. 2019 may hold new U.S. negotiations with Europe, the UK, and Japan. Students will gain an understanding of the multilateral trading system, history and context for understanding current trade policy and its implications for the U.S. economy, including the agriculture sector, and participate in a trade negotiation simulation. At least sophomore standing required.

Instructor: Andrea DurkinVeteran U.S. trade negotiator, entrepreneur, and TradeVistas Editor-in-Chief