ECF2721 Trade finance and foreign exchange
Faculty of Business and Economics
ECF2721 Trade finance and foreign exchange is a level 2, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Business and Economics, offered in 2027 in Semester 1 at Caulfield. It needs ECB1101, ECC1000, ECF1100 or ECW1101.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2027
- Semester 1
- Caulfield
- Assessment
- Exam 40%
- and 3 other tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
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Requisites
Before ECF2721
Prohibitions
You can't enrol if you have passed any of these.
Prerequisites
Pass these before you enrol.
After ECF2721
No unit lists ECF2721 as a prerequisite in the 2027 handbook.
Enrolment rules
To be successful in this unit, background knowledge and application of maths is required at the equivalent of VCE Year 12 level. You may have satisfied this by completing relevant prerequisite unit/s, or you have covered relevant topics in your final years of secondary study. You should self-assess your maths competency prior to enrolling in this unit.
Equivalent units
The same content under another code. Only one of them counts.
Overview
This unit examines international finance and trade policies in an open economy. Topics include purchasing power parity, interest parity, the balance of payments, financial integration, and market models and their effects on trade and capital flows. The unit emphasises applying theory and real‑world data to evaluate exchange rate systems and contemporary international economic issues.
Offerings in 2027
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Caulfield | Blended |
Assessment
- Quiz / Test20%
- Presentation20%
- Exercise20%
- Examination40%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
analyse exchange rate movements using purchasing power parity, interest parity, and asset market models in international financial contexts
- 2
analyse the effects of fiscal and monetary policy under different exchange rate regimes using economic models
- 3
assess macroeconomic adjustment and global financial linkages using balance of payments accounts and international goods, services, and capital flows
- 4
evaluate fixed and floating exchange rate systems, including their implications for international trade, macroeconomic stability, and policy autonomy
- 5
analyse international economic developments using real-world data and scholarly sources in supporting policy-based arguments.
Workload and teaching
- Seminars22 hours
- Tutorials12 hours
- Assessments2 hours
- Teaching approachProblem-based learning
- Teaching approachActive learning
- Teaching approachResearch activities
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled activities. You are expected to complete all pre-class activities prior to your scheduled class, and post-class activities should be completed after your scheduled class. Learning activities may include a combination of teacher directed, peer directed and online engagement activities.
This unit includes problem-based learning approaches, where you engage in research, integrate theory and practice and apply knowledge and skills to develop viable solutions in response to a problem or set of problems.
This unit engages you in actively applying your knowledge, skills and attributes in interactive, collaborative and reflective activities.
This unit allows you to develop your research skills by engaging in structured inquiry using a systematic approach and discipline-specific methodologies.
Learning resources
Required resources
Feenstra, R. C., and Taylor, A. M. (2020) International Macroeconomics, 5th edition, Worth Publishers.
Where it fits
ECF2721 is part of 3 areas of study in the 2027 handbook.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Qingyuan Du
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for ECF2721?
You need ECB1101, ECC1000, ECF1100 or ECW1101 before you enrol. Enrolment rules also apply.
When is ECF2721 offered?
In 2027, ECF2721 runs in Semester 1 at Caulfield.
How much work is ECF2721?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does ECF2721 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 40% of the final mark, alongside 3 other tasks.
Which majors and minors include ECF2721?
ECF2721 is part of Economics and business strategy; and International business.