All students need to submit an end-of-semester essay on a common topic. The objectives are to test students' ability to prepare a research report and to evaluate their skills on analytical aspects of research. The semester essay contributes towards developing the research capability of students. The paper should be no more than 2,500 words.

Students with little experience in essay-writing are advised to attend the Academic Writing Workshops.

Criteria & Marking:

Semester essay topic:

It has been argued that economic reform measures including trade liberalization, have been contributing to bringing the Asian economies under the folds of globalization. Do you agree? Explain your arguments with relevant evidence from at least one Asian economy (for example, Korea). (Major issues that need to be addressed are economic reform measures currently in place, indicators of globalization particularly, trade, finance and 'new-economy' indicators, macroeconomic performance in the current global crisis, etc.). Do you think the present global financial crisis (GFC) would affect the country of your choice and what prospects for its speedy recovery?