About the Department

Brief Overview

The establishment of the Department is believed to contribute greatly to the effort of the government and the community to alleviate the prevailing shortage of qualified economists in the country. As an independent department, it became operational in 2003 by offering courses in regular and evening programmes.

Besides this, the Department has launched a Continuing and Distance Education Programme that covers major regions such as: Oromiya, South Nations and Nationalities People’s Region, Benshangul-Gumuz, Gambela and Addis Ababa administrative city. The Department also has launched an MSc programme in five areas: MSc in International Economics, MSc in Economic Policy Analysis, MSc in Development Economics, MSc in Transport Economics, and MSc in Industrial Economics. Currently, the department has launched two PhD programs; PhD in Financial Economics and PhD in Industrial Economics. Over the next 10 years, the Department intends to increase its MSc and PhD programmes in line with the national demand.

In recent years, the issue of development has become the concern of academicians, donors, policy makers, researchers and governments in all economies. Thus, the issue of development is not limited to developing countries; it has attracted the interest of everybody. This is because development in one part of the world has implications for others. Although the issue of development is principally the concern of the world as a whole, developing countries are the major players.

Experiences reveal that human capital is the major determinant of the development status of countries along with the availability and quality of other economic recourses at their disposal. One of the feasible ways of enhancing this essential factor is through producing highly qualified individuals in different fields of studies, as development is multidisciplinary by its nature. In line with this, economics is one that deserves considerable attention as it is concerned with how to allocate economic resources to alternative uses to enhance human material wants.

In the Ethiopian context, little attention has been given to the field despite the fact that the country is low in its capacity to effectively allocate its available economic recourses among alternative uses. It was with this in mind that the Department of Economics was opened under the then College of Business and Economics of Jimma University to mitigate the manpower shortage in the country.

Vision:

• To become center of excellence in Economics through producing competent graduates who ensures sustainable development of Ethiopian economy.

Mission:

• Contribute to optimal allocation, utilization and management of resources for sustainable development through academics, research, training, consultancy services and policy advocacy.

Objective of the Department
General Objective:

• The main objective of the department is to train and produce competent professionals (Economists) who are well equipped with sufficient knowledge and professional skill for analyzing economic problems and proposing appropriate solutions.

Specific Objectives:

• To create professionals who are capable of doing economic researches and contribute towards solving economic problems in the country.
• To facilitate, encourage and do research works and disseminate research findings through outreach programs focusing on the Ethiopian economy.
• To promote interdisciplinary collaboration among the various programs and institutions in training, research and extension.
• To provide short term training courses for governmental and non- government institutions, business organizations as well as other interested groups.

Programs:

• Under-graduate:

1. Bachelor of Art (BA) in Economics (In Regular, Extension and Distance)

• Postgraduate:

1. Masters of Science in Economic Policy Analysis (Regular and Extension)
2. Masters of Science in Development Economics (Regular and Extension)
3. Masters of Science in Industrial Economics (Regular and Extension)
4. Masters of Science in Transport Economics(Regular and Extension)
5. Masters of Science in International Economics (Regular and Extension)
6. PhD in Financial Economics (in Regular)
7. PhD In Industrial Economics (in Regular)