1. PG/ MA Program in History and Heritage Management (Regular, Summer & Extension)
    1.  Goals and Objectives of the Program
      1. Goals

The MA program has the intention of engaging graduates in a thorough and systematic study and preservation of the socio-economic, religious and cultural history as well as heritages of the Southeast and Central Ethiopia in particular and Ethiopia in general during the modern period. At the end, the program assists graduates to get the required knowledge and skills in these aspects of historical and heritage management studies. Such historical knowledge and skills enable graduates to become professional employees and researchers in municipalities, Culture and Tourism Bureaus and Communication Offices, and teachers in the preparatory high schools and secondary schools in all over the country.

  1. Objectives

The history of Ethiopia in general and its Southeast and Central part in particular cannot be complete without the proper understanding of the socio-economic, religious and cultural history as well as heritages of its peoples, nations and nationalities. Such holistic understanding of the history of the people cannot be attained without a systematic study, interpretation and analysis of its past. Thus, the general objective of the graduate program is to produce qualified professionals specializing in the modern history of Ethiopia with an Emphasis on its Southeast and Central part.

 In addition, the program has the following specific objectives:

  1.  Produce capable MA graduates who can make their own contribution to the history and historiography of Ethiopia including the Southeast and Central part of the country.
  2. Lay a firm foundation for promoting research in socio-economic, religious and cultural history of the people of Southeast and Central Ethiopia and other parts of the country.
  3. Equip trainees with historical knowledge and research skills necessary for conducting studies on the environmental and agricultural history of Ethiopia and thereby enhance knowledge.
  4. Meet the growing demand for professional historians and heritage managers in Ethiopia.
  5. Draw the focus of historical and cultural heritages related studies to Ethiopia.
  6. Produce historians who can teach history in schools, colleges and universities of Ethiopia.
  7.  Quality Assurance Methods

Providing quality education in this program is the major aim of the Department of History and Heritage Management of Arsi University. The department attempts to ensure the quality of the program through applying quality audit processes to courses delivered in the program. Quality audit is “An in-depth analysis and assessment of the quality and relevance of programs and of the teaching and learning environment.”(As cited in Abebaw Y. and Aster M., 2012).To ensure the quality of education in this program, therefore the department will engage in both internal and external audit systems. In internal audit system, the department evaluates instructors who deliver courses at MA level twice in a year. Department head, students and colleagues will engage in the evaluation system. Moreover, the department will organize a committee consisting of three members who put great effort to assure the quality of education delivered in the MA program. For instance, they will supervise the course delivery process and its evaluation and report results of their supervision to the concerned body. Trainings on methodology, quality assurance and so forth will also be given to instructors who will engage in this program. In external audit system, after the commencement of the program, the department will invite external stakeholders such as the representatives of the Higher Education Relevance and Quality Assurance (HERQA) to participate in providing feedbacks on the program. It also collects feedbacks from other stakeholders such as Culture and Tourism Bureaus, Communication Offices, preparatory high schools and secondary schools. It will use the feedbacks collected to improve the quality of the program and incorporate important feedbacks while the curriculum of the program will be reviewed. The department has the plan to review this MA curriculum after two batches will be graduated.

Generally, the department proposes the implementation of the following actions and measures to ensure the quality of such MA program:

  • Periodical evaluation and assessment of the program.
  • Feedback from stakeholders on the performance of our MA graduates.
  • Rigorous examination of MA theses and grading of seminar work.
  • Cooperative work of each stakeholder in the program.
  • Performance evaluation and staff development.
  •  Graduate Profile

The program allows graduates to improve their academic and career goals as wells to become professional historians and researchers, educators as well as experts working in various government offices such as Culture and Tourism, Museums and Communication as well as in non-government organizations and other institutions. Graduates also play crucial roles in promoting interaction and interdependency among peoples.

Moreover, they will be equipped with a good knowledge and skills of carrying out historical research that will enable them to be:

  • Competent historians who can work as experts and researchers on socio-economic, religious and cultural history of the people of Southeast and Central Ethiopia and other parts of the country.
  • Provide consultancy services to governmental, non-governmental organizations and civic associations related to the areas of the program.
  • Undertake scientific researches in historiography, history, heritage as well as tourism management issues of Ethiopia and its people.
  • Represent Ethiopian and the Horn of Africa intellectual community in national, continental and international forums.
  • Admission Requirement
  • The minimum requirement for admission is having BA/B.ED Degree in History, History and Heritage Management, Archaeology, History and Cultural Studies, Archive Studies, Tourism Management, Museum Studies, Anthropology and Archaeology. The admission process is dependent on the rules and regulations of the Ministry of Education and the legislation of Arsi University.
  • Letter of motivation to join the program.
  • Letter of sponsorship (for sponsored students).
  • Two letters of recommendation (optional).
  • Under graduate CGPA of 2.00 and above.
  • Entrance exam set by the Department (when it is necessary).
  •  Graduation Requirement

To qualify for graduation in this program, a student should:

  1. Take 32 Cr. Hrs. including M.A thesis.
  2. Score a minimum of CPGA 3.00 and above
  3. Present MA thesis that should have been judged at least “satisfactory” by a panel of external and internal examiners having equal opportunity to judge the paper.
  4. Have no ‘F’ grade for all courses taken.
  5.  Degree Nomenclature

The M.A program leads to a certification referred in English as Master of Arts (M.A) in History and Heritage Management. The equivalent translation in Amharic: የአርት ማስተርስ ዲግሪ በታሪክና ቅርስ አስተዳደር.