1. Background of the Program

Geography has been broadly accepted as a bridge discipline between human and physical sciences. In the beginning, Geography focused on the physical aspects of the earth, however, modern Geography is an all-encompassing discipline that seeks to understand the earth and all of its human and natural processes as integrating elements. Geography has emerged through time as a trans-disciplinary subject integrating the regional diversity with the concepts of the timing of space and the spacing of time. Its history is closely connected with the history of human society and its development. However, as a science, Geography is relatively young and many of its fundamentals appear during the nineteenth century.

In Ethiopia, the teaching of Geography at the tertiary level started in 1950 at the then University College of Addis Ababa (UCAA). By then, Geography was offered as an important field of study to students from social sciences stream. Since 1958, the department of Geography, now renamed Department of Geography and Environmental Studies as of 2002, has been offering the program in different public universities leading to the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Geography and Environmental Studies. Nowadays, the program is given in majority of the public Universities in Ethiopia and it is one of popular program, which is most preferred by most undergraduate students from both social as well as natural science streams.

Attributed to advancement of technology and newly emerging issues in the field of geography, the program is becoming wider in scope. Geography as a field of study is composed of two main branches: Human Geography and Physical Geography. Apart from the two main branches, it is also composed of technical/skill based courses, which include Geo-information sciences, Cartography, Map Reading, and Surveying. Now we live at a time when computers are widely used to acquire and process geo-data, store, retrieve and manage spatial information. Geographic Information System (GIS) including Remote Sensing (RS) technologies emerged as one of the main tools of spatial analysis and graphical presentation in geographical studies. This is a new development to the field of geography. Environmental issues such as climate change; desertification & global warming, and environmental degradation are important issues of these days.

2. Rationale of the Program

Geography is concerned with the spatial dimension of Geographic Phenomena and interconnection of humans and environment. Studying Geography is nurturing sensitivity for our neighbours, society and the world. It also enables us to understand the spatial pattern, to adopt and manipulate physical environment with wise decisions and to solve geographical problems in daily lives. Geographic knowledge and skills help in developing our economy, to use resources more efficiently and keep the environment in good shape. Geography not only mediated between natural or physical sciences and biosciences on one hand and the social sciences on the other but also bridged and synthesized their mutual common broad spectrum underpinning through its core thrust on man - environment relationships, which naturally integrate them all.

3. Visions

The vision of the Ethiopian government in the area of education in higher institution is to attain quality education and training system which assures at producing competent citizens. In line with this, the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies is to be a centre of academic excellence in the field of Geography and Environmental Studies through innovative teaching of recent perspective of Geography and enhance awareness of the earth as a living planet with reference to human-environment interaction and resulting physical and human phenomena and their spatial variation amongst students of the discipline and allied sciences.

4. Mission

The missions of the program are:

  • Implementation of the New Education and training Policy of the Country which demands academically qualified professional for the undergraduate educational program.
  • Producing academically qualified experts who can work research and community based activity on geographically diverse areas of the country.
  • Expanding the geographic research horizons and to effectively integrate it with the national planning and development;
  • Implementation of Ethiopia’s short and long socio-economic development plans by producing the necessary skilled manpower in both quality and quantity for the country’s development.
  • Enhancing the quality of geographical education for broader applications and its implementation for the resolution of human problems.

5. Admission Requirement

The following requirements are set as selection criteria to join the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies in the degree program. • Students who successfully completed freshman program and meet the minimum requirements required i.e. with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

6. Graduation Requirement

In order to graduate in this programme, a student has to take the required credits without scoring “F” in any course and the minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.00.

7. Degree Nomenclature

Students completing the graduate program of the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies will be awarded: “Bachelor of Arts in Geography and Environmental Studies” in its Amharic version “የባችለር አርት ዲግሪ በጂኦግራፊና አካባቢ ጥናት”