1. Background of the Program
In its national mission of expanding the horizon of knowledge to larger populace, Haramaya University has made a commendable and great leap ahead since its inception. One of its tangible manifestations of the expansion and massification of higher learning was the opening of the Faculty of Education in1996.Two years later the Department of History ",as opened under the auspice of the Faculty of Education. Its major objective was the training of qualified secondary school and above history teachers.
Since 1998, the Department has been offering the four year-degree program in History education with Geography as minor. This four years program has been in place up until 2004 . Now the department is charting a new and transformational stage. As of this summer season the department is launching its Masters Program in History. The Masters Program is Masters of Arts in History.

2. Rationale
The interplay of a number of justifications is guarantying the department to commence an MA program as of2009 Summer Program. The intention of the program is to extend this very program into the regular program as of the coming academic year. Some of the justifications realized by the department are:

  1. Haramaya University is situated in an ideal place where diverse peoples, cultures and the products of their historical processes are abundantly available. However, these heritages are not scientifically yet approached and studied. Hence, they remained unidentified and unpreserved. This critical situation calls for an urgent responses from experts. In this regard, Haramaya University in general and the department of history and Heritage management in particular have a national and institutional responsibility and capacity to train professionals who can rescue such heritage resources.
  2. The national education policy demands trained professionals and experts in all fields of studies.. Education for all is the slogan to address the pressing need of trained man power. Hence, the department of History needs to play its own role towards the achievement of this objective.
  3. In terms of its nature, as it is true for other disciplines, the knowledge of history is expansive. History is the totality of the human past stretched in such distant past. Currently history is discussing every facets of human activity in the past. The versatile nature of the knowledge of history demands the specialization of studies on Ethiopian history. These studies need to be supported by pertinent and methodologically sound research undertakings. To attain this objective it is mandatory to open a high level of study that enables students deal with the diverse areas and themes in Ethiopian history
  4. There is a pressing need and an ever increasing demand for the opening of Master of Arts Program by stake holders surrounding the university. Especially regional I' education bureaus like the Dire Dawa Administrative council and other regional offices are in demand of the opening of the program

3. Admission Requirement
Admission will be in accordance with the University Admission Regulations on M.A. degree. In addition, the MA students must have a BA degree in History or a BA degree in related fields.
4. Graduation Requirements
M.A. students in History will have to complete the course work of 28- credit hours and write an original thesis that demonstrates their ability to conduct independent research, critically interpret primary sources, and conceptualize their findings in a clear and concise manner (INDEPENDENTLY 6 CRHRS). In order to ensure graduate students' thesis meet the appropriate level and approval of their advisor, and the recognition of one internal and one external examiners, graduate students must meticulously meet all the requirements of a scientific research and produce worthwhile papers. Graduate students defend their theses at a closed or open platform at the presence of their advisors and examiners. History graduate students must maintain a 3.00 GPA in their all taken courses in order to graduate with the M.A. degree in history
M.A. students are required to submit thesis proposals to the graduate advisor at the end of the second summer. In general, students complete their course work in three summers. Students write, and defend their Master's Thesis (120-150 pages) in their 3rd summer.
5. Degree Nomenclature
Up on successful completion of the Program, candidates will be awarded "Master of Arts Degree in History" duly signed by the university president and the University Registrar on which the official dry seal of the University rests. The Amharic Version of the degree will be:  `የ ኣርት ማስተርስ በታሪክ`