History and Heritage Management

The Department of History and Heritage Management was established in 2018 (2010 E.C).  There were four teachers and 51 students during establishment of the department.  Up on the launching of the program, the Department envisaged three distinct undergraduate degree programs; Regular, Extension and summer programs. Since then, it has successfully carried out its duty of providing training for successive batches of graduates with Bachelor of Arts Degree (BA) in History and heritage management. It is believed that it contributed its own share in alleviating the acute shortage of trained man power in the field. Besides, undergraduate, the department is running post graduate program. By now, the department holds about 15 teachers, three of whom are under study leave. There are also about 22 post graduate and 45 undergraduate students.

The Department has its own well defined missions, visions and educational goals. In line with the mission of INU, our department aspired to be one of the leading centers of production and dissemination of scientific knowledge, skills, and behaviors that have significant contribution to the political, socio-cultural, and economic development of the country through teaching and research implementations. Also as part of public higher educational institution, our Department orients itself to advance problem solving and development-oriented research that best supports the fulfillment of the local communities’ demands and the primary national priorities of development programs in the social, economic, and political and heritage management areas. More specifically, in its different programs, the Department has set clearly defined goals. Among them:

  • Providing quality education to produce able and efficient professionals in History and Heritage Management.
  • Playing a pivotal role to solve the acute problem of shortage of well qualified professionals in History and Heritage Management being observed in various Governmental and None-Governmental Organizations.
  • Providing effective education and training to produce full-fledged researchers committed to the discipline of History and Heritage Management so as to tackle the problem of the society by using the potentials and possibilities embedded in the profession.
  • Producing well trained skilled personnel and professionals who can carry out research in various thematic areas such as the political, economic, social, cultural institutions, as well as heritages and heritage management issues at the local, national and international levels.
  • Educating and producing professionals who are well versed in various aspects of the past, protecting, interpreting, and utilizing heritages for the general benefit of a society and the country at large.
  • Cultivating well equipped professional graduates with scientific view and ability to relate their profession with the local, regional, national and international dynamics and realities etc.

In addition to the on-going Undergraduate Program, currently our Department has launched a new curriculum of a Graduate Program in Master of Arts in History and Heritage Management since 2021/22 academic year. There are also about 22 post graduate students among which 8 of them are extension and 14 students are enrolled under summer program.

Rationale

History is the study of past worlds and how they have changed over time. It is a way of thinking about how and why past environments, societies, governments, and beliefs were different from and similar to our own. History is not about memorizing lists of names and dates; it is instead about finding clues about the past and following those clues to craft true stories about ourselves and others.

By asking questions of available evidence, students of history can make rational, informed judgments about human actions in the past and examine why people were motivated to act as they did and the effects of these actions. Studying history develops our historical consciousness, enabling us to orient ourselves in time and place our experiences in a broader framework of human experience. Being historically conscious transforms the way that we perceive the world and our place in it, and informs how we see the future development of the world.

The study of the past allows us to examine the impact of human actions in a wide variety of dimensions, including politics, government, law, society, economics, culture, beliefs and ideas. When we learn about the past, it is important also that we understand the nature of history as a discipline that allows us to make sense of what has happened in our world over time. This involves understanding such concepts as: continuity and change; time and space; how evidence allows us to make judgments about the past and how such judgments may need to be changed if new evidence emerges; awareness of the usefulness and limitations of different forms of evidence and the importance of being objective and fair when investigating the actions of people in the past, and taking care not to let opinions or prejudices affect our judgments; how human actions in the past have different levels of significance; that we see people in the past and their actions in the context of the time in which they lived.

Understanding the actions of people in the past and understanding how we come to know about these actions helps us to develop positive values about history. These include a respect for truth and evidence, a commitment to being open to seeing the past from different perspectives and a regard for the integrity of the past. This way of seeing the world deepens our understanding of the relationship between past and current events and the forces that drive change; helps us to appreciate how diverse values, beliefs and traditions have contributed to the culture in which we live; and enables us to value our local, national and international heritage.

The Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Heritage Management is designed to produce graduates who have a sound knowledge of history in general and an appreciation of multiculturalism and regional history in particular. The degree is designed to prepare graduates for employment in fields requiring a firm foundation in interpretive, analytical, research, and communication skills.

Objectives of the Program

  • General Objective: The general objective of this program is to produce well qualified and high level professionals in the field who could play pivotal role that contribute for the development and dissemination of new knowledge through engaging in teaching, research, and community services.
  • Specific Objectives: The specific objectives of the program are to:
  • Produce highly trained and qualified academicians in the field of History and Heritage Management.
  • Equip graduates of history and heritage management with very necessary knowledge and skills that would help them to discharge their duties effectively in teaching, research engagements, and when delivering services in the governmental or non-governmental institutions, as well as for other local or international stakeholders.
  • Contribute in enhancing the number of professionals who are interested in multi-dimensional research areas as part of capacity building of various institutions.
  • Foster advanced researchers in the history and heritages of the people’s different regions in Ethiopia.
  • Promote research on the social, political and economic affairs focusing on Ethiopia, the Horn region and the continent of Africa at large.
  • Create professionals who have awareness in heritages documentation, preservation and promotion of Ethiopian historical patrimonies for tourism and national socio-economic developments.
  1. Program Outcomes

Upon completion of the B.A. in History and Heritage Management program, the student will be able to:

  • Demonstrate a broad knowledge of History and Heritage Management and its role in society
  • Acquire a breadth of historical knowledge across a range of periods and regions and to encourage consideration of links and comparisons between them
  • Promote depth of understanding of historical concepts such as change and continuity, causation and motivation, as well as period-specific concepts such as nationalism, revolution and colonization
  • Develop understanding of historical sources and the methods used by historians
  • Be critical, reflective and independent, able to interpret and evaluate historical source material and offer substantiated explanations to historical questions
  • Admission Requirements

As per the criteria of Ministry of Science and Higher Education:

  • Social Sciences background preferable
  • An experience of teaching in history, but not mandatory;
  • Transfer from other universities will take the following points into account, “F” free in all subjects; CGPA 2.00
  • Readmission as per Senate Legislations of respective universities.
  • Graduation Requirements

All students are expected to take a total of 142 credit hours. Students who successfully complete all courses with a minimum CGPA of 2.00 and have no “F” grade will be legible for graduation.

Degree Nomenclature

The Degree to be awarded to the graduates of this program will be designated as Bachelor of Arts in History and Heritage Management/ የአርት ባችለር ድግሪ በታሪክ እና ቅርስ አስተዳደር

Click the links Below to see all Details about the Staff:-


Abebe Fenetahun (Asst. Prof.)

Head

Tel: +251918707000

Email:- mabebefentahun@gmail.com