(Lecturer) - Profile

About Economics Department

The Department of Economics was first launched in 2008 E.C at Oromia State University under college of Development Studies with the objective of addressing the region’s trained human power shortage in the field of Economics. The program is designed to produce public servants equipped not only with the basic concepts, knowledge and tools in the area of economics, finance, development and business but also with the aptitude to adapt them to the realities of their institutional, political and economic settings. Currently the department has 11 staff with different economics field of specializations.

At present, the Department runs the following programs:

• BA in Economics(Regular, Extension and weekend)
• MSc in Economics( Regular and Weekend)

General Objectives of the program:
The aim of the program is to produce high level professionals civil servants in Economics that will benefit the region’s as well as country’s economic development.

—  Vision

Vision of the department is to be one of the top departments in the country and be exemplary through the provision of quality education in economics subject areas, research and consultancy service by 2025.

—  Mission

The mission of the department is enhancing the intellectual and economic validity of our country through our academic program, research and community outreach activities.

Specific objectives of the program:
With these general objectives, the prime and specific focuses of the program is:

• To produce Economists (Economic thinkers) with basic skills that would help to teach and do research in areas of economics.
• To better acquaint the students with solid understanding of microeconomic theories, macroeconomic theories, and other economic issues for intelligent applications of economics in a way that improve the quality, relevance and output of undergraduates in economics in Ethiopia.
• To equip the students with the necessary methodologies in economics that enable them explain the economic phenomenon, undertake economic analysis and design economic policy.
• To highlight the different applications of economic theories in various sectors and expose the students to the different sub-discipline of economics
• Produce graduates with a skill of planning, Project preparation, monitoring and evaluation.
• To enable the students undertake theoretical and applied researches relevant to the overall development strategy and vision of the country and address national problems of socio-economic roots; and disseminate research findings through outreach program.
• To promote interdisciplinary collaboration among the various programs in training, research and extension.
• To offer short term training courses and provides consultancy service for different organizations and community.
• To show students how economic science evolved, it’s present and future vision of the field and make them up-to-date with the dynamism of the field.

Admission Requirements:

The department is a program of study that normally takes four years to complete for full time regular students and five to six years for part time students. The department will admit if the student:

o   Have been successfully completed preparatory level schools and pass Entrance examination for the University prepared by Ministry of Education.

o   Have able to pass the standards set by the department. 

Graduate Profile
A graduate profile is derived from the professional profile and describes the competencies that a graduate (beginning professional) is expected to have as a result of their educational programs. It determines the program goals and the skills and knowledge needed for a beginning professional. As a result, after completion of their study, the graduates will be able to achieve the discussed below knowledge, skills and attitude.

• Microeconomics theories and their applications.
• Macroeconomic theories and their applications.
• Mathematical techniques, theories and their application in economics.
• Economic applications in different sectors (financial, education, infrastructure, environment, money market, public policy, agriculture, etc.)
• Statistical and econometric tools and applications.
• Economic applications in Developmental issues.
• Economic applications in labor market and industrial sectors.
• The evolution and development of economic ideas and thoughts.
• International trade and finance.
• Planning, project analysis and evaluation.

Specifically

• Theories of consumer behavior, producer behavior and the market.
• Theories of firm’s price and output determination.
• Functioning of different market setting, their structure and organization.
• Macroeconomic theories dealing with national income accounting, unemployment, inflation and economic growth of nations, etc.
• Theories of renewable and non-renewable resources, public goods, externalities and market failure and environmental valuation.
• Theories of international trade & finance.
• Theories of wage determination, issues of labor demand and supply analysis.
• Different economic policy instruments (such as monetary policy, fiscal policy, income policy, trade policy, and etc) used at an aggregate level.
• Theories, strategies, approaches and country experiences of agricultural and rural development.
• Theories of economic development and the problems of developing countries and the different paths/way-outs from the problems or challenges.
• Project designing, appraisal, economic planning, analysis, monitoring and evaluation.
• Sectoral issues that cover social services as education, health, transport, communication and electric power and infrastructural developments as a whole.
• The link between the various economic and non-economic aspects.

Skills/tools:

• Basic computer skills and software applications in economic research and analysis.
• Research proposal developing skills and writing research reports and professional articles.
• Interviewing (conducting of survey) skill.
• Critical socio-economic phenomenon observation and data analysis skills.
• Both quantitative and qualitative socio-economic research skills. 
• How to use empirical evidence to evaluate an economic argument.
• How to conduct appropriate statistical analysis of data, and explain the statistical problems evolved.
• Instruct in universities and higher training institutions.

Attitude:

• Have a rational attitude about private and/or public matters.
• Easy to work with others (economists and other professionals).
• Ready to support state and communities.
• Emerging & Cross Cutting Issues: Governance.
• Community Development.
• Gender, HIV/AIDS and Disabilities.
• Environment.
• Experimental economics, etc.

Communication:

• Ability to conduct research activities independently.
• Formal and Informal communication Skills.
• Excellent rational oratorical skills.
• Reporting skills.
• Reasoning skills.

Management:

• A good management skill of private and public resources.
• Time Management.
• A good ability to Manage and  suggest ideas and views  (the various arguments that arises because of the various socio-economic complications,).

Course Breakdown by Year and Semester

Year I, semester I

Year I, Semester II

Year II, semester I

Year II, semester II

Year III, semester I

Year III, semester II

Year IV, semester I

Year IV, semester II

Grand Total = 155Cr. Hrs