Geography and Environmental Studies

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. Globalization in its environmental, cultural and economic perspectives is a recent and important development.

Vision

The vision of the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies is to be a center 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.

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;

Graduates of this program are expected to have the following professional profiles:

• Engages in education (in universities, colleges, high school) and research at national, regional research & development organizations;
• Design and implement socio-economic development policy
• Advise and implement on environmental and development related issues in government,
• community based institutions, commercial enterprises and non-government organizations;
• Work as self-employed in various areas of development endeavors;
• Manage natural resources
• Plan in various transport facilities
• Promote tourism industry
• Involve in biodiversity conservation and wildlife management
• Participate in watershed management and land rehabilitation
• Engage in landscaping and urban development
• Solve problems related to climate and environmental hazards
• Consult on livelihood and food security issue
• Make and interpret maps, aerial photos and satellite imageries
• Provide geo-spatial analysis service
• Interpret the link between environment, development and population dynamics;
• Provide consultancy service in solving resource based and boundary conflicts;
• Analyze rural-urban linkages.

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

• Staff