Amharic department was established as independent department in 1980 under Bahir Dar Teachers college. The department started its function by offering courses to pedagogical science major and Amharic minor students. Later further changes were introduced in the college and diploma-offering departments, which train junior secondary school teachers in social and natural sciences, came into existence. The Amharic department was one of the new diploma-offering departments in the college. Then after the department has started its degree program in 1998.

Currently, the department, in its undergraduate program, is offering degree programs in the regular, summer & distance and it provides diploma in the extension program. Similarly, in its post graduate program it is running Teaching Amharic (Team) program since 2006.

In this academic year Amharic department, like other departments of Bahir Dar university, has been undertaking an overall review of its undergraduate regular programs curriculum based on need assessment results and the directives the university received from the Ministry of Education that requests the university to change the curricula of the various programs to catch up with the societal demands and new developmental strategies. And also developed new curricula on folklore based on need assessments.

The department, thus, benefited from the curriculum development process and designed two new curricula for undergraduate programs. These new curriculums are curriculum of Folklore and curriculum of Ethiopian Language(s) & Literature- Amharic. Hence, this curriculum is the new curriculum of the Bachelor of Arts degree program in Folklore (Cultural Studies).

Ethiopia is one of those multicultural countries that have diverse culture in every corner of the country. It is often referred to as “a mosaic of culture” for it comprises of no less than 90 linguistically distinct societies sharing common cultural, social, and historical values. It is a reality that many Ethiopian societal groups transmit orally their knowledge and wisdom, belief and value systems, images of self and of others, historical experiences accumulated through ages. Although these have been the realties on the ground, the indigenous knowledge and aesthetical values, the culturally and socially embedded traditions, and folk literary works have yet not been given due regards in integrating them in the Ethiopian academic world, especially in the ways in which they assist in policy making and in enhancing development programs. Besides, even though, we have enough resource of diverse folk culture, folk custom, folk literature, etc., we are not benefited from them. The major reasons for this are: 1) we had not studied them (the sources) very well; 2) we have no educated peoples who can guide and help us to make use of these resources.

Having the above mentioned facts, we made a needs assessment in different regions and offices (Governmental and Non Governmental Organization) of the country. Providentially, the result of the needs assessment shows that there is a need for skilled man power in the above field of study from different sectors.

To fill the gap between what is actually there in reality and the need for experts in folklore, launching a BA program in Folklore (cultural studies) is unquestionable. Out of the higher education institutions in the country, it is only Addis Ababa University that runs a BA program in Folklore (Cultural Studies). However, experts produced only from one institution are not enough to challenge and overcome the problems mentioned above. Thus, launching a BA program in Folklore (cultural studies) at Bahir Dar University is seems very compulsory and logical.



3. Program Objectives

The curriculum for BA in Folklore (cultural studies) is designed to serve as a means of achieving the following objectives.

  • To produce competent students who will contribute for the development of research in folkloristic, in areas of culture, folk literature, society and development; in interdisciplinary fields;
  • To train cultural workers who collect, document, classify, describe, analyze and interpret the material and spiritual values, socio-cultural resources, mosaics and heritages of the diverse ethnic groups of Ethiopia; centering on the scientific uses of folklore and tradition in development;
  • To produce graduates who are capable of: raising the cultural awareness of policy makers and the general public through electronic and print media, organizing cultural archives and museums, and creatively contributing to the development of cultural tourism;
  • To produce cultural experts who skillfully organize and manage literary and cultural performances, exhibitions, and recreational activities;
  • To train cultural experts who work as public relations officers and cultural attachés locally and internationally;