The Department of Accounting and Finance has been contributing towards meeting the country’s demand for trained human resource in the areas of accounting, auditing and finance since its establishment in 1962 in the name of the Department of Accounting. Since its establishment, the current Department of Accounting and Finance has existed under different umbrellas. Originally it was under the College of Business Administration (CBA), followed by the College of Social Sciences, and then the Faculty of Business & Economics (FBE), followed by the School of Business and Public Administration. Now it is under the College of Business & Economics (CoBE).

The Department runs both graduate and undergraduate programs namely:

•   BA in Accounting and Finance (Regular and Evening);
•   MSc in Accounting and Finance (Regular and Evening);
•   MSc in Accounting and Auditing (Regular and Evening); and
•   MBA (Master of Business Administration) program in collaboration with the Department of Management.

The Department has currently 440 students in the regular and 1072 in the extension program in the undergraduate Accounting and Finance program. There are also 49 regular and 91 extension MSc students in the Accounting and Finance program. The MSc in Accounting and Auditing program has 21 students in the extension program. The MBA program has 60 students in the regular program.

In addition to running its own programs, the Department offers service courses to other departments within the College, namely, the Department of Management, Department of Public Administration and Development Management and Department of Economics. Outside the College of Business and Economics, the Department offers courses to the students of Construction and Technology Management, EiABC, the School of Pharmacy and the School of Informatics.

Mission

The Accounting Department of the College of Business and Economics (FBE) strives to equip the present and future-leaders with knowledge of current and future accounting, auditing and finance practices and relevant skills through student–centered high quality, viable programs which are fully recognized by both private and public institutions in Ethiopia.

The Accounting Department seeks to sustain its growth and relevance through:

• A highly educated and motivated faculty;
• Relevant curriculum leading to an exceptional learning environment with full access to new technologies and computer-mediated learning;
• Abundant intellectual capital created through scholarly activities;
• A fully integrated international perspective;
• A full understanding of employer needs obtained through constant monitoring of the business environment through linkage programs.

Objectives of the Department

A) Teaching and learning objectives:

The general objective of the Department of Accounting and Finance, in line with the AAU strategic objectives and mission, is to be a department of highly qualified instructors dedicated to preparing students for entry-level opportunities and long-term career success in accounting and finance providing a fulfilling experience for members of the faculty, and making meaningful contributions to the professional and academic communities at the national, regional and international levels.

The specific objectives of the Department are to:

1.  Provide students with sufficient academic and professional base from which to pursue a career in accounting and finance to advance to further study and a potential academic career in accounting and finance;
2.   Provide students with the skills necessary to apply their knowledge in the organizations and businesses in which they are employed;
3.   Provide students with a solid basis on which they can adapt to changing techniques and practices in the business and professional world;
4.    Attract and retain qualified students with the talents necessary to successfully complete their chosen degree programs.

                  B) Research Objectives

The Department also strives to conduct research that contributes directly to its role in providing education to students, (development of teaching materials, promotion of  local relevance, assurance of  international standard, development of business cases for teaching ),   encourages the intellectual development of our faculty, and meets the needs of the local and international business and academic communities