Maseno University was established in the year 1990 as a constituent college of Moi University. The University College had only two Faculties namely Faculty of Education and Faculty of Arts. Department of Economics was one of the departments approved to serve the Faculty of Education.
As the student population increased in the subsequent years, the department evolved from serving the Faculty of Education to serving multiple Departments and Schools in the University, under the faculty of arts and social sciences (FASS).

In 2000, the Department evolved into School of Business and Economics. The Department of Economics was retained in the School of Business and Economics.

To date, the department has produced a number of human resource capitals. We are the only Department of Economics in Western Kenya region offering degree programmes from undergraduate to PhD in Economics.

 
Currently, The Department is   strategically looking forward to evolve into School if Economics.