The Development Economics Study Program began with the Department of Development Economics at the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), (formerly the Faculty of Economics, FE) State University of Semarang (Unnes). The Faculty of Economics was inaugurated in 2006 and became the seventh faculty in Unnes. Along with the issuance of Presidential Decree No. 124 of 1999 concerning the change of IKIP Semarang, Bandung and Medan into universities, IKIP Semarang changed its name to Universitas Negeri Semarang (Unnes). With the issuance of the Presidential decree, followed by the issuance of the decree of the Minister of Education and Culture No. 278/O/1999 concerning the Organization and Work Procedures of Unnes, as well as the decree of the Minister of National Education No. 225/O/2000 concerning the Statute of Unnes, the name of Social Sciences Education (FPIPS) changed to the Faculty of Social Sciences (FIS). Likewise, the Department of Economics Education changed to the Department of Economics, with this development the department was given an expanded mandate to open non-educational study programs, such as the Management Study Program (S1), the Accounting Study Program (S1) and the Development Economics Study Program (S1).
