St. Mary’s University (SMU) evolved from St. Mary’s Language School, which started operation in 1991E.C. Then, as a college, it was established in 1998 E.C. with campuses in Addis Ababa and Hawassa. The College had its head office in Hawassa, and it was moved to Addis Ababa in 1999 E.C. Showing noticeable progress through time and after being evaluated rigorously by the Ethiopian Relevance and Quality Agency, it was awarded a university status in 2013 E.C.— an exclusive club of only 5 private universities among over 300 private higher learning institutions in the country.  

Fully accredited by the National Quality Assurance Organization, SMU has offered undergraduate and graduate programs in diverse fields of studies in the conventional and distance modes of learning. At present, it  is offering programs in Accounting, Computing Science, Management, Marketing Management, Tourism and Hospitality Management and Economics in the regular and extension classes at undergraduate level. The regular graduate programs offered by the School of Graduate Studies include MBA programs in General Management, Human Resource Management, Accounting and Finance, Impact Entrepreneurship, Project Management, and Masters in Marketing Management, Development Economics, Computer Science, Agri-Economics, Development Management, Social Work, and Quality and Productivity Management. 

In the distance mode of learning, it offers Accounting, Management, Marketing Management, Agricultural Extension, Agricultural Economics, Cooperatives, Educational Management and Planning, Economics, and Sociology in the undergraduate programs. In partnership with Indira Gandhi National Open University of India (IGNOU), it runs graduate programs in eight areas of studies in distance learning. Partnering with the Open University of Tanzania, SMU offers Master’s programs in four areas.