Religious Studies

Brief History

The Religious Studies unit was established in the Faculty of Arts of the University of Nairobi in 1969 as part of the larger Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies under the Chairmanship of Professor Stephen Neil. In its earlier years, the composition of the academic staff was predominantly expatriate, but since the 1980’s, a strong and successful programme of Kenyanization was implemented. The Department continued to grow steadily and was split in 1980 into two separate departments: (i) Department of Philosophy and (ii) Department of Religious Studies. In 2005, the two departments were merged with the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies of the College of Education and External Studies based at Kikuyu campus to form a current combined Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies.

Vision, Mission and Core Values

Vision: A respected and internationally acclaimed thematic area committed to excellence in teaching, research and the development of holistic students and society

Mission: To provide a conducive environment for scholarly articulation of wisdom, beliefs, values and ideals of humanity with a focus on how these may contribute to the quest for a just, peaceful and prosperous world

Core Values:

  • Objectivity and fairness
  • Commitment to human values
  • Quality education
  • Team work and collegiality
  • Professionalism