1.1. THE AIM OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES AT UDSM
As an academic field of multidisciplinary scholarship, this programme features the secular comparative study of religious belief systems, behavioural norms, and institutions, emphasizing systematic, historical, evidence-based, and cross-cultural perspectives. This field draws upon the methodologies and texts of anthropology, sociology, psychology, philosophy, theology, and history. The focus is upon building awareness and insight in the theoretical issues underlying religious public concerns sustained in Tanzania, Africa, and globally.
1.2. THE AIM OF PHILOSOPHICAL STUDIES UDSM
Philosophy is integral to the canon of many academic disciplines: history, literature, political science, sociology, psychology, heritage studies, art, physics, cultural geography, and economics; but thus far at UDSM it has not been thoroughly and rigorously addressed and tutored as a distinct discipline to a high standard. Treating philosophy as a specialization provides the opportunity to develop the intellectual output of the College and the University overall, and to provide graduates and undergraduates with access to literatures and the skills to contribute to debates and think tanks that are mainstream in the international academic, social, professional, and business arenas.
After studying philosophy, students will have acquired a wide range of transferable skills that enable them to pursue employment opportunities with a successful track record for philosophy students over the years. Since philosophy programmes provide experience in applied ethics, general elements of practical logic, and foundations of the sciences, both social and natural, students do particularly well in seeking job opportunities in civil society, public services, international institutions, and non-governmental organizations.
Philosophy graduates have a strong competitive edge when evaluated nowadays by human resource hiring teams, especially in the fields of social policy analysis, political oration, directorships, and managerial positions. Because they are trained to solve problems creatively, without always following prescribed formulae, philosophy graduates have often been assessed more favorably by human resource personnel filling job slots in the corporate and commercial banking sector than their counterparts with standard business, finance, and public administration training. Apart from business management and commerce, philosophy graduates work in a wide range of fields: international development, diplomacy, the creative and performing arts, mass media, marketing and advertising, counseling, advocacy and social work, community development and district government, language services, law, education at all levels, policy making and analysis, travel, heritage studies and the hospitality sector, advertising, and social work.