The department of Philosophy offers Australia's most comprehensive teaching and research program in Philosophy. It is internationally recognised for research in the history of philosophy, German philosophy, naturalism and contemporary metaphysics, decision theory, philosophy of science (especially causation and time), philosophy of mind and moral, social and political philosophy. Recently, the department's postgraduate program was ranked in the top 40 philosophy graduate programs in the English-speaking world and in the top 2 in Australasia.

Postgraduate research students work on a wide range of topics. For information about current student research projects, go to this page.

Research students in the department of Philosophy are required to undertake coursework units of study in addition to their research thesis. Coursework units of study are held in the traditional time commitments of undergraduate study (that is, thirteen weeks of two-hourly course meetings).