The School for Historical and Philosophical Sciences is a place to discover – and contribute to – bold ideas about humanity and its complex societies. You’ll learn from academics whose own research inspires their teaching, and become part of the curious, intellectually-engaged and welcoming SHAPS community.
Disciplines that span the history of human civilisation
Whether you’re looking to immerse yourself in worlds of the past, engage with discourses around cultures and identities in the present, or learn the skills to conserve vital cultural materials for the future, you’ll be guided by exceptional, passionate academics.
Explore our stories, news and events
Learn about our research centres, hubs and units
-
ARC Centre of Excellence for the History of Emotions (Europe 1100-1800)
The Centre’s research aims are to produce a new interdisciplinary understanding of the long history of individual and communal emotions in Europe (1100–1800). It was established 2011–18 with funding from the ARC, and extended by the ARC 2019–21, with funding from its nodes at Australian universities.
-
Asia-Pacific Twentieth Century Conservation Art Research Network (APTCCARN)
The APTCCARN is a forum for the identification and discussion of research focusing on the conservation and scientific analysis of 20th century cultural materials in the Asia-Pacific region.
-
Classical Association of Victoria
The Classical Association operates for the propagation and well-being of Classics and Ancient World Studies in the state of Victoria in Australia. The associations activities include a rich program of lectures given by distinguished academics from Australia and overseas.
-
Emporium: Cultures of Luxury and Consumption
Emporium is a research hub, based at the University of Melbourne, dedicated to the long and rich histories of consumption, production, and consumer practices across time and space.
-
Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation (GCCMC)
The Centre is responsible for the conservation of the University's cultural material collections and provides commercial conservation programs, treatments and advice for individuals and organisations.
-
Research Initiative on Post-Soviet Space
Consolidating the emerging strengths in Soviet and post-Soviet studies through research, training, and global engagement.
-
Classics and Archaeology
Classics and Archaeology is a leading program internationally for the study of the ancient world. It is home to cutting-edge research and field study undertaken by its staff, researchers and fellows
-
Cultural Materials Conservation
The Cultural Materials Conservation program is the only one of its kind in Australia combining both the theory and practice of cultural material conservation.
-
Gender Studies
Our program explores the significance of gender and sexuality on a range of discourses embedded within culture, identity and global history.
-
History
Established in 1854, the History program at the University of Melbourne is one of the most distinguished and longest running in Australia.
-
History and Philosophy of Science
The History and Philosophy of Science program began in 1946 at the University of Melbourne as one of the first departments of its kind in the world.
-
Philosophy
Established in 1853, the Philosophy program has fostered generations of outstanding students and researchers.
-
The Program in Jewish Culture and Society
The Jewish and Hebrew Studies program has gained national and international recognition for scholarly excellence, educational initiatives and cultural outreach.
Research projects
Explore a selection of Australian Research Council-funded and other research projects undertaken by academics at the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies.
-
The Rediscovery of Tragic Myth: Senecan tragedy in fourteenth century Europe
In this Australian Research Council-funded research project, Dr K.O. Chong-Gossard (Classics, SHAPS) and Professor Bernard Muir (Professorial Fellow, English and Theatre Studies, SCC) investigate the medieval Latin commentaries by Nicholas Trevet on the ancient Roman tragedies of Seneca.
-
repliCATS: Collaborative Assessments for Trustworthy Science
The repliCATS project is among the first projects to address one of the most pressing controversies of modern science: scientific replicability. Led by Professor Fiona Fidler, the team consists of interdisciplinary researchers from the School of BioSciences, School of Historical and Philosophical Studies and the Melbourne School of Engineering.
-
Gender Diversity Narratives in the Australian Context
Do Australians think workplace gender diversity is important? In this project, Philosophy academics Professor Cordelia Fine and Dr Holly Lawford-Smith join an interdisciplinary team to explore reasons offered across a corpus of articles published in the Australian print media in the 25-year period between 1995-2020.
-
Confronting Historical Injustice in Indonesia: Memory and Transnational Human Rights Activism
Using an innovative framework of the concept of ‘regions of memory’, Associate Professor in Southeast Asian History Kate McGregor is examining how human rights activists located within and outside Indonesia use memory for the purposes of achieving human rights outcomes.
-
Constructing Social Hierarchy
In this ARC-funded project, a team of Philosophy academics aim to integrate recent developments in the philosophy of mind, language, emotion, and action to better understand how social hierarchies are created and maintained and how they can be disrupted.
-
Disposal of the Dead: Beyond Burial and Cremation
The DeathTech research team is a group of anthropologists, social scientists and human-computer interaction specialists based at the University of Melbourne and the University of Oxford. They have been studying questions at the intersection of death, technology, and society for more than a decade.
Research centres, hubs and units
Explore the fascinating and fundamental research conducted by our centres, hubs and units.
-
ARC Centre of Excellence for the History of Emotions (Europe 1100-1800)
The Centre’s research aims are to produce a new interdisciplinary understanding of the long history of individual and communal emotions in Europe (1100–1800). It was established 2011–18 with funding from the ARC, and extended by the ARC 2019–21, with funding from its nodes at Australian universities.
-
Asia-Pacific Twentieth Century Conservation Art Research Network (APTCCARN)
The APTCCARN is a forum for the identification and discussion of research focusing on the conservation and scientific analysis of 20th century cultural materials in the Asia-Pacific region.
-
Classical Association of Victoria
The Classical Association operates for the propagation and well-being of Classics and Ancient World Studies in the state of Victoria in Australia. The associations activities include a rich program of lectures given by distinguished academics from Australia and overseas.
-
Emporium: Cultures of Luxury and Consumption
Emporium is a research hub, based at the University of Melbourne, dedicated to the long and rich histories of consumption, production, and consumer practices across time and space.
-
Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation (GCCMC)
The Centre is responsible for the conservation of the University's cultural material collections and provides commercial conservation programs, treatments and advice for individuals and organisations.
-
Research Initiative on Post-Soviet Space
Consolidating the emerging strengths in Soviet and post-Soviet studies through research, training, and global engagement.
Explore more
-
Areas of expertise
Looking for a supervisor? Explore our academics' area of expertise.
-
Research environment
Learn more about the research environment at the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies.
-
Research strengths
Considering conducting research with us?Explore our research strengths by discipline.
-
Research publications
Discover a selection of major publications, including books and book chapters, by our academics.
-
Undergraduate
Information for current undergraduate students, including undergraduate, honours, subjects taught in the School and breadth studies.
-
Honours
Information for current honours students, including School contacts.
-
Graduate coursework
Information for current graduate coursework students. including essay writing guides and citation styles, cover sheets, minor thesis due dates, attendence and School contacts.
-
Graduate research
Information for current and prospective graduate research students, including ethics, study schemes, research student associations and facilities.
-
Scholarships and prizes
The Faculty of Arts offers a range of scholarships and prizes that provide scholars with opportunities for development and research.