The Department of History and Philosophy of Science (HPS), of the University of Cambridge is the largest department of History and Philosophy of Science in the United Kingdom. It received a maximum rating of 4* for the majority of its submissions to the RAE 2008 Research Assessment Exercise. Located in the historic buildings of the Old Physical Chemistry Laboratories on Free School Lane, Cambridge, the Department teaches undergraduate courses towards the Cambridge Tripos and graduate courses including a taught Masters and PhD supervision in the field of HPS. The Department shares its premises with the Whipple Museum and Whipple Library which provide important teaching resources for its teaching and research.
The Department of HPS at Cambridge employs twelve full-time teaching staff, approximately thirty research staff, numerous supervisors and research associates from departments and colleges across the University of Cambridge, in addition to external supervisors and examiners. Until 2013 the head of department was Professor John Forrester, an international authority in the History of Mind, and a leading figure on Sigmund Freud and the history of psychoanalysis. The current head of department is Professor Jim Secord. Other teaching staff include, Professor Hasok Chang, Dr Eleanor Robson, Professor Simon Schaffer, Dr Tim Lewens and Dr Patricia Fara. Emeritus Professor Nicholas Jardine retired from full-time teaching duties in the summer of 2010.