The Department of Philosophy and Psychology came into being along with the establishment of Aligarh Muslim University in 1920. Later on Department of Philosophy bifurcated in 1965 from Psychology. It has strived to conduct teaching and research, since its inception in extremely significant but generally neglected areas in philosophy. It has paid particular attention to Islamic philosophy without neglecting western and Indian Philosophies. Eminent scholars such as Prof. S. Zafarul Hasan, Prof. M.M Sharif, Prof. Umruddin, Prof. Zafar Ahmad Siddiqui, Prof. Ishrat Hasan, Prof. Jamal Khawja, Prof. Waheed Akhtar, Prof. Mohd Rafiq etc. have made important contributions to different philosophical traditions in various capacities. As the policy of the department it gives an equal emphasis on Western, Islamic and Indian Philosophies. Moreover, department efforts to promote the spirit of free inquiry among the students and teachers. It invites professors of philosophy to deliver lectures on various important philosophical issues and also organizes seminars and workshops for the promotion of philosophy almost every academic year.

The department presently has twelve faculty members representing major areas of philosophy such as Islamic Philosophy, Sufism, Indian Philosophy, Contemporary Epistemology and Metaphysics, Applied Ethics, Socio-Political Philosophy, Philosophy of Science, Aesthetics, Philosophy of Religion, Comparative Religion, Existentialism, Feminism and Post Modernism.

The department holds entrance test for granting admission in M.A. Philosophy and candidates are selected only on the basis of merit. All students admitted to the doctoral program through admission test are getting five years scholarship package from ICPR/UGC. Recently 14 Research Scholars have qualified NET (National Eligibility Test for Lecturer-ship). Eight scholars are awarded Ph.D. degree since 2005 and six candidates have already submitted their Ph.D. dissertation during 2008-09. The number of research scholars actively working now in the department is 31.

The faculty members of the department during the last ten years have published more than 30 books. The department is organizing regularly National and International Seminars. The departmental library consists of 4500 books

The Department publishes biannual journal namely Aligarh Journal of Islamic Philosophy.