History is one of the oldest disciplines in Shandong University. As an origin of higher education in modern China, Shandong University offered the course of "Chinese and Foreign History" when the university was founded in 1901. Since then, the academic resources of Provincial Shandong University (Jinan, 1926), National Shandong University (Qingdao, 1930) and Qi-Lu Private University (Jinan, 1917) have been gradually collected and absorbed. The discipline system has been gradually improved and the Department of History was established in 1951. On that basis, the present School of History and Culture was established in 1996.

During its long-term development process, the Department of History has distinguished itself many times. In the early period after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the faculty working in the Department of History included “The Eight Professors”, Yang Xiangkui, Zhao Lisheng, Chen Tongxie, Huang Yunmei, Zheng Hesheng, Tong Shuye, Zhang Weihua, Wang Zhongluo, who enjoy great reputation in Chinese historical circles and a great amount of well-known scholars such as Ding shan, Zhao Jibin, Wu Dakun, Xu Siyuan, Liu Dunyuan, Han Lianqi, Sun Sibai, Hua shan, Pang Piao. On this basis, the former academicians of Shandong University founded the journal of “Literature, History & Philosophy” which is known as "the king of Chinese university journals" and initiated a series of influential academic discussions about the dividing stages of Chinese ancient history, the bud of capitalism and peasant war, winning the high reputation for Shandong University at home and abroad. The splendid tradition of research in the field of “literature and history” in Shandong University was founded since then. The legend of "eight horses at the same tank" and the flourishing scene of humanities have long led the academic trend of China and established the tradition of Shandong University featuring "mastering literature and history", which exert an important influence on the academic circle at home and abroad.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, the Department of History has made remarkable progress. In August 2015, Shandong University successfully hosted the 22nd International Congress of Historical Sciences, which is known as the "Historical Olympics", which is the first time that the Congress was hosted in the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America during its 115-year-old history. 90 countries (regions) of more than 2600 Chinese and foreign scholars have registered to attend the congress. The registered number of countries, historians from developing countries and young scholars reached a record.

The Department of History is complete in discipline system and strong in academic strength. It is one of the member units of the "Steering Committee for History Teaching in Colleges and Universities" of the Ministry of Education. It has one first-level discipline -- Chinese History, one national key discipline -- Ancient Chinese History, and one post-doctoral research station of Chinese History. The doctoral station of Ancient Chinese History is one of the first batch of doctoral degree programs in China (1981), the key second-level discipline in national level (2007) and key discipline in provincial level (1998). It enjoys traditional advantages in the research of the history of Pre-Qin, Qin and Han Dynasties, the history of Southern and Northern Dynasties and Sui, Tang Dynasties and the history of Song Dynasties. Specialized History, Modern and Contemporary Chinese History, Theory of Historiography and History of Historiography are the earliest majors for master’s degree in China. Specialized History, Modern and Contemporary Chinese History are also the key discipline in Shandong province (2011), which get striking achievements and exert huge influence in the research of Boxers Movement, folk secret religion, Christianity and modern China, modern economic and social history, the external relations history of the Ming and Qing dynasties, China’s religions and science and technology history, the history of Chinese thought and culture and twentieth century history of historiography.

The Department of History is well staffed, with 41 teachers including 18 professors and 10 adjunct professors. The important academic fields include research on the history of Pre-Qin, Qin and Han Dynasties conducted by professors like Hu Xinsheng(doctoral supervisors), Jiang Linchang(doctoral supervisors), Ma Xin(doctoral supervisors), Zeng Zhenyu(doctoral supervisors) and Dai Guoxi(doctoral supervisors), research on the history of Southern and Northern Dynasties and Sui, Tang Dynasties done by professors like Han Jishao(doctoral supervisors) and Liu Yufeng(doctoral supervisors), research on the history of Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing Dynasties initiated by professors like Wang Yuji(doctoral supervisors), Fan Xuehui(doctoral supervisors), Ge Huanli(doctoral supervisors) and Zhao Wentan, study of the history of sino-foreign relation conducted by professors like Chen Shangsheng(doctoral supervisors), study of the Taoism and the history of ancient Chinese science and technology done by professors like Han Jishao(doctoral supervisors), research of Boxers Movement and modern and contemporary Chinese society initiated by professors like Luyao(doctoral supervisors), study of Christianity and modern Chinese society and history of sino-western cultural exchange conducted by professors like Hu Weiqing(doctoral supervisors) and Liu Jiafeng(doctoral supervisors), research on the history of the Republic of China and regional history of Shandong province done by professors like Xu Chang(doctoral supervisors) and Zhao Xingsheng(doctoral supervisors), study of the theory of historiography and history of historiography conducted by professors like Wang Xuedian(doctoral supervisors) Zhang Shuxue(doctoral supervisors) Chen Feng(doctoral supervisors), research on modern Chinese history done by professors like Zhang Haipeng( adjunct doctoral supervisors), research on history of the Communist Party of China and modern political conducted by professors like Yu Huamin(adjunct doctoral supervisors) and research on historical document and history of culture done by professors like Li Yonghui(adjunct doctoral supervisors) .

At present, the Department of History has one undergraduate major, that is, History, which enrolls students from all over the country. Through the study of Chinese history and world history, students can fully grasp the basic development situation of politic economy and culture at home and abroad, and systematically understand Chinese and foreign cultural traditions and customs. After graduation, students can be recommended to be exempted from examination or be admitted to any master's major of our school or other key colleges and universities. In recent years, the employment rate of graduates remains around 90%.