The School of History at Zhejiang University traces its origins to the Department of History and Political Science, established in 1928 under the College of Arts and Sciences of the National Zhejiang University.

In 1936, President Zhu Kezhen founded the Department of History and Geography. Guided by a humanist vision for the Age of Science, he advocated the integration of scientific methods and spirit with a profound concern for humanity by pursuing the unity of virtue cultivation, resources management, and life enrichment. Pioneering and distinguished historians of great renown, such as Zhang Qiyun, Qian Mu, Zhang Yinlin, Liu Jie, Chen Lesu, Tan Qixiang, Xiang Da, Fang Hao, Xia Nai, and He Changqun, laid the academic foundation with remarkable dedication. They achieved scholarly excellence in fields including Chinese culture and world civilizations, Dunhuang studies, and the Silk Road, establishing a vital paradigm for modern New History in China.

Following the period of reform and opening-up, scholars including Shen Lianzhi, Xu Gui, Hu Yutang, Chen Qiaoyi, Huang Shijian, Liang Taiji, Cang Xiuliang, Jin Pusan, Yang Shubiao, Ding Jianhong, and Lou Junxin carried forward the university's spirit of Seeking Truth, Pursuing Innovation. They built upon past achievements to open new frontiers in historical research, solidifying the discipline's academic stature both domestically and internationally. In November 2021, inheriting this long and distinguished legacy, the School of History was officially established. The discipline has since then entered into a new era with fresh opportunities for development.

The School of History currently hosts doctoral programs and postdoctoral research stations in two first-level disciplines, namely Chinese History and World History. These are further divided into secondary disciplines such as Ancient Chinese History, Modern and Contemporary Chinese History, and World History. The School comprises of five research institutes and nine university-level research centers. Notably, its Center for Northeast Asian Studies is registered with the Ministry of Education as a Center for Country and Region Studies, and the Center for Central Asian and Silk Road Civilizations is recognized by the National Ethnic Affairs Commission as a Belt and Road Country and Region Research Center.

The School of History is committed to fostering virtue and cultivating talent, emphasizing value-oriented education and competency-based learning. It aims to produce top-tier history professionals who are deeply connected to their nation, possess a solid academic foundation, have broad perspectives, and demonstrate strong problem-solving awareness. The History Major was approved in 1994 by the State Education Commission as one of the first National Bases for Talent Cultivation and Scientific Research in Basic Disciplines of Liberal Arts. It was included in the Ministry of Education's inaugural Strengthening Basic Disciplines Plan in 2020 and designated as a National First-Class Undergraduate Program. In 2021, it was selected for the third cohort of Bases for National Top-notch Student Training Program 2.0 of Basic Disciplines.