The study of history has been part of the University of Northern Iowa’s curriculum since it was founded as the Iowa State Normal School in 1876, and has undergone a variety of changes. Initially, courses in government and history were offered in the History Department until, in 1892, it became the History and Geography Department. In 1894, the History and Geography Department was divided into the History Department, Civics Department, Political Science Department, and Geography Department, which lasted until c. 1896 when the Political Science Department and History Department merged to become the History and Political Science Department, existing in this form until 1909.

Following a school-wide administrative overhaul in 1909, the History and Political Science Department changed to the History and Politics Department, and then, in 1910, the two split and were the History Department and the Government Department. This arrangement lasted until 1922, when the History Department, alongside the Government and Economics Department, were absorbed into the broader Social Science Department.

In 1969, the Social Science Department was disbanded when the State College of Iowa reorganized and became the University of Northern Iowa. With the adoption of a collegiate structure, the History Department became part of the new College of Business and Behavioral Sciences (1969-1980) and has been in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences ever since 1980.

As of April 2020, the Department of History offers a range of courses focusing on everything from United States history, Ancient World history, and Japanese history, as well as a variety of “thematic specializations.” It offers an undergraduate degree, master’s degree, and a Certificate in Museum Studies, and, among other things, hosts lectures given by both UNI history professors and guest lecturers.