The College of Humanities was created in 1965, through a division of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The college consisted of four areas: the Department of English, the Department of Languages, a small inter-departmental program in humanities, and another inter-departmental program in Latin American Studies. In addition to providing degrees in the humanities, the college prepares leaders and teachers in these subjects, initially emphasizing the study of languages, both English and foreign, and on the cultures and achievements in art and thought of the people who use these languages.

The College of Fine Arts and Communications has been the administering body for the following departments and schools: English, Humanities, Languages, Latin-American Studies, Linguistics, Classical and Asian Languages, French and Italian, Germanic and Slavic Languages, Spanish and Portuguese, Asian and Slavic Languages, Classical, Biblical, and Middle Eastern Languages. Germanic Languages, Humanities and Comparative Literature, American Studies, Humanities, Classics, and Comparative Literature, Linguistics and Special Languages, Mexican American Studies, Philosophy, Asian Studies, Asian and Near Eastern Languages, Germanic and Slavic Languages, Linguistics, French and Italian Languages, Spanish and Portuguese Languages, and Linguistics and English Language. The college is administered by a dean under the direction of the university president.

College deans have included Bruce B. Clark (1966-1982), Richard H. Cracroft (1982-1987), Todd A. Britsch (1987-1991), Marry Anne Rich (1992-1993), Randall L. Jones (1993-1998), Van C. Gessel (1998-1999), John R. Rosenberg (2006-2015), and J. Scott Miller (2015- ).