George S. Tate was born September 7, 1944 in Santa Monica, California. He grew up in Dayton, Ohio, Salt Lake City and Provo Utah. He graduated from Provo High School in 1962. He served as a full time proselyting missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in West Germany from February 1964 to August 1966.

He graduated from Brigham Young University with his Bachelor of Arts in English and German in 1969 and his Masters in Comparitive Literature in 1970. He graduated with his PhD in Medieval Studies from Cornell University in 1974. While at Cornell University he taught English from 1973-1974. He worked as a faculty member at Brigham Young University from 1974 to the present. He served as chair of Humanities, Classics, and Comparative Literature from 1981-1985, the associate dean of General Education & Honors from 1986 to 1990 and as dean of Undergraduate Education from 2000 to 2005.

At Brigham Young University he taught courses of Comparative Literature, Honors Literature and Scandinavian literature. He has published on multiple topics including Scandanavian literature and critique, Mormon doctrine and history, and literary development and evolution of the Classical works. He is a member of Medieval Academy of America and the society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies and has received multiple awards including the Karl G. Maeser Excellence in Teaching Award 2008-2009.

He married Julie Ann Walton on July 19, 1969 and had two children: Bronwen Ellen and Megan Christina. Following Julie's death on July 11, 1987, George married Karen Elaine Harris Bradshaw on December 30, 1988. In addition to her three children from a previous marriage, Karen and George had a son, Andrew Christian Tate. As of August 2012, the Tates have 18 grandchildren from their five married children.

The General Education and Honors administrative body was formed at Brigham Young University in 1986, when General Education and University Honors Education were placed under the leadership of one administrator, known as the Dean of General Education and Honors, who reported directly to the university. This continued until 2002 when the name was changed to Undergraduate Education, which reflected its main focus. Deans of General Education and Honors included: James R. Kearl (1986-1989), Harold L. Miller, Jr. (1989-1993), Paul A. Cox (1993-1997), James E. Faulconer (Acting Dean, 1997-1998; Dean, 1998-2000), George S. Tate (2000-2002). General Education and Honors oversaw the GE component of a BYU education as well as the Honors Program. At various points in its existence, the administration also supervised First-Year Writing, Freshman Academy, the Freshman Year Office, and Pre-professional Advisement.

The College of Undergraduate Education was established as a distinct unit at Brigham Young University in 2002 when the Dean of General Education and Honors became the Dean of Undergraduate Education. Undergraduate Education has been administered by the following deans: George S. Tate (2002-2006), Daniel J. Fairbanks (2006-2008), John D. Bell (2008-2015), and Susan Sessions Rugh (2015- ). The unit is responsible for undergraduate education, honors, and associated programs.

The General Education program was officially established around 1952-1953 at Brigham Young University. The program is responsible for all general education requirements of the university core, and the General Education Office also facilitates faculty and course development. Supervisors of General Education included Noel B. Reynolds (director until 1982), William E. Evenson (director, 1982-1983; dean, 1983-1985), Donald K. Jarvis (dean, 1985-1986), and John D. Bell (dean, 2008-2015). In 1986, GE became part of General Education and Honors and was supervised by that dean and staff. In 2002, the College of Undergraduate Education was established, overseeing General Education, Honors, and associated programs. As of 2022, the General Education program was administered by the College of Undergraduate Education and overseen by an associate dean of Undergraduate Education.