The School of Philosophy and Letters began in 1955 as the School of History. The classrooms were installed on the third floor of the Museum of Navarra, which was ceded by the Diputación Foral.

Federico Suárez was in charge of the new School of History of the Estudio General de Navarra.

Eleven were the first students of the School of History (three attended as listeners), for whom there were five professors.

The 1957-58 academic year was inaugurated by Professor Antonio Fontán, who had recently joined School. Once the two common courses were finished, the first year of specialization in History began, with new subjects and, therefore, new professors.

In 1960, the School launched the high school Liberal Arts, a semi-autonomous center within the School, whose first director was William Stetson, an American professor. In its first year, thirteen students attended programs of study in Liberal Arts.

In the 61-62 academic year, the Philosophy section of School began its activity. It was initiated, among other professors, by Leonardo Polo, Joaquín Ferrer, Frederik Wilhelmsen, James Colbert, Jesús García, Patricio Peñalver, José Mª Martínez Doral and Wolfgang Strobl.

On November 16, 1963 the Chair of language and Basque Culture was created, although its activities began a few months later. Its first director, invited by the then Dean Antonio Fontán, was the priest José Miguel de Barandiarán.

Also in 1963, the first Philosophical Meetings were held, dealing with "Nothingness". Since then, this international congress has been held every year, except in 2003 and in 2020, because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 1964, the University awarded for the first time the Degree of Doctor 'Honoris Causa'. Miguel Sancho Izquierdo received the distinction at proposal from Philosophy y Letras. Since then the School has added another 8 honorary doctors to its faculty.

In the 1964/65 academic year, Central Building was inaugurated. The classes of Philosophy and Letters were moved there.

Since 1954, the School offered summer courses to international students to facilitate their knowledge of language and culture. In 1964 these teachings were extended to the entire academic year. And in 1967, the high school of language and Spanish Culture (ILCE) was created.

In 1972 the first International History Talks were held, whose conference proceedings were published two years later, in 1974. They dealt with 'The historical method'. These have been followed by seven other editions, in 1979, 1984, 1988, 1993, 1997, 2002 and 2010.

In 1975, the School launched the Science section of the Education, which was born closely linked to the high school of Sciences of the Education (ICE), founded 10 years earlier as an autonomous high school , under the Office of the Executive Council.

In 1977, the department of Art History of the School began the elaboration of the Monumental Catalog of Navarra, together with the Institución Príncipe de Viana and the Archbishopric of Pamplona. The project was directed by Concepción García Gainza.

The preparation of the Catalogue was completed in 1997. Its results were published in nine volumes, a database was created with its contents and all its photographic collections, comprising some 40,000 photographs, were digitized.

In 1986, the high school business y Humanismo was launched. Together with some men from business, it was promoted by the professors of School Alejandro Llano, Leonardo Polo, Rafael Alvira and Jaime Benguría. In the academic year 2017/18 the high school was integrated into the School of Economics.

In 1990, Professor Ignacio Arellano founded the group de research Siglo de Oro (GRISO), which brings together 11 researchers from School and about 40 associate members from different universities and cultural institutions, both Spanish and foreign.

In 2001 the School of Philosophy began to offer double Degrees with Communication; and in 2015 the double Degrees with Law were created.

In 2005 the School created the Chair de Patrimonio y Arte Navarro, sponsored by the Government of Navarra. Its goal is to put at the service of society the knowledge of Navarre's heritage after the decades of study that crystallized in the Monumental Catalog of Navarre.

In 2016 the Archaeology Club was launched, to energize the programs of study on the ancient world and archaeological culture. In 2018 it gave rise to the Diploma in Archaeology, directed by the Full Professor of Ancient History Javier Andreu.

On January 22, 2016, Violetta Dmitrenko defended at the School of Philosophy and Letters the thesis issue 1000. The first one had been defended by Gerald Francis Lange in the academic year 1963/64.

In 2017, the School launched the department Writing Center at Philology, which seeks to enhance the development of the skill written of students while pursuing their programs of study, through personalized tutoring and workshops.

The School created in 2018 the laboratory of Speech. Equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, the laboratory studies the mechanical level of speech and the relationship between the higher, cognitive level of language and the mechanical level.

In 2020, the School launched the laboratory de Humanities Digitales, an interdisciplinary center, professor and researcher. It seeks to provide tools and knowledge in the field of digital culture, for the cultivation and dissemination of Humanities.

In the last decade, the School has expanded its academic programs with the creation of the Degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE), in 2018; and the Degree in language and Spanish Literature, in 2022.

Six decades after its launch, the School has more than 8,251 alumni in over 30 countries.

For the 2022/23 academic year, the School has also expanded its offerings at postgraduate program with the Master's Degree in Christianity and Contemporary Culture. The program is offered at campus in Madrid and has 40 students in its first class.