Shandong University (SDU) is known for its expertise in literature and history, and the College of Literature has played a prominent role throughout SDU’s century-long history. In 1901, when SDU was established, the College of Literature was established alongside it. In the 1930’s, experts, scholars, and famous writers such as Yang Zhensheng, Wen Yiduo, Shu Sheyu, Liang Shiqiu, Shen Congwen, and You Guo’en could be found at the College, each a unique embellishment to the history of Shandong University. At the founding of the People’s Republic of China, notable scholars such as Wang Tongzhao, Feng Yuanjun, Lu Kanru, Gao Heng, Xiao Difei, and Lu Ying taught at the Department, further cementing SDU’s tradition of excellence in literature and history. In modern times, the College has produced significant advances in pedagogy, academic research, and the academic subject. These elements come together to produce a solid academic style, a strong and influential collection of expertise, complete course offerings, a rational academic echelon distribution, outstanding teaching quality, and a colorful and diverse body of student work. At present, the College has nearly 1,000 students, including around 120 doctoral students, over 270 master students, and more than 500 undergraduate students. There are 99 faculty members (including 3 non-professional staff and 3 part-time staff), including 79 full-time professors, 34 tenured professors, 30 associate professors, 40 doctoral tutors, and 60 master tutors. Among them are 2 Changjiang Scholars, 7 chair professors (including 2 part-time), 6 distinguished professors (including 2 part-timers), 3 honorary professors, 1 Leading Youth Talent from the Ten Thousand Talents Program, 2 SDU Outstanding Young and Middle-aged Scholars, 4 Qilu Youth Scholars, and 12 post-doctoral fellows.

In the 1930’s, Shandong University created its College of Literature. In the early 1950’s, it was abolished and reorganized as the ChineseLiterature Department. In August of 1996, the College of Literature was restored with the Chinese Literature Department as the primary component. In July of 2000, after the establishment of the New Shandong University, the College of Literature was renamed the College of Literature, Journalism, and Communication. Finally, in September of 2016, the new "College of Literature" was established. At present, the school has six physical research institutes, including the Institute of Literary Arts, the Institute of Ancient Chinese Literature, the Institute of Modern and Contemporary Chinese Literature, the Institute of Chinese Language and Philology, the Institute of Comparative and World Literature, and the University Language Research Center. It also hosts nine virtual research institutions, including the Internet Literature Research Center and the Records of the Grand Historian Literary Research Center. The College is also home to teaching management and auxiliary institutions such as the Administrative Office, the Party Committee Office, the Student Services Office, the Youth League Committee Office, the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Office, the Postgraduate Academic Affairs Office, the Continuing Education Office, and others. The College regularly publishes the academic journal Shandong University Chinese Essays and the literary journal World of Literature.

The Department of Chinese, the College’s predecessor institution, began enrolling graduate students in the 1950’s. In 1981, the State Council restored the university degree system, and the College was among the first batch to be granted the right to confer master's and doctoral degrees. In 1997, the College received the right to confer doctoral degrees in first-level subjects. There are currently 6 doctoral programs and 9 master programs in which students can enroll. From 1994 to 1996, the four subjects of “Literary Arts”, “Ancient Chinese Literature”, “Chinese Language and Philology”, and “Modern and Contemporary Chinese Literature” were rated as key subjects in Shandong Province. In 1997, the entire "Chinese Language and Literature" major was included in Shandong University's "211 Project" key subject build-up plan. In December of 2000, the Shandong University Literary Arts Research Center, established with the Literary Arts major as its primary component, was approved as a key humanities and social sciences research base for universities under the Ministry of Education. In January of 2001, the Ministry of Personnel granted approval for the College to establish a doctoral residency program. In January of 2002, “Literary Arts” was approved as a key university subject. The Chinese Language and Literature major has been ranked among the top in all previous Ministry of Education evaluations. In 2017, in the fourth round of national subject evaluations, the College’s Chinese Language and Literature first-level major was awarded the rank of A.

The College currently offers an undergraduate major in Teaching Chinese Language and Literature. In 1994, it was included in the first batch of national liberal arts talent training and scientific research bases. In 2001, it passed the first phase of acceptance and was rated as an Outstanding Base. Over the years, all teachers at the College have devoted themselves to teaching and research, and have achieved many influential academic research results. Over the past three years, 74 academic works have been published, 160 academic papers at the level of CSSCI journal and above have been produced, and nearly 30 provincial and ministerial awards have been granted. The College produces high-quality graduates who possess high competence, have a wide range of employment options, and who are well-received in all walks of life. Many of the College’s outstanding graduates have taken up important leadership positions at diverse levels or have become experts and scholars.

The College has a reference library, a language lab, a computer lab, and a local area network for teaching and scientific research. The College offers excellent conditions and facilities. The college also has a collection of nearly 300,000 books, and its collection of books (especially ancient books) is among the best held by China’s college and university liberal arts departments. The College has also established long-term cooperative relationships with 14 key domestic universities such as Peking University, Fudan University, Nanjing University, and stable academic relationships with universities in the United States, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.

In pursuit of the principles of "relying on the division of labor and collective leadership; relying on systems and improving regulations; and relying on democracy, respecting teachers, and valuing education", Shandong University looks forward to momentous opportunities for development. All teachers and students at the College of Literature will carry forward our traditions, work together, and offer our enthusiasm, enterprising spirit, dedication, perseverance, and pioneering work, strive to create new honors for our College.