The Hiroshima University School of Education was established at the time of Hiroshima University's founding in 1949. The five schools that were the forerunners of the School of Education were Hiroshima Higher Normal School, Hiroshima University of Literature and Science, Hiroshima Normal School, Hiroshima Young Men's Normal School, and Hiroshima Women's Higher Normal School. No other school in Japan has ever amalgamated five types of schools encompassing educational research and teacher training. Since that time, the School of Education has become distinguished as a school with a comprehensive approach to education. 

The schools that were the forerunners of the School of Education all boasted long histories and substantial achievements. Hiroshima Higher Normal School, which was established in 1902, was one of the nation's key schools for training secondary school teachers; due to the fact that it supplied outstanding teachers to secondary schools across the country, it came to be known as the "head temple of regular teachers." Hiroshima University of Literature and Science was founded in 1929 and was a base for research in the fields of educational studies and pedagogy. With origins dating back to the 1874 founding of Hakushima School (subsequently Hiroshima Prefectural Public Normal School), Hiroshima Normal School, which was established in 1943, had been educating elementary school teachers for more than 70 years. Hiroshima Young Men's Normal School, which was founded in 1944, had been training teachers for vocational supplementary schools and youth schools since the establishment of Hiroshima Prefectural Training Institute for Teachers of Vocational Supplementary Schools in 1922. Hiroshima Women's Higher Normal School, which was established in 1945, focused on training female teachers and had a history dating back to the 1887 founding of the Hiroshima Girls' High School (subsequently Yamanaka Girls' High School).

When it was first established, the School of Education had three branch schools: the Yasuura Branch School (subsequently the Fukuyama Branch School), the Shinonome Branch School, and the Mihara Branch School. As part of the process of integrating the university's various campuses around the city, the School of School Education was established in 1978. In 2000, following relocation to the Higashihiroshima campus, the School of Education and the School of School Education were re-integrated into a single school.

Hiroshima University of Literature and Science produced a number of outstanding researchers and awarded doctoral degrees. When the new system of graduate schools was launched in 1953, Hiroshima University acquired Graduate School of Education with doctoral programs. The Graduate School of Education sought to increase the number of advanced courses and the Graduate School of School Education was also established. In 2001, academic staff at the graduate school level were reorganized, thereby completing the departmentalization of the Graduate School of Education.

In April 2004, Hiroshima University became Hiroshima University National University Corporation. It is anticipated that the School and the Graduate School of Education will achieve even greater progress in the future, while retaining the traditions of education that have been cultivated over the course of Hiroshima University's history.