• 1937Public School of Northern Shaanxi was established, offering Japanese, Russian, and English courses.
• 1945North China United University set up the school of foreign languages, including English and Russian departments.
• 1949North China University set up the Translation Institute, translating Russian and English textbooks; the Russian Club was established, and the Russian program enrolled over 500 students.
• 1950Renmin University of China was founded; the Russian program was transformed into the Russian department, admitting its first graduate students.
• 1951The foreign language office was launched, offering English, Japanese, and French courses.
• 1952The first batch of 148 graduate students of the Russian department graduated.
• 1966Renmin University of China was temporarily closed.
• 1978Renmin University of China reopened; the Russian department and foreign language office were reinstated; the school launched the English Teacher Training Program (undergraduate).
• 1984The division of foreign languages was established.
• 1985The division of foreign languages launched graduate program in English jointly with Tsinghua University.
• 1987The Russian department began to enrol undergraduate students.
• 1988The department of foreign languages was founded; the graduate program in English language and literature was launched.
• 1990The undergraduate program in English was launched.
• 1993The undergraduate program in Japanese was launched.
• 1997The graduate program in Japanese language and literature was launched.
• 1999The undergraduate program in German was launched; the graduate program in Russian language and literature was launched; Australian Studies Center was established.
• 2001School of Foreign Languages was established; the undergraduate program in French was launched; Center for German Studies was established.
• 2002Research Center for Japanese Humanities and Social Sciences was established.
• 2003The graduate program in German language and literature was launched.
• 2006The school was granted the authority to confer master degrees in foreign language and literature as a first-level discipline.
• 2011The school was granted by the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council the authority to confer doctoral degrees in foreign language and literature as a first-level discipline.
• 2012The doctoral program in English language and literature was launched; The doctoral program in Japanese language and literature was launched.
• 2014The doctoral program in German language and literature was launched;
• 2014The school was approved by the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council for the establishment of a graduate program in translation and interpretation; MTI Education Center was established.
• 2014The school was granted the authority to confer master degrees in French language and literature as a second-level discipline.