The University of Oregon’s Historic Preservation graduate program was established in 1980. It was the first Historic Preservation program on the West Coast.

The undergraduate minor opened to all university majors in 1987.

In fall term of 2016, the Master of Science in Historic Preservation was relocated to the University of Oregon in Portland's award-winning White Stag Block. In 2024, the University of Oregon Portland campus switched to its newly renovated Northeast campus while the HP program begin the process of relocating to the Eugene campus to foster collaboration with the other disciplines in the School of Architecture & Environment.