The history of the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences dates back to a private pharmacy school, Nagoya School of Pharmacy (Nagoya Yaku Gakko) founded in 1884. In 1946, the school was finally affiliated with the Nagoya City Government. In 1949, Nagoya Pharmaceutical College (Nagoya Yakka Daigaku) was established in accordance with a reform of the educational system administered by the Ministry of Education. In 1950, Nagoya City University was established as an integrated institution of Nagoya Pharmaceutical College and Nagoya Women's Medical College (Nagoya Joshi Ika Daigaku founded in 1943).

In 1951, the School (Faculty at the time) of Pharmaceutical Sciences moved from the Narumi Campus and occupied facilities on the Tanabe-dori Campus of Nagoya City University. In 1961, the Master of Science program, and in 1966, the Doctor of Philosophy program were instituted for academically qualified students who wish to pursue careers of scientific research in the multi-disciplinary areas related to pharmaceutical sciences.

In 1970, the School was, for undergraduate programs, reorganized into the Department of Pharmacy and the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry.

The School of Pharmaceutical Sciences was transformed in 2002 to be one with its basis on graduate programs and with associated undergraduate programs (official name: “Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences”) from one with its basis on undergraduate programs and with associated graduate programs (official name: “Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences”), which had long lasted since 1950, when Nagoya City University was established.

In 2006, the School was, for undergraduate programs, reorganized into the Department of Pharmacy, which offers a 6-year program, and the Department of Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences, which offers a 4-year program, in accordance with the national reform of the pharmacy education system. The 6-year program at the Department of Pharmacy includes extended clinical pharmacy practice courses and fulfills the newly enacted requirements to be eligible for the National Pharmacist Licensure Examination. The 4-year program at the Department of Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences places emphasis on research skills for drug development and relevant activities. The graduates of the 4-year program, which does not include clinical pharmacy practice courses, are in principle not eligible for the National Pharmacist Licensure Examination.

At present, the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences consists of 19 departments and Educational Research Center for Clinical Pharmacy as an affiliated institute, and 59 full-time faculties. Approximately 200 graduate students and 400 undergraduate students are enrolled. The School of Pharmaceutical Sciences is accredited by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology for both undergraduate and graduate programs and is a member of the Japanese University Accreditation Association and of the Japanese Council of Pharmaceutical Education.