Adrian Van Vliet founded the German Theological College and Seminary, the initial predecessor to the University of Dubuque, in 1852.

In 1916, the school dropped the word "German" from its name, due in part to anti-German sentiment inflamed by the First World War, and became just Dubuque College.

The original building was also renovated to include a new indoor swimming pool, racquetball courts, a hall of fame, and a multi-purpose area.

[7] The university was granted a provisional six-year accreditation by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools due to concerns about academics in the wake of the financial crisis.

The offer of tenure was immediately revoked and Jeffries was dismissed from the university, an action that stirred considerable unrest among students and faculty.

[10] The university has completed building additional student housing on land adjacent to Dodge Street, the main east–west thoroughfare through the city.

This was done because University president Karl Wettstone was opposed to the commercialization of sports and the recruiting of athletes with offers of free tuition, room, and board.

There also were concerns about the salaries some coaches had received, which were felt to be excessive compared to the compensation paid other department heads.

Men's varsity sports include football, baseball, basketball, cross-country, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, indoor and outdoor track, and wrestling.

Women's varsity sports include basketball, cross country, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, track, tennis, and volleyball.

Students now have the opportunity to participate in an increasingly popular winter sport against other conference rivals including Loras and Cornell college while attending the University of Dubuque.

Notable graduates of the University of Dubuque include Walter Soboleff, a Tlingit scholar, elder and religious leader.

; and novelist Eckhard Gerdes, author of thirteen published novels, including My Landlady the Lobotomist and Hugh Moore.

O'Leary gained notoriety when he was hired then dropped as Notre Dame head coach when it was discovered that he fabricated his resume.