Pittsburg State University was originally organized as the Auxiliary Manual Training Normal School in 1903. It became a four-year institution in 1913 and was renamed Kansas State Teachers College of Pittsburg. The Graduate Division was organized in 1929 to confer the Master of Science degree. In 1958 the College was authorized to grant the Specialist in Education degree. One year later the name was changed to Kansas State College of Pittsburg, and the Graduate Division was then authorized by the Board of Regents to confer the Master of Arts degree in history, English, and mathematics in addition to the other degrees. Art and communication have been added as options under the Master of Arts degree. The Master of Music was approved in 1968, and the Master of Business Administration in 1974. In 1977 the name of the institution was changed to Pittsburg State University and in 1984, the name of the Graduate Division was changed to the Graduate School.

The Graduate School grants degrees on two levels: the master's degree and the Specialist in Education for study beyond the master's degree. Information concerning these degrees is given in the catalog material which follows.

Graduate study is under the general supervision of the graduate faculty, who are appointed by the president of the university. The majority of graduate faculty members have Doctor of Philosophy or Doctor of Education degrees, although non-doctoral faculty members especially qualified in specific content fields may be appointed to the graduate faculty.

General administration of the Graduate School is under the direction of the Dean of Continuing and Graduate Studies and the Graduate Council.  Members of the Graduate Council are elected by those departments that offer graduate degree programs.