The Department of Dramatic Literature has a history of more than 60 years. Many renowned scholars have served as teachers in the Department, such as ZHOU Yibai, SUN Jiaxiu, LIAO Kedui, ZHU Zhaonian, DING Yangzhogn, TAN Peisheng, YAN Xue, KONG Jin, GAO Ruisen, DING Tao, ZHANG Xian, MA Guojun, HUANG Weiruo, GUO Tao, GUO Fumin, YANG Jian, and SHEN Lin. In the past decades, the Department has trained socially reputable professionals engaged in literary and artistic creation and theoretical research for the country, making outstanding contributions to the prosperity and development of China's cultural and artistic undertakings.

There are now 5 teaching and research sections under the Department respectively for Play-writing, Screen-writing, Theatre History and Criticism, Dramaturgy and Theatre Application, and Art Theory.

Besides its B.A. courses, the Department also provides programs at M.A. and doctoral levels on Art and Literature Studies, Theatre Studies, Theatre Theory and Criticism, Play-writing, Screen-writing, History of Foreign Theatre, History of Chinese Spoken Drama, History of Chinese Traditional Theatre (Xiqu), Art Theory, and Practice of Modern Theatre Art. Postdoctoral stations for relative studies are also available.