Established in 1925 by Austin G. Schmidt, S.J., the Graduate School was originally part of the Loyola campus known as the Downtown College. It shared space with the School of Law, University College, and the School of Social Work first in the Ashland Block and later at 27-28 Franklin St. In 1946 the school moved with the Law and University College to the newly acquired Lewis Towers campus, now called the Water Tower Campus.