The College of Home Economics (CHE) at the University of the Philippines was established by the Board of Regents on July 27, 1961. It emanated from the Department of Home Economics in the College of Education where the discipline was first officially recognized on November 12, 1921, forty years before the College was established.

In its beginning years, CHE offered two undergraduate degree programs: BS in Food Technology (BSFT) and BS in Home Economics (BSHE), major in any of the following fields: Nutrition and Dietetics; Home Arts, Clothing, Textiles and Related Arts; Family Life and Child Development; Clothing, Home Funishing and Crafts Merchandising. The graduate programs which started with the university's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences were transferred to CHE's administration: Master of Home Economics (MHE), Master of Arts in Home Economics (MAHE), and Master of Science in Foods and Nutrition (MSFN).

As the College stepped on its 40th year, it was administering 17 curricular programs: seven undergraduate and ten graduate. With the multiplication and diversification of its curricular offerings, a systematic and substantial disciplinal identity development and curricular review was undertaken by the faculty. For the very first timein the College history, the discipline of Home Economics was defined by the faculty in their own terms (1990) and the Educative Goals of the College articulated (1992). Three common courses were instituted to better address CHE's educative goals and to provide a venue for exchange of ideas among CHE students across sub-disciplines.

To enhance its thrust, the Filipino Family and the Nation series was organized in 1991, numerous public fora on issues affecting Filipino families were conducted from 1992 onwards and the Family Studies Program was established in 1994 as was the Food Safety Project and CHE-Libis Pahinungod in 1995.