The School of Advanced International Studies was established in Washington, DC, in 1943 by the Foreign Service Educational Foundation. In September 1950, the School was incorporated into the Johns Hopkins University and became one of the graduate divisions of the University.

An Office of the Dean has existed since the School's affiliation with the University. Prior to affiliation, the School was apparently governed by the President of the Foreign Service Educational Foundation. The first Dean, Philip W. Thayer, initially served as a full-time faculty member in addition to fulfilling his administrative responsibilities.

The functions of the Dean were defined in the "SAIS Faculty Handbook" (Subgroup 1, Series 1, "Faculty Handbook," n.d.) as following:
The Dean is the chief executive and educational officer of the school. He is responsible for planning, administrating, and developing the School's programs and activities and for managing the School's finance, raising money, and representing the School generally. He employs and supervises the administrative staff and determines the salaries and stipends of faculty and staff. He appoints full-time members of the faculty with the approval of the Academic Board and appoints part-time faculty with the advice of the relative field director. He establishes academic committees and appoints their members.

Since 1950 the following individuals have served as Dean of the School of Advanced International Studies:
Philip W. Thayer, 1950-1961
Francis O. Wilcox, 1961-1973
Robert E. Osgood, 1973-1979
George R. Packard, 1979-