The history of the Górnośląska Wyższa Szkoła Handlowa (Katowice School of Economics) dates back to the 15th of May 1991, when the then Private College of Economics was opened. On the 15th of June 1994, the School was entered into the register of Non-Public Institutes of Higher Education and the name was changed to the one if functions under currently. At the time, the School offered degrees in two faculties: Management and Marketing, and Tourism and Recreation.

On the 4th of December, 1997, the School was the first in Southern Poland to be permitted by the Ministry for Education and Training to offer courses at Masters level in Management and Marketing. A similar decision with regards to Tourism and Recreation was handed down on the 27th of November, 2001.

Between 2001 and 2005, the School created five new faculties: Administration, Information Technology and Econometrics, Sociology and Physiotherapy.

In 2002, the Żory Campus was opened, offering a Bachelor degree in Management and Marketing.

Currently, the Katowice School of Economics, offers full time and part time degrees in three faculties with 7 different possible major courses of study.

Faculty of Management

• Management and Marketing (Bachelor and Master's degrees)
• Information Technology and Econometrics (Bachelor and Master's degrees)
• Administration (Bachelor Degree)
• Sociology (Bachelor Degree)
• International Relations (Bachelor Degree)

Faculty of Tourism and Health Sciences

• Tourism and Recreation (Bachelor and Master's degrees)
• Physiotherapy (Bachelor Degree)

Żory Campus

• Management and Marketing (Bachelor Degree)

On the 24th October, 2005, the Faculty of Management at the School, was awarded permission to offer Doctoral studies (Economics).

Overall, the School has a student body population of over 11 000 and an alumni of over 15 000.

The School attaches great importance to the quality of education. As a result, the School prides itself in its accreditations, both on domestic and international level as well as membership in industry-led associations.

• State Accreditation Committee - main accreditation body of institutes of higher education in Poland
• Association of Management Education FORUM - Main accreditation body certifying quality of education in Polish institutes of higher education offering Economics.
• European Council for Business Education - certifying quality of education in institutes of higher education in the European Union
• The Leading Hotel Schools in Europe (EUROHODIP) - certifying quality and standards of teaching.
• The Alliance of Universities for Democracy (AUDEM)
• The World Association for Hospitality and Tourism Education and Training (AMFORTH)
• World Tourism Organisation (WTO) - Tourism organization on the agenda of the United Nations - The Katowice School of Economics is the only institute of higher education in Poland to be affiliated with this organization.