Newfoundland and Labrador Studies was founded in 1985. It is a bi-annual, interdisciplinary journal devoted to publishing original essays, in either English or French, about the society and culture of Newfoundland and Labrador, past and present. Such essays are subject to a peer-review process.

The journal aims to publish scholarly work from a wide range of disciplines, presented in such a way as to be of interest to a wide readership across the province and elsewhere. In addition, the journal publishes original documents, expertly edited, introduced and annotated. Each issue also contains authoritative reviews (and occasionally review articles) on books with Newfoundland and/or Labrador content.

Several special theme issues have been published, dealing with archaeology, education, Confederation, the early modern period (two volumes), and the archaeology of Port au Choix.