485BPOS

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 21, 2013

1933 Act Registration No. 333-65269

1940 Act Registration No. 811-09037

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form N-1A

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933	¨
Pre-Effective Amendment No.	¨
Post-Effective Amendment No.   36	x
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940	¨
Amendment No.  37	x

Nuveen Investment Trust III

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Declaration of Trust)

333 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois	60606
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (312) 917-7700

Kevin J. McCarthy Vice President and Secretary 333 West Wacker Drive Chicago, Illinois 60606 (Name and Address of Agent for Service) Copies to: Eric F. Fess Chapman and Cutler LLP 111 West Monroe Street Chicago, Illinois 60603

Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: As soon as practicable after effectiveness.

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):

x	immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)	¨	on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
¨	on (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)	¨	75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
¨	60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)	¨	on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.

If appropriate, check the following box:

¨ This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.

This filing relates solely to the following Funds, each a series of the Registrant:

Nuveen Symphony Credit Opportunities Fund

Nuveen Symphony Floating Rate Income Fund

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this registration statement under Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and has duly caused this post-effective amendment to its registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Chicago, and State of Illinois, on the 21st day of February, 2013.

NUVEEN INVESTMENT TRUST III
By:	/S/    KEVIN J. MCCARTHY
	Kevin J. McCarthy Vice President and Secretary

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this post-effective amendment to the registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

Signature	Title			Date
/S/    STEPHEN D. FOY         STEPHEN D. FOY	Vice President and Controller (principal financial and accounting officer)			February 21, 2013
/S/    GIFFORD R. ZIMMERMAN GIFFORD R. ZIMMERMAN	Chief Administrative Officer (principal executive officer)			February 21, 2013
ROBERT P. BREMNER*	Chairman of the Board and Trustee	ü ï ï ï ï ï ï ï ï ï ï ï ï þ ï ï ï ï ï ï ï ï ï ï ï ï ï ï ï þ	By	/S/    KEVIN J. MCCARTHY KEVIN J. MCCARTHY Attorney-in-Fact February 21, 2013
JOHN P. AMBOIAN*	Trustee
JACK B. EVANS*	Trustee
WILLIAM C. HUNTER*	Trustee
DAVID J. KUNDERT*	Trustee
WILLIAM J. SCHNEIDER*	Trustee
JUDITH M. STOCKDALE*	Trustee
CAROLE E. STONE*	Trustee
VIRGINIA L. STRINGER*	Trustee
TERENCE J. TOTH*	Trustee

* An original power of attorney authorizing, among others, Kevin J. McCarthy and Gifford R. Zimmerman to execute this registration statement, and amendments thereto, for each of the trustees of the Registrant on whose behalf this registration statement is filed, has been executed and has previously been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is incorporated by reference herein.

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number		Exhibit
	101.INS	XBRL Instance Document
	101.SCH	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
	101.CAL	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase
	101.DEF	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase
	101.LAB	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Linkbase
	101.PRE	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	NUVEEN INVESTMENT TRUST III
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Jan. 31, 2013
Nuveen Symphony Credit Opportunities Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	Nuveen Symphony Credit Opportunities Fund
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The investment objective of the Fund is to seek current income and capital appreciation.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses of the Fund
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Fund or in other Nuveen Mutual Funds. More information about these and other discounts, as well as eligibility requirements for each share class, is available from your financial advisor and in “What Share Classes We Offer” on page 22 of the Fund’s prospectus, “How to Reduce Your Sales Charge” on page 24 of the prospectus and “Purchase and Redemption of Fund Shares” on page S-56 of the Fund’s statement of additional information.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination	rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination	January 31, 2014
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 83% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	83.00%
Expenses Deferred Charges [Text Block]	rr_ExpensesDeferredChargesTextBlock	The contingent deferred sales charge on Class C shares applies only to redemptions within 12 months of purchase.
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts	You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Fund or in other Nuveen Mutual Funds.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount	50,000
Expenses Restated to Reflect Current [Text]	rr_ExpensesRestatedToReflectCurrent	Other Expenses have been restated to reflect current contractual fees.
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then either redeem or do not redeem your shares at the end of a period. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses are at the lesser of total annual fund operating expenses or the applicable expense limitation. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]	rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption	Redemption
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text]	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption	No Redemption
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests primarily in debt instruments (e.g., bonds, loans and convertible securities), a substantial portion of which may be rated below investment-grade or, if unrated, deemed by the Fund’s portfolio managers to be of comparable quality. Below investment-grade securities are commonly referred to as “high yield” or “junk bonds.” The Fund invests both in debt issued by U.S. companies and in U.S. dollar-denominated debt issued by non-U.S. companies that is traded over-the-counter or listed on an exchange. The Fund may utilize the following derivatives: options; futures contracts; options on futures contracts; swap agreements, including interest rate swaps, total return swaps, and credit default swaps; and options on swap agreements. The Fund may use these derivatives in an attempt to manage market risk, credit risk and yield curve risk, to manage the effective maturity or duration of securities in the Fund’s portfolio or for speculative purposes in an effort to increase the Fund’s yield or to enhance returns. The use of a derivative is speculative if the Fund is primarily seeking to enhance returns, rather than offset the risk of other positions. The Fund’s sub-adviser bases its investment process on fundamental, bottom-up credit analysis. Analysts assess sector dynamics, company business models and asset quality. Specific recommendations are based on an analysis of the relative value of the various types of debt within a company’s capital structure. Inherent in the sub-adviser’s credit analysis process is the evaluation of potential upside and downside to any credit. As such, the sub-adviser concentrates its efforts on sectors where there is sufficient transparency to assess the downside risk and where firms have assets to support meaningful recovery in case of default. In its focus on downside protection, the sub-adviser favors opportunities where valuations can be quantified and risks assessed.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	The value of your investment in this Fund will change daily, which means you could lose money. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The principal risks of investing in the Fund include: Call Risk—If an issuer calls higher-yielding debt instruments held by the Fund, performance could be adversely impacted. Convertible Security Risk—The value of the Fund’s convertible securities may decline in response to such factors as rising interest rates and fluctuations in the market price of the common stock underlying the convertible securities. Credit Risk—Credit risk is the risk that an issuer of a debt security may be unable or unwilling to make interest and principal payments when due and the related risk that the value of a debt security may decline because of concerns about the issuer’s ability or willingness to make such payments. In addition, parties to other financial contracts with the Fund could default on their obligations. Derivatives Risk—The use of derivatives involves additional risks and transaction costs which could leave the Fund in a worse position than if it had not used these instruments. Derivatives may entail investment exposures that are greater than their cost would suggest. As a result, a small investment in derivatives could have a large impact on performance. Recent legislation requires the development of a new regulatory framework for the derivatives market. The impact of the new regulations is still unknown, but has the potential to increase the costs of using derivatives, may limit the availability of some forms of derivatives or the Fund’s ability to use derivatives, and may adversely affect the performance of some derivative instruments used by the Fund as well as the Fund’s ability to pursue its investment objective through the use of such instruments. High Yield Securities Risk—High yield securities are high risk investments that may cause income and principal losses for the Fund. They generally have greater credit risk, are less liquid and have more volatile prices than investment grade securities. Income Risk—The Fund’s income could decline during periods of falling interest rates. Interest Rate Risk—Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of the Fund’s portfolio will decline because of rising interest rates. When interest rates change, the values of longer-duration debt securities usually change more than the values of shorter-duration debt securities. Loan Risk—Portfolio transactions in loans may settle in as short as seven days but typically can take up to two or three weeks, and in some cases much longer. Unlike the securities markets, there is no central clearinghouse for loan trades, and the loan market has not established enforceable settlement standards or remedies for failure to settle. Credit risk is heightened for loans in which the Fund invests because companies that are obligated on such loans tend to be highly leveraged and thus are more susceptible to the risks of interest deferral, default and/or bankruptcy. Market Risk—The market values of the Fund’s investments may decline, at times sharply and unpredictably. Non-U.S. Investment Risk—Non-U.S. issuers or U.S. issuers with significant non-U.S. operations may be subject to risks in addition to those of issuers located in or that principally operate in the United States as a result of, among other things, political, social and economic developments abroad and different legal, regulatory and tax environments. Even though the non-U.S. securities held by the Fund are traded in U.S. dollars, their prices are typically indirectly influenced by currency fluctuations.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	The value of your investment in this Fund will change daily, which means you could lose money.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]	rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution	An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Fund Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the Fund. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at www.nuveen.com/performance or by calling (800) 257-8787.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The bar chart below shows the variability of the Fund’s performance from year to year for Class A shares.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	(800) 257-8787
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	www.nuveen.com/performance
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Class A Annual Total Return
Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block]	rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock	The bar chart below shows the variability of the Fund’s performance from year to year for Class A shares. The performance of the other share classes will differ due to their different expense structures. The bar chart and highest/lowest quarterly returns that follow do not reflect sales charges, and if these charges were reflected, the returns would be less than those shown.
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]	rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads	The bar chart and highest/lowest quarterly returns that follow do not reflect sales charges, and if these charges were reflected, the returns would be less than those shown.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	During the two-year period ended December 31, 2012, the Fund’s highest and lowest quarterly returns were 6.74% and -5.88%, respectively, for the quarters ended December 31, 2011 and September 30, 2011.
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2012
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	All after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares in tax-deferred accounts such as IRAs or employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]	rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown	After-tax returns are shown for Class A shares only; after-tax returns for other share classes will vary.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	The table below shows the variability of the Fund’s average annual returns and how they compare over the time periods indicated with those of a broad measure of market performance and an index of funds with similar investment objectives. All after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class A shares only; after-tax returns for other share classes will vary. Your own actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares in tax-deferred accounts such as IRAs or employer-sponsored retirement plans. Both the bar chart and the table assume that all distributions have been reinvested. Performance reflects fee waivers, if any, in effect during the periods presented. If any such waivers were not in place, returns would be reduced.
Nuveen Symphony Credit Opportunities Fund | Class A
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	4.75%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther	none	[1]
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Exchange Fee	rr_ExchangeFeeOverRedemption	none
Annual Low Balance Account Fee (for accounts under $1,000)	rr_MaximumAccountFee	15	[2]
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.62%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.25%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%	[3]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.12%
Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements	rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets	(0.05%)	[4]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements	rr_NetExpensesOverAssets	1.07%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	579
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	809
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,058
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,769
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	579
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	809
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	1,058
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	1,769
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	4.31%
2012	rr_AnnualReturn2012	15.59%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	highest
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2011
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	6.74%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	lowest
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Sep. 30, 2011
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(5.88%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	10.10%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	8.67%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Apr. 28, 2010
Nuveen Symphony Credit Opportunities Fund | Class C
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther	1.00%	[1]
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Exchange Fee	rr_ExchangeFeeOverRedemption	none
Annual Low Balance Account Fee (for accounts under $1,000)	rr_MaximumAccountFee	15	[2]
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.62%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	1.00%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%	[3]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.87%
Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements	rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets	(0.05%)	[4]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements	rr_NetExpensesOverAssets	1.82%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	185
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	583
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,006
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	2,186
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	185
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	583
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	1,006
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	2,186
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	14.72%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	9.83%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Apr. 28, 2010
Nuveen Symphony Credit Opportunities Fund | Class I
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther	none	[1]
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Exchange Fee	rr_ExchangeFeeOverRedemption	none
Annual Low Balance Account Fee (for accounts under $1,000)	rr_MaximumAccountFee	15	[2]
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.62%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.25%	[3]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.87%
Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements	rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets	(0.05%)	[4]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements	rr_NetExpensesOverAssets	0.82%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	84
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	273
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	477
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,068
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	84
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	273
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	477
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	1,068
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	15.87%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	10.95%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Apr. 28, 2010
Nuveen Symphony Credit Opportunities Fund | (return after taxes on distributions) | Class A
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	7.56%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	6.25%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Apr. 28, 2010
Nuveen Symphony Credit Opportunities Fund | (return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares) | Class A
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	6.51%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	5.96%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Apr. 28, 2010
Nuveen Symphony Credit Opportunities Fund | BofA Merrill Lynch U.S. High Yield Master II Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	15.59%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	10.23%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Apr. 28, 2010
Nuveen Symphony Credit Opportunities Fund | Custom Benchmark Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	13.10%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	8.62%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Apr. 28, 2010
Nuveen Symphony Credit Opportunities Fund | Lipper High Yield Classification Average (reflects no deduction for taxes or certain expenses)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	14.66%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	9.29%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Apr. 28, 2010

[1] The contingent deferred sales charge on Class C shares applies only to redemptions within 12 months of purchase.

[2] Fee applies to the following types of accounts under $1,000 held directly with the Fund: individual retirement accounts (IRAs), Coverdell Education Savings Accounts and accounts established pursuant to the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA) or Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA).

[3] Other Expenses have been restated to reflect current contractual fees.

[4] The Fund's investment adviser has agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses through January 31, 2014 so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding 12b-1 distribution and/or service fees, interest expenses, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, fees incurred in acquiring and disposing of portfolio securities and extraordinary expenses) do not exceed 0.85% (1.35% after January 31, 2014) of the average daily net assets of any class of Fund shares. The expense limitation expiring January 31, 2014 may be terminated or modified prior to that date only with the approval of the Board of Trustees of the Fund. The expense limitation in effect thereafter may be terminated or modified only with the approval of shareholders of the Fund.

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Nuveen Symphony Credit Opportunities Fund

Nuveen Symphony Credit Opportunities Fund

Investment Objective

The investment objective of the Fund is to seek current income and capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Fund or in other Nuveen Mutual Funds. More information about these and other discounts, as well as eligibility requirements for each share class, is available from your financial advisor and in “What Share Classes We Offer” on page 22 of the Fund’s prospectus, “How to Reduce Your Sales Charge” on page 24 of the prospectus and “Purchase and Redemption of Fund Shares” on page S-56 of the Fund’s statement of additional information.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees Nuveen Symphony Credit Opportunities Fund (USD $)		Class A	Class C	Class I
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)		4.75%	none	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds)	[1]	none	1.00%	none
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends		none	none	none
Exchange Fee		none	none	none
Annual Low Balance Account Fee (for accounts under $1,000)	[2]	15	15	15

Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses Nuveen Symphony Credit Opportunities Fund		Class A	Class C	Class I
Management Fees		0.62%	0.62%	0.62%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees		0.25%	1.00%	none
Other Expenses	[1]	0.25%	0.25%	0.25%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		1.12%	1.87%	0.87%
Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements	[2]	(0.05%)	(0.05%)	(0.05%)
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements		1.07%	1.82%	0.82%

Example

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then either redeem or do not redeem your shares at the end of a period. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses are at the lesser of total annual fund operating expenses or the applicable expense limitation. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Redemption

Expense Example Nuveen Symphony Credit Opportunities Fund (USD $)	Class A	Class C	Class I
1 Year	579	185	84
3 Years	809	583	273
5 Years	1,058	1,006	477
10 Years	1,769	2,186	1,068

No Redemption

Expense Example, No Redemption Nuveen Symphony Credit Opportunities Fund (USD $)	Class A	Class C	Class I
1 Year	579	185	84
3 Years	809	583	273
5 Years	1,058	1,006	477
10 Years	1,769	2,186	1,068

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 83% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests primarily in debt instruments (e.g., bonds, loans and convertible securities), a substantial portion of which may be rated below investment-grade or, if unrated, deemed by the Fund’s portfolio managers to be of comparable quality. Below investment-grade securities are commonly referred to as “high yield” or “junk bonds.” The Fund invests both in debt issued by U.S. companies and in U.S. dollar-denominated debt issued by non-U.S. companies that is traded over-the-counter or listed on an exchange.

The Fund may utilize the following derivatives: options; futures contracts; options on futures contracts; swap agreements, including interest rate swaps, total return swaps, and credit default swaps; and options on swap agreements. The Fund may use these derivatives in an attempt to manage market risk, credit risk and yield curve risk, to manage the effective maturity or duration of securities in the Fund’s portfolio or for speculative purposes in an effort to increase the Fund’s yield or to enhance returns. The use of a derivative is speculative if the Fund is primarily seeking to enhance returns, rather than offset the risk of other positions.

The Fund’s sub-adviser bases its investment process on fundamental, bottom-up credit analysis. Analysts assess sector dynamics, company business models and asset quality. Specific recommendations are based on an analysis of the relative value of the various types of debt within a company’s capital structure. Inherent in the sub-adviser’s credit analysis process is the evaluation of potential upside and downside to any credit. As such, the sub-adviser concentrates its efforts on sectors where there is sufficient transparency to assess the downside risk and where firms have assets to support meaningful recovery in case of default. In its focus on downside protection, the sub-adviser favors opportunities where valuations can be quantified and risks assessed.

Principal Risks

The value of your investment in this Fund will change daily, which means you could lose money. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

Call Risk—If an issuer calls higher-yielding debt instruments held by the Fund, performance could be adversely impacted.

Convertible Security Risk—The value of the Fund’s convertible securities may decline in response to such factors as rising interest rates and fluctuations in the market price of the common stock underlying the convertible securities.

Credit Risk—Credit risk is the risk that an issuer of a debt security may be unable or unwilling to make interest and principal payments when due and the related risk that the value of a debt security may decline because of concerns about the issuer’s ability or willingness to make such payments. In addition, parties to other financial contracts with the Fund could default on their obligations.

Derivatives Risk—The use of derivatives involves additional risks and transaction costs which could leave the Fund in a worse position than if it had not used these instruments. Derivatives may entail investment exposures that are greater than their cost would suggest. As a result, a small investment in derivatives could have a large impact on performance. Recent legislation requires the development of a new regulatory framework for the derivatives market. The impact of the new regulations is still unknown, but has the potential to increase the costs of using derivatives, may limit the availability of some forms of derivatives or the Fund’s ability to use derivatives, and may adversely affect the performance of some derivative instruments used by the Fund as well as the Fund’s ability to pursue its investment objective through the use of such instruments.

High Yield Securities Risk—High yield securities are high risk investments that may cause income and principal losses for the Fund. They generally have greater credit risk, are less liquid and have more volatile prices than investment grade securities.

Income Risk—The Fund’s income could decline during periods of falling interest rates.

Interest Rate Risk—Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of the Fund’s portfolio will decline because of rising interest rates. When interest rates change, the values of longer-duration debt securities usually change more than the values of shorter-duration debt securities.

Loan Risk—Portfolio transactions in loans may settle in as short as seven days but typically can take up to two or three weeks, and in some cases much longer. Unlike the securities markets, there is no central clearinghouse for loan trades, and the loan market has not established enforceable settlement standards or remedies for failure to settle. Credit risk is heightened for loans in which the Fund invests because companies that are obligated on such loans tend to be highly leveraged and thus are more susceptible to the risks of interest deferral, default and/or bankruptcy.

Market Risk—The market values of the Fund’s investments may decline, at times sharply and unpredictably.

Non-U.S. Investment Risk—Non-U.S. issuers or U.S. issuers with significant non-U.S. operations may be subject to risks in addition to those of issuers located in or that principally operate in the United States as a result of, among other things, political, social and economic developments abroad and different legal, regulatory and tax environments. Even though the non-U.S. securities held by the Fund are traded in U.S. dollars, their prices are typically indirectly influenced by currency fluctuations.

Fund Performance

The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the Fund. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at www.nuveen.com/performance or by calling (800) 257-8787.

The bar chart below shows the variability of the Fund’s performance from year to year for Class A shares. The performance of the other share classes will differ due to their different expense structures. The bar chart and highest/lowest quarterly returns that follow do not reflect sales charges, and if these charges were reflected, the returns would be less than those shown.

Class A Annual Total Return

During the two-year period ended December 31, 2012, the Fund’s highest and lowest quarterly returns were 6.74% and -5.88%, respectively, for the quarters ended December 31, 2011 and September 30, 2011.

The table below shows the variability of the Fund’s average annual returns and how they compare over the time periods indicated with those of a broad measure of market performance and an index of funds with similar investment objectives. All after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class A shares only; after-tax returns for other share classes will vary. Your own actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares in tax-deferred accounts such as IRAs or employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Both the bar chart and the table assume that all distributions have been reinvested. Performance reflects fee waivers, if any, in effect during the periods presented. If any such waivers were not in place, returns would be reduced.

Average Annual Total Returns
for the Periods Ended
December 31, 2012

Average Annual Total Returns Nuveen Symphony Credit Opportunities Fund	1 Year	Since Inception	Inception Date
Class A	10.10%	8.67%	Apr. 28, 2010
Class A (return after taxes on distributions)	7.56%	6.25%	Apr. 28, 2010
Class A (return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares)	6.51%	5.96%	Apr. 28, 2010
Class C	14.72%	9.83%	Apr. 28, 2010
Class I	15.87%	10.95%	Apr. 28, 2010
BofA Merrill Lynch U.S. High Yield Master II Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)	15.59%	10.23%	Apr. 28, 2010
Custom Benchmark Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)	13.10%	8.62%	Apr. 28, 2010
Lipper High Yield Classification Average (reflects no deduction for taxes or certain expenses)	14.66%	9.29%	Apr. 28, 2010

[1] The contingent deferred sales charge on Class C shares applies only to redemptions within 12 months of purchase.

[2] Fee applies to the following types of accounts under $1,000 held directly with the Fund: individual retirement accounts (IRAs), Coverdell Education Savings Accounts and accounts established pursuant to the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA) or Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA).

[1] Other Expenses have been restated to reflect current contractual fees.

[2] The Fund's investment adviser has agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses through January 31, 2014 so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding 12b-1 distribution and/or service fees, interest expenses, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, fees incurred in acquiring and disposing of portfolio securities and extraordinary expenses) do not exceed 0.85% (1.35% after January 31, 2014) of the average daily net assets of any class of Fund shares. The expense limitation expiring January 31, 2014 may be terminated or modified prior to that date only with the approval of the Board of Trustees of the Fund. The expense limitation in effect thereafter may be terminated or modified only with the approval of shareholders of the Fund.

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	NUVEEN INVESTMENT TRUST III
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Jan. 31, 2013
Nuveen Symphony Floating Rate Income Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	Nuveen Symphony Floating Rate Income Fund
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The principal investment objective of the Fund is to seek a high level of current income
Objective, Secondary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectiveSecondaryTextBlock	and the secondary investment objective of the Fund is to seek capital appreciation.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses of the Fund
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Fund or in other Nuveen Mutual Funds. More information about these and other discounts, as well as eligibility requirements for each share class, is available from your financial advisor and in “What Share Classes We Offer” on page 22 of the Fund’s prospectus, “How to Reduce Your Sales Charge” on page 24 of the prospectus and “Purchase and Redemption of Fund Shares” on page S-56 of the Fund’s statement of additional information.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination	rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination	January 31, 2014
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 210% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	210.00%
Expenses Deferred Charges [Text Block]	rr_ExpensesDeferredChargesTextBlock	The contingent deferred sales charge on Class C shares applies only to redemptions within 12 months of purchase.
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts	You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Fund or in other Nuveen Mutual Funds.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount	50,000
Expenses Restated to Reflect Current [Text]	rr_ExpensesRestatedToReflectCurrent	Other Expenses have been restated to reflect current contractual fees.
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then either redeem or do not redeem your shares at the end of a period. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses are at the applicable expense limitation. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]	rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption	Redemption
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text]	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption	No Redemption
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in floating rate securities. Floating rate securities are defined to include floating rate loans, other floating rate debt securities, money market securities and shares of money market and short-term bond funds. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in other securities, which would primarily be fixed rate debt securities, convertible securities and equity securities received as a result of the restructuring of an issuer’s debt. A substantial portion of the Fund’s assets generally will be invested in securities rated below investment grade or, if unrated, deemed by the Fund’s portfolio managers to be of comparable quality. Below investment-grade securities are commonly referred to as “high yield” or “junk bonds.” The Fund invests both in securities issued by U.S. companies and in U.S. dollar-denominated securities issued by non-U.S. companies that are traded over-the-counter or listed on an exchange. Under normal market conditions, the Fund’s average portfolio duration will not be longer than one year. The Fund may utilize the following derivatives: options; futures contracts; options on futures contracts; swap agreements, including interest rate swaps, total return swaps, and credit default swaps; and options on swap agreements. The Fund may use these derivatives in an attempt to manage market risk, credit risk and yield curve risk, to manage the effective maturity or duration of securities in the Fund’s portfolio, including the use of interest rate derivatives to convert fixed-rate securities to floating rate securities, or for speculative purposes in an effort to increase the Fund’s yield or to enhance returns. The use of a derivative is speculative if the Fund is primarily seeking to enhance returns, rather than offset the risk of other positions. The Fund’s sub-adviser bases its investment process on fundamental, bottom-up credit analysis. Analysts assess sector dynamics, company business models and asset quality. Inherent in the sub-adviser’s credit analysis process is the evaluation of potential upside and downside to any credit. As such, the sub-adviser concentrates its efforts on sectors where there is sufficient transparency to assess the downside risk and where firms have assets to support meaningful recovery in case of default. In its focus on downside protection, the sub-adviser favors opportunities where valuations can be quantified and risks assessed.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	The value of your investment in this Fund will change daily, which means you could lose money. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The principal risks of investing in the Fund include: Call Risk—If an issuer calls higher-yielding debt instruments held by the Fund, performance could be adversely impacted. Convertible Security Risk—The value of the Fund’s convertible securities may decline in response to such factors as rising interest rates and fluctuations in the market price of the common stock underlying the convertible securities. Credit Risk—Credit risk is the risk that an issuer of a debt security may be unable or unwilling to make interest and principal payments when due and the related risk that the value of a debt security may decline because of concerns about the issuer’s ability or willingness to make such payments. In addition, parties to other financial contracts with the Fund could default on their obligations. Derivatives Risk—The use of derivatives involves additional risks and transaction costs which could leave the Fund in a worse position than if it had not used these instruments. Derivatives may entail investment exposures that are greater than their cost would suggest. As a result, a small investment in derivatives could have a large impact on performance. Recent legislation requires the development of a new regulatory framework for the derivatives market. The impact of the new regulations is still unknown, but has the potential to increase the costs of using derivatives, may limit the availability of some forms of derivatives or the Fund’s ability to use derivatives, and may adversely affect the performance of some derivative instruments used by the Fund as well as the Fund’s ability to pursue its investment objective through the use of such instruments. High Yield Securities Risk—High yield securities are high risk investments that may cause income and principal losses for the Fund. They generally have greater credit risk, are less liquid and have more volatile prices than investment grade securities. Income Risk—The Fund’s income could decline during periods of falling interest rates. Interest Rate Risk—Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of the Fund’s portfolio will decline because of rising interest rates. When interest rates change, the values of longer-duration debt securities usually change more than the values of shorter-duration debt securities. Loan Risk—Portfolio transactions in loans may settle in as short as seven days but typically can take up to two or three weeks, and in some cases much longer. Unlike the securities markets, there is no central clearinghouse for loan trades, and the loan market has not established enforceable settlement standards or remedies for failure to settle. Credit risk is heightened for loans in which the Fund invests because companies that are obligated on such loans tend to be highly leveraged and thus are more susceptible to the risks of interest deferral, default and/or bankruptcy. Market Risk—The market values of the Fund’s investments may decline, at times sharply and unpredictably. Non-U.S. Investment Risk—Non-U.S. issuers or U.S. issuers with significant non-U.S. operations may be subject to risks in addition to those of issuers located in or that principally operate in the United States as a result of, among other things, political, social and economic developments abroad and different legal, regulatory and tax environments. Even though the non-U.S. securities held by the fund are traded in U.S. dollars, their prices are typically indirectly influenced by currency fluctuations.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	The value of your investment in this Fund will change daily, which means you could lose money.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]	rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution	An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Fund Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the Fund. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at www.nuveen.com/performance or by calling (800) 257-8787.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	(800) 257-8787
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	www.nuveen.com/performance
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Class A Annual Total Return
Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block]	rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock	The bar chart below shows the Fund’s performance for Class A shares. The performance of the other share classes will differ due to their different expense structures. The bar chart and highest/lowest quarterly returns that follow do not reflect sales charges, and if these charges were reflected, the returns would be less than those shown.
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]	rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads	The bar chart and highest/lowest quarterly returns that follow do not reflect sales charges, and if these charges were reflected, the returns would be less than those shown.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	During the one-year period ended December 31, 2012, the Fund’s highest and lowest quarterly returns were 4.86% and 0.57%, respectively, for the quarters ended March 31, 2012 and June 30, 2012.
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2012
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	All after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares in tax-deferred accounts such as IRAs or employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]	rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown	After-tax returns are shown for Class A shares only; after-tax returns for other share classes will vary.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	The table below shows the variability of the Fund’s average annual returns and how they compare over the time periods indicated with those of a broad measure of market performance and an index of funds with similar investment objectives. All after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class A shares only; after-tax returns for other share classes will vary. Your own actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares in tax-deferred accounts such as IRAs or employer-sponsored retirement plans. Both the bar chart and the table assume that all distributions have been reinvested. Performance reflects fee waivers, if any, in effect during the periods presented. If any such waivers were not in place, returns would be reduced.
Nuveen Symphony Floating Rate Income Fund | Class A
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	4.75%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther	none	[1]
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of proceeds of Fund shares redeemed or exchanged within 30 days of acquisition)	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	2.00%
Exchange Fee	rr_ExchangeFeeOverRedemption	none
Annual Low Balance Account Fee (for accounts under $1,000)	rr_MaximumAccountFee	15	[2]
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.62%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.25%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	1.03%	[3]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.90%
Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements	rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets	(0.83%)	[4]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements	rr_NetExpensesOverAssets	1.07%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	579
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	850
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,141
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,969
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	579
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	850
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	1,141
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	1,969
2012	rr_AnnualReturn2012	11.47%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	highest
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2012
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	4.86%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	lowest
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2012
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	0.57%
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	6.17%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	3.34%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	May 02, 2011
Nuveen Symphony Floating Rate Income Fund | Class C
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther	1.00%	[1]
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of proceeds of Fund shares redeemed or exchanged within 30 days of acquisition)	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	2.00%
Exchange Fee	rr_ExchangeFeeOverRedemption	none
Annual Low Balance Account Fee (for accounts under $1,000)	rr_MaximumAccountFee	15	[2]
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.62%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	1.00%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	1.07%	[3]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	2.69%
Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements	rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets	(0.87%)	[4]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements	rr_NetExpensesOverAssets	1.82%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	185
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	625
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,091
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	2,380
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	185
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	625
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	1,091
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	2,380
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	10.59%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	5.58%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	May 02, 2011
Nuveen Symphony Floating Rate Income Fund | Class I
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther	none	[1]
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of proceeds of Fund shares redeemed or exchanged within 30 days of acquisition)	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	2.00%
Exchange Fee	rr_ExchangeFeeOverRedemption	none
Annual Low Balance Account Fee (for accounts under $1,000)	rr_MaximumAccountFee	15	[2]
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.62%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	1.00%	[3]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.62%
Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements	rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets	(0.80%)	[4]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements	rr_NetExpensesOverAssets	0.82%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	84
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	316
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	566
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,283
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	84
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	316
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	566
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	1,283
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	11.62%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	6.62%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	May 02, 2011
Nuveen Symphony Floating Rate Income Fund | (return after taxes on distributions) | Class A
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	4.03%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	1.38%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	May 02, 2011
Nuveen Symphony Floating Rate Income Fund | (return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares) | Class A
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	3.96%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	1.68%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	May 02, 2011
Nuveen Symphony Floating Rate Income Fund | Credit Suisse Leveraged Loan Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	9.43%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	4.66%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	May 02, 2011
Nuveen Symphony Floating Rate Income Fund | Lipper Loan Participation Classification Average (reflects no deduction for taxes or certain expenses)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	9.09%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	4.55%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	May 02, 2011

[1] The contingent deferred sales charge on Class C shares applies only to redemptions within 12 months of purchase.

[2] Fee applies to the following types of accounts under $1,000 held directly with the Fund: individual retirement accounts (IRAs), Coverdell Education Savings Accounts and accounts established pursuant to the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA) or Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA).

[3] Other Expenses have been restated to reflect current contractual fees.

[4] The Fund's investment adviser has agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses through January 31, 2014 so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding 12b-1 distribution and/or service fees, interest expenses, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, fees incurred in acquiring and disposing of portfolio securities and extraordinary expenses) do not exceed 0.85% (1.10% after January 31, 2014) of the average daily net assets of any class of Fund shares. The expense limitation expiring January 31, 2014 may be terminated or modified prior to that date only with the approval of the Board of Trustees of the Fund. The expense limitation in effect thereafter may be terminated or modified only with the approval of shareholders of the Fund.

XML

Document and Entity Information	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2013
Risk/Return:
Document Type	485BPOS
Document Period End Date	Sep. 30, 2012
Registrant Name	NUVEEN INVESTMENT TRUST III
Central Index Key	0001071336
Amendment Flag	false
Document Creation Date	Jan. 28, 2013
Document Effective Date	Jan. 31, 2013
Prospectus Date	Jan. 31, 2013

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Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	NUVEEN INVESTMENT TRUST III
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Jan. 31, 2013
Document Creation Date	dei_DocumentCreationDate	Jan. 28, 2013

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Nuveen Symphony Floating Rate Income Fund

Nuveen Symphony Floating Rate Income Fund

Investment Objective

The principal investment objective of the Fund is to seek a high level of current income

and the secondary investment objective of the Fund is to seek capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Fund or in other Nuveen Mutual Funds. More information about these and other discounts, as well as eligibility requirements for each share class, is available from your financial advisor and in “What Share Classes We Offer” on page 22 of the Fund’s prospectus, “How to Reduce Your Sales Charge” on page 24 of the prospectus and “Purchase and Redemption of Fund Shares” on page S-56 of the Fund’s statement of additional information.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees Nuveen Symphony Floating Rate Income Fund (USD $)		Class A	Class C	Class I
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)		4.75%	none	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds)	[1]	none	1.00%	none
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends		none	none	none
Exchange Fee		none	none	none
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of proceeds of Fund shares redeemed or exchanged within 30 days of acquisition)		2.00%	2.00%	2.00%
Annual Low Balance Account Fee (for accounts under $1,000)	[2]	15	15	15

Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses Nuveen Symphony Floating Rate Income Fund		Class A	Class C	Class I
Management Fees		0.62%	0.62%	0.62%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees		0.25%	1.00%	none
Other Expenses	[1]	1.03%	1.07%	1.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		1.90%	2.69%	1.62%
Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements	[2]	(0.83%)	(0.87%)	(0.80%)
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements		1.07%	1.82%	0.82%

Example

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then either redeem or do not redeem your shares at the end of a period. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses are at the applicable expense limitation. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Redemption

Expense Example Nuveen Symphony Floating Rate Income Fund (USD $)	Class A	Class C	Class I
1 Year	579	185	84
3 Years	850	625	316
5 Years	1,141	1,091	566
10 Years	1,969	2,380	1,283

No Redemption

Expense Example, No Redemption Nuveen Symphony Floating Rate Income Fund (USD $)	Class A	Class C	Class I
1 Year	579	185	84
3 Years	850	625	316
5 Years	1,141	1,091	566
10 Years	1,969	2,380	1,283

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 210% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in floating rate securities. Floating rate securities are defined to include floating rate loans, other floating rate debt securities, money market securities and shares of money market and short-term bond funds. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in other securities, which would primarily be fixed rate debt securities, convertible securities and equity securities received as a result of the restructuring of an issuer’s debt. A substantial portion of the Fund’s assets generally will be invested in securities rated below investment grade or, if unrated, deemed by the Fund’s portfolio managers to be of comparable quality. Below investment-grade securities are commonly referred to as “high yield” or “junk bonds.” The Fund invests both in securities issued by U.S. companies and in U.S. dollar-denominated securities issued by non-U.S. companies that are traded over-the-counter or listed on an exchange. Under normal market conditions, the Fund’s average portfolio duration will not be longer than one year.

The Fund may utilize the following derivatives: options; futures contracts; options on futures contracts; swap agreements, including interest rate swaps, total return swaps, and credit default swaps; and options on swap agreements. The Fund may use these derivatives in an attempt to manage market risk, credit risk and yield curve risk, to manage the effective maturity or duration of securities in the Fund’s portfolio, including the use of interest rate derivatives to convert fixed-rate securities to floating rate securities, or for speculative purposes in an effort to increase the Fund’s yield or to enhance returns. The use of a derivative is speculative if the Fund is primarily seeking to enhance returns, rather than offset the risk of other positions.

The Fund’s sub-adviser bases its investment process on fundamental, bottom-up credit analysis. Analysts assess sector dynamics, company business models and asset quality. Inherent in the sub-adviser’s credit analysis process is the evaluation of potential upside and downside to any credit. As such, the sub-adviser concentrates its efforts on sectors where there is sufficient transparency to assess the downside risk and where firms have assets to support meaningful recovery in case of default. In its focus on downside protection, the sub-adviser favors opportunities where valuations can be quantified and risks assessed.

Principal Risks

The value of your investment in this Fund will change daily, which means you could lose money. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

Call Risk—If an issuer calls higher-yielding debt instruments held by the Fund, performance could be adversely impacted.

Convertible Security Risk—The value of the Fund’s convertible securities may decline in response to such factors as rising interest rates and fluctuations in the market price of the common stock underlying the convertible securities.

Credit Risk—Credit risk is the risk that an issuer of a debt security may be unable or unwilling to make interest and principal payments when due and the related risk that the value of a debt security may decline because of concerns about the issuer’s ability or willingness to make such payments. In addition, parties to other financial contracts with the Fund could default on their obligations.

Derivatives Risk—The use of derivatives involves additional risks and transaction costs which could leave the Fund in a worse position than if it had not used these instruments. Derivatives may entail investment exposures that are greater than their cost would suggest. As a result, a small investment in derivatives could have a large impact on performance. Recent legislation requires the development of a new regulatory framework for the derivatives market. The impact of the new regulations is still unknown, but has the potential to increase the costs of using derivatives, may limit the availability of some forms of derivatives or the Fund’s ability to use derivatives, and may adversely affect the performance of some derivative instruments used by the Fund as well as the Fund’s ability to pursue its investment objective through the use of such instruments.

High Yield Securities Risk—High yield securities are high risk investments that may cause income and principal losses for the Fund. They generally have greater credit risk, are less liquid and have more volatile prices than investment grade securities.

Income Risk—The Fund’s income could decline during periods of falling interest rates.

Interest Rate Risk—Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of the Fund’s portfolio will decline because of rising interest rates. When interest rates change, the values of longer-duration debt securities usually change more than the values of shorter-duration debt securities.

Loan Risk—Portfolio transactions in loans may settle in as short as seven days but typically can take up to two or three weeks, and in some cases much longer. Unlike the securities markets, there is no central clearinghouse for loan trades, and the loan market has not established enforceable settlement standards or remedies for failure to settle. Credit risk is heightened for loans in which the Fund invests because companies that are obligated on such loans tend to be highly leveraged and thus are more susceptible to the risks of interest deferral, default and/or bankruptcy.

Market Risk—The market values of the Fund’s investments may decline, at times sharply and unpredictably.

Non-U.S. Investment Risk—Non-U.S. issuers or U.S. issuers with significant non-U.S. operations may be subject to risks in addition to those of issuers located in or that principally operate in the United States as a result of, among other things, political, social and economic developments abroad and different legal, regulatory and tax environments. Even though the non-U.S. securities held by the fund are traded in U.S. dollars, their prices are typically indirectly influenced by currency fluctuations.

Fund Performance

The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the Fund. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at www.nuveen.com/performance or by calling (800) 257-8787.

The bar chart below shows the Fund’s performance for Class A shares. The performance of the other share classes will differ due to their different expense structures. The bar chart and highest/lowest quarterly returns that follow do not reflect sales charges, and if these charges were reflected, the returns would be less than those shown.

Class A Annual Total Return

During the one-year period ended December 31, 2012, the Fund’s highest and lowest quarterly returns were 4.86% and 0.57%, respectively, for the quarters ended March 31, 2012 and June 30, 2012.

The table below shows the variability of the Fund’s average annual returns and how they compare over the time periods indicated with those of a broad measure of market performance and an index of funds with similar investment objectives. All after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class A shares only; after-tax returns for other share classes will vary. Your own actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares in tax-deferred accounts such as IRAs or employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Both the bar chart and the table assume that all distributions have been reinvested. Performance reflects fee waivers, if any, in effect during the periods presented. If any such waivers were not in place, returns would be reduced.

Average Annual Total Returns
for the Periods Ended
December 31, 2012

Average Annual Total Returns Nuveen Symphony Floating Rate Income Fund	1 Year	Since Inception	Inception Date
Class A	6.17%	3.34%	May 02, 2011
Class A (return after taxes on distributions)	4.03%	1.38%	May 02, 2011
Class A (return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares)	3.96%	1.68%	May 02, 2011
Class C	10.59%	5.58%	May 02, 2011
Class I	11.62%	6.62%	May 02, 2011
Credit Suisse Leveraged Loan Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)	9.43%	4.66%	May 02, 2011
Lipper Loan Participation Classification Average (reflects no deduction for taxes or certain expenses)	9.09%	4.55%	May 02, 2011

[1] The contingent deferred sales charge on Class C shares applies only to redemptions within 12 months of purchase.

[2] Fee applies to the following types of accounts under $1,000 held directly with the Fund: individual retirement accounts (IRAs), Coverdell Education Savings Accounts and accounts established pursuant to the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA) or Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA).

[1] Other Expenses have been restated to reflect current contractual fees.

[2] The Fund's investment adviser has agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses through January 31, 2014 so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding 12b-1 distribution and/or service fees, interest expenses, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, fees incurred in acquiring and disposing of portfolio securities and extraordinary expenses) do not exceed 0.85% (1.10% after January 31, 2014) of the average daily net assets of any class of Fund shares. The expense limitation expiring January 31, 2014 may be terminated or modified prior to that date only with the approval of the Board of Trustees of the Fund. The expense limitation in effect thereafter may be terminated or modified only with the approval of shareholders of the Fund.