This list taken with permission from A Concise History of the University of Cambridge by Elisabeth Leedham-Green, © Cambridge University Press. List originally compiled by John Easterling.
| Year | Subject |
| 1748 | Mathematics |
| 1824 | Classics |
| 1851 | Moral Sciences (became Philosophy in 1970), Natural Sciences |
| 1858 | Law (became Law and History in 1870) |
| 1870 | Law and History (previously Law from 1858, split in 1875) |
| 1874 | Theology (became Theological and Religious Studies in 1970) |
| 1875 | Law (previously Law and History from 1870), History (previously Law and History from 1870) |
| 1878 | Semitic Languages (became Oriental Languages in 1895) |
| 1879 | Indian Languages (ceased after 1892) |
| 1886 | Medieval and Modern Languages (became Modern and Medieval Languages 1917) |
| 1894 | Mechanical Sciences (became Engineering in 1970) |
| 1895 | Oriental Languages (previously Semitic Languages from 1878, became Oriental Studies in 1958) |
| 1905 | Economics |
| 1917 | Modern and Medieval Languages (previously Medieval and Modern Languages from 1886) |
| 1919 | English |
| 1920 | Geography |
| 1921 | Anthropology (became Archaeology and Anthropology 1928) |
| 1928 | Archaeology and Anthropology (formerly Anthropology from 1921) |
| 1948 | Music |
| 1950 | Chemical Engineering |
| 1958 | Oriental Studies (previously Oriental Languages from 1895), Anglo-Saxon (previously part of Archaeology and Anthropology, became Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic in 1971) |
| 1961 | Architecture and Fine Arts (split in 1971) |
| 1963 | Electrical Sciences (previously part of Mechanical Sciences, became Electrical and Information Sciences in 1987) |
| 1964 | Agriculture (ceased after 1971) |
| 1965 | Land Economy |
| 1969 | Medical Sciences (became Medical and Veterinary Sciences 1992) |
| 1970 | Philosophy (previously Moral Sciences from 1851), Engineering (previously Mechanical Sciences from 1894) |
| 1971 | Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic (previously Anglo-Saxon from 1958), Architecture (previously Architecture and Fine Arts from 1961), History of Art (previously Architecture and Fine Art from 1961), Social and Political Sciences |
| 1971 | Computer Science, Theological and Religious Studies (previously Theology from 1874) |
| 1980 | Education, Production Engineering (became Manufacturing Engineering in 1989) |
| 1987 | Electrical and Information Sciences (previously Electrical Sciences from 1963), Management Studies |
| 1989 | Manufacturing Engineering (previously Production Engineering from 1980) |
| 1992 | Medical and Veterinary Sciences (previously Medical Sciences from 1969) |