By Darren Sturridge

Cambridge University, more formally known as the University of Cambridge, is the second oldest institution of higher education in the United Kingdom. It was created in 1209 and was established as an independent institution of higher education in 1231 via a charter by King Henry III of England.

The different colleges of the university were formed in pieces and as a result of endowed fellowships by different scholars. Other colleges were formed after the absorption of several hostels. The first college to be founded was the Peterhouse in 1284. The university's co-ed colleges include Christ's College, Churchill, Clare, Corpus Christi, Downing, Emmanuel, Fitzwilliam, Girton, Gonville and Caius, Homerton, Jesus, King's College, Magdalene, Newnham, Pembroke, Queens' College, Robinson, St Catharine's College. St John's College, Selwyn, Sidney Sussex, Trinity and Trinity Hall.

Other colleges in the university cater to a specific students. Hughes Hall, St Edmund's College and Wolfson only accepts mature undergraduate student and graduate students. Clare Hall and Darwin Colleges houses only graduate offerings. Murray Edwards and Newnham are all-girl colleges while the Lucy Cavendish College caters only to mature female undergraduate students and female graduate students.

The University has six schools: Arts and Humanities, Biological Sciences, Clinical Medicine, Humanities and Social Sciences, Physical Sciences and Technology. It also has 150 faculties, departments and other units. Undergraduate departments of the university include Natural Sciences, Engineering, Mathematics, Arts, Veterinary Medicine, Medicine, English, Education, Philosophy, Law, Economics, Management Studies, Classics, History, Linguistics, Computer Science, and Architecture among others.

Graduate departments in the university include the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Faculty of English, Computer Laboratory, Department of Archeology, Judge Business School, Institute of Criminology and Faculty of Divinity among others.

My name is Darren and I write for the university and colleges section of the PBA website. I recommend that you visit the site for an indepth information on the Cambridge university ranking at the following page: http://www.plant-biology.com/University-Cambridge.php

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darren_R_Sturridge