The magazine was founded in November 1946. In the range of 1946 - 1948 the journal "VESTNIK MOSCOW UNIVERSITY" did not have a series. Later, from 1949 to 1956, three series were founded in the journal: the “Social Sciences” series, the “Physics and Mathematics” series, and the “Natural Sciences” series (in the last series, the results of the scientific work of the employers of Faculty of Geology were published). In the range of 1956 - 1959 The following series were separated: “Biology”, “Geology”, “Geography”, “Soil Science”, “History and Philology”, “Economics”, “Philosophy”, “Law”. Since 1960, the series have received numbers: 1. Mathematics; 2. Chemistry; 3. Physics, astronomy; 4. Geology; 5. Geography; 6. Biology, soil science. From 1966 to 1965 was published series 7. Philology, journalism. Later, since 1966 - Series 7. Economy, in the range of 1960-1965. - Series 8. Economics, philosophy, since 1966 - Series 8. Philosophy, Series 9. History, in the range of 1960-1965. - Series 10. Right. Later, in 1966, the Series 10 appeared. Philology, Series 11. Journalism, Series 12. Law, then since 1971 - Series 13. The Theory of Scientific Communism, since 1970 - Series 14. Oriental Studies.

Since 1974, the Allerton Press publishing house in the USA began publishing a translated, English-language version of the journal MOSCOW UNIVERSITY magazine. SERIES 4. GEOLOGY.

Since 1977, the numbering (and partial renumbering) of the following series has been carried out: 1. Mathematics, mechanics; 2. Chemistry; 3. Physics, astronomy; 4. Geology; 5. Geography; 6. Economy; 7. Philosophy; 8. History; 9. Philology; 10. Journalism; 11. Right; 12. The theory of scientific communism (since 1990 - Socio-political research, since 1999 - Political science); 13. Oriental Studies; 14. Psychology; 15. Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics; 16. Biology; 17. Soil science; 18. Sociology and political science; 19. Linguistics and intercultural communication; 20. Pedagogical education. Since 2004 - Series 21. Governance (state and society); since 2007 - Series 22. Theory of Translation; since 2008 - Series 23. Anthropology; since 2009 - Series 24. Management; since 2009 - Series 25. International relations and world politics; since 2010 - Series 26. State Audit; since 2011 - Series 27. Global studies and geopolitics.