Durham subjects among world top 100

This adds to our continuing success in global and UK rankings. We are placed joint 89^th in the QS World University Rankings, including 22^nd for sustainability and 65^th for employer reputation. We’re also consistently in the top 10 in UK rankings.

About the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject

This annual ranking assesses thousands of universities all around the world on broad subject areas. Arts and Humanities was our strongest performer, ranked joint 40^th. Law at Durham was ranked 55^th globally, up from joint 60^th last year.

Social Sciences, which includes our departments of Geography, Sociology and Government and International Affairs, was placed 84^th. Our School of Education completed our world top 100 group, ranked 94^th.

Our Physical Sciences and Psychology areas also improved their rankings from last year. Both are now ranked in the world’s top 125.

Research that transforms lives

In our Faculty of Arts and Humanities, we nurture thoughtful, critical and engaged citizens for a rapidly changing and complex world. Our Transformative Humanities framework brings together distinctive approaches to humanities research and education, under: culture, creativity, and heritage; digital humanities; environmental humanities; medical humanities; science-humanities; and social justice, communities, and policy.

Recently, Professor Peter Vickers, from our Department of Philosophy, announced a new method for gathering and analysing global scientific opinion with speed and precision; Professor Alex Barber, from our Department of History, secured new funding to raise awareness of Gypsy Roma Traveller history; and Professor Patrick Zuk, from our School of Modern Languages and Cultures, received an honorary doctorate from the Romanian National University of Music, Bucharest, for his research into music and cultural life in communist-era Eastern Europe.

Durham Law School is among the best in the UK, and our graduates have gone on to be members of the UK Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, and Members of Parliament.

Our Faculty of Social Sciences brings together leading voices in the investigation of violence and abuse, climatology, and urban sustainability, and our School of Education includes expertise in improving educational outcomes and supporting disadvantaged students.

Find out more

• Discover more about our rankings.
• Explore further the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2025.
• Learn more about Arts and Humanities, Law, Social Sciences, and Education at Durham.