Top Universities for Politics and International Studies in 2014

For those interested in pursuing studies in the fields of political science and international studies, the QS World University Rankings by Subject includes a dedicated listing of the world’s 200 top universities for politics and international studies.

A quarter of the 200 top political science schools are claimed by the US, reflecting the latter’s overall dominance of global rankings tables. The UK is not far behind, with 39 of the top 200 political science schools, followed by Australia and Canada with 14 each.

Beyond these four Anglophone study destinations, other notable entries at the top of the table include the National University of Singapore (9^th), Japan’s University of Tokyo (12^th), France’s Sciences Po Paris (13^th), the University of Hong Kong (16^th) and China’s Fudan University (19^th). More than 30 countries have at least one institution included among the 200 top universities for politics and international studies this year.

Top political science schools in the US and Canada

As mentioned above, the US boasts a solid quarter of the 200 top universities for politics and international studies. It also claims the overall top spot, with Harvard University ranked number one in the world for this subject area. Also within the global top 10 are Princeton University (4^th), Yale University (5^th), Stanford University (8^th) and the University of California, Berkeley (10^th). Six more US universities are within the top 20, and another six make the top 50.

Canada’s highest entry in this field comes from the University of Toronto, ranked 33^rd in the world for politics and international studies this year. McGill University is also within the top 50, at 48^th, and a further 12 Canadian universities are included within the top 200.

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Top political science schools in Europe

After the US, the largest share of leading universities for politics and international studies is to be found in the UK – and again, quantity is accompanied by a strong presence at the very top of the table. The University of Oxford is ranked 2^nd in the world in this field, followed by London School of Economics and Political Science (3^rd) and the University of Cambridge (6^th). Another five UK universities are included within the global top 50.

Outside of the UK, the European country claiming the largest number of top universities for politics and international studies is Germany, with nine entries. Close behind (and with a much smaller pool of universities to draw on), are the Netherlands with seven entries, Switzerland with six, and Belgium and Denmark with five each. The top mainland European entries are France’s Sciences Po Paris (13^th), the Netherlands’ Leiden University (34^th) and University of Amsterdam (44=), and Ireland’s Trinity College Dublin (46^th). 

See more of Europe’s top universities for politics and international studies >

Top political science schools in Australia and New Zealand

Australia’s highest entry among the world’s top universities for politics and international studies is also its overall leader in the QS World University Rankings®, Australian National University, ranked 7^th in the world for this subject. Four more Australian universities rank within the global top 50 political science schools: University of Sydney (24^th), University of Melbourne (25^th), University of Queensland (40^th) and Monash University (49^th). Another four are within the top 100, and a total of 14 Australian institutions rank among the world’s top 200.

New Zealand, with its smaller pool of universities, has a respectable three entries in the top 100, of which the highest placed is the University of Auckland, currently ranked 26^th in the world for politics and international studies.

Discover more the top political science schools in Australia and New Zealand >

Top political science schools in Asia

Asia’s highest entry in the political science ranking is the National University of Singapore (NUS), at 9^th in the world. Japan’s University of Tokyo is close behind, in 12^th place, followed by the University of Hong Kong (16^th). Tokyo is joined in the top 25 by fellow Japanese institution Kyoto University (23^rd), while Singapore has a second top-50 entrant, Nanyang Technological University (35=). Meanwhile China boasts three entries in the ranking, all within the top 50: Fudan University (19^th), Peking University (21^st) and Tsinghua University (41^st).

Hong Kong and South Korea likewise claim three entries apiece. The University of Hong Kong is joined by the City University of Hong Kong (38^th) and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (39^th), while South Korea is represented by  Seoul National University and Yonsei University (joint 30^th), and Korea University (42^nd).

See more of Asia’s top universities for politics >

More top universities for politics and international studies

Aside from the world regions covered above, also worth a mention is South Africa, which has four universities ranked among the 200 top universities for politics and international studies. Of these, the highest entrant is the University of Cape Town, within the top 100. Meanwhile Latin America is represented by five Brazilian universities and one Chilean, of which the Fundação Getulio Vargas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and Universidade de São Paulo are all in the top 100.

Image credit: Fran C. Muller / Shutterstock.com (University of Tokyo)

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