Top Universities in the UK by Subject 2020

There are 19 UK universities featured in the rankings for development studies, with a staggering 14 of these in the global top 50. The University of Sussex takes first place worldwide, achieving a perfect score for academic reputation.  

The earth and marine sciences ranking features 24 UK schools, including eight in the global top 50. The top spot in the UK is shared by the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford, in joint third place worldwide.

An impressive 50 UK institutions are featured in the rankings for economics and econometrics this year, including six in the global top 50. Unsurprisingly, LSE is the highest ranked UK institution for economics and econometrics, in joint fifth place worldwide.

36 education institutions in the UK feature in the global rankings this year, with 10 of these in the world top 50. The highest ranked program in the UK, and in the world, can be found at the UCL Institute of Education at University College London, which achieves a perfect score for academic reputation. 

One of the largest rankings, 37 UK universities feature in the electrical and electronic engineering table this year. The highest ranked of these is the University of Cambridge, which rises one place this year to fourth globally.

As one might expect, the UK performs very well for English language and literature, with 40 schools in the rankings, including 16 in the global top 50. The University of Oxford is in first place globally (with a perfect score for academic reputation), closely followed by rivals the University of Cambridge in second.

There are 37 UK institutions featured in the environmental sciences ranking this year, including eight in the global top 50. The highest ranked university in the UK is the University of Oxford, which rises two places this year to fourth globally.

The UK performs very well for geography this year, with 34 schools featured, including 14 in the global top 50. The top three places in the world are taken up by UK institutions, with the University of Oxford in first, LSE in second and the university of Cambridge in third.

History is another strong ranking for UK institutions, with 31 universities featured, with 13 of these in the global top 50. The highest ranked history program in the UK can be found at the University of Oxford, in second place globally and achieving a perfect score for academic reputation.

Four UK schools feature in the rankings for hospitality and leisure management, including three in the global top 10. The highest ranked of these is the University of Surrey, in eighth place worldwide.

UK law schools perform well this year, with 35 programs in the rankings (including eight in the global top 50). The highest ranked law school in the UK can be found at the University of Oxford, in second place globally.

The UK is fairly well-represented in the small library and information management ranking, with five schools featured. The University of Sheffield is the highest-ranked program in the country, in second place globally.

There are 28 linguistics programs in the UK featured in the 2020 rankings, including six in the global top 50. The highest ranked program in the UK can be found at the University of Edinburgh, which climbs one place this year to finish third globally. 

28 materials science programs in the UK feature in the rankings this year, including four in the global top 50. The University of Cambridge takes the top spot in the UK, placing fourth globally. 

One of the largest subject rankings, with 500 schools featured globally, an impressive 39 UK schools are in the mathematics rankings, including six in the global top 50. The highest-ranked UK mathematics program can be found at the University of Cambridge, in fourth place globally.

38 UK institutions feature in the rankings for mechanical, aeronautical and manufacturing engineering this year, including five in the global top 50. The highest ranked school in the UK is the University of Cambridge, ranked third worldwide.

An impressive 45 UK schools feature in the rankings for medicine this year, including eight in the global top 50. The highest ranked program can be found at the University of Oxford, in second place globally. Imperial College London cracks the global top 10 this year, rising from 12^th place to joint 10^th.  

Three UK universities feature in the rankings for mineral and mining engineering this year. The highest ranked of these is the Camborne School of Mines at the University of Exeter, which places 14^th globally.

There are 30 UK institutions featured in the rankings for modern languages this year, including seven in the global top 50. The UK is also home to the world’s number modern languages program, at the University of Oxford.

The UK performs really well for nursing this year, with seven out of the 11 schools featured in the ranking making it into the global top 50. The highest ranked nursing program in the UK can be found at King's College London (KCL), in second place globally.

A very impressive 26 UK schools feature in the performing arts rankings this year, including a staggering 12 in the global top 50. The highest-ranked program can be found at the Royal College of Music, which rises one place this year to take second place globally. 

There are 26 UK institutions featured in the pharmacy and pharmacology rankings this year, including eight in the global top 50. The UK is home to the highest-ranked pharmacy and pharmacology program in the world, with the University of Oxford taking first place. 

24 UK universities feature in the rankings for philosophy this year, with nine of these in the global top 50. The highest-ranked philosophy program in the UK can be found at the University of Oxford, in fourth place globally. 

There are 37 UK universities featured in the physics and astronomy rankings this year, including six in the global top 50. The University of Cambridge is home to the country’s top-ranking program, in fourth place globally.

The UK performs well in the politics and international studies ranking, with 29 programs featured, including nine in the global top 50. The highest-ranked program in the UK can be found at the University of Oxford, which drops two places this year to rank fourth globally.

A whopping 41 UK schools feature in the rankings for psychology this year, including seven in the global top 50. The highest-ranked program in the country can be found at the University of Cambridge, which rises one place this year to rank third globally.

There are 18 social policy and administration programs in the UK featured in the rankings, with over half of these in the global top 50. The highest-ranked program can be found at the University of Oxford, in second place globally. LSE loses its number one spot this year, dropping to third in the world.

35 UK institutions feature in the rankings for sociology this year, including eight in the global top 50. Once again, the University of Oxford is the highest-ranked university in the UK, in second place globally.

In the UK, there’s one university that consistently dominates for sports-related subjects – the University of Loughborough, once again in first place globally. A further 15 UK schools feature in the sports rankings, including seven in the global top 50.

There are 22 UK universities in the statistics and operational research rankings, with 10 of these placing in the global top 50. The highest ranked program in the UK can be found at the University of Oxford, in fifth place globally.

16 UK schools feature in the theology, divinity and religious studies rankings, including an impressive nine in the global top 50. The highest ranked program can be found at the University of Oxford, which rises one place this year to second globally.

Eight UK institutions feature in the rankings for veterinary science this year, including six in the global top 20. The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, is still the UK’s highest ranked program for the subject despite falling one place this year to second globally.