Released today, the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2018 reveal which universities are the best in the world for 48 different subjects.
The largest ranking of its kind has been made even bigger this year by the addition of two new subjects: classics & ancient history, and library & information management.
The subject rankings are an invaluable resource when choosing which universities to apply to, and registered users of the site can shortlist and compare universities which interest them.
As for this year’s results, Harvard University can once again proudly boast of being ranked number one for more subjects than any other institution. The Massachusetts university tops 14 different subject tables, one fewer than it did last year.
The next two universities with the most number one positions are Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of Oxford. These institutions are top of 12 and four subject tables respectively.
On a broader scale, universities in the US across all subjects have gone down more than they’ve gone up, something which is likely to be of concern to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and the wider Trump administration.
Interestingly, the impact of Brexit on UK universities continues to be negligible, with 10 subjects topped by a British university – two more than last year.
Elsewhere in the world, the rate of improvement among universities from China and Russia has slowed, while French and Brazilian universities have fallen overall.
You can find out which university is number one for each of the 48 different subjects, as well as the five different subject areas which are included within the ranking, in the table below.
Every University Ranked Number One in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2018 | |
University | Subject(s) |
Harvard University | Accounting & Finance, Biological Sciences, Business & Management Studies, Economics & Econometrics, History, Law, Life Sciences & Medicine, Medicine, Modern Languages, Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Politics & International Studies, Psychology, Social Policy & Administration, Social Sciences & Management, Sociology, Theology Divinity & Religious Studies |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | Architecture, Chemistry, Computer Science & Information Systems, Chemical Engineering, Civil & Structural Engineering, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering, Engineering & Technology, Linguistics, Materials Science, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Statistics & Operational Research |
University of Oxford | Anatomy & Physiology, Archaeology, Arts & Humanities, English Language & Literature, Geography |
Colorado School of Mines | Mineral & Mining Engineering |
ETH Zurich | Earth & Marine Sciences |
Juilliard School | Performing Arts |
Loughborough University | Sports-related Subjects |
Royal College of Art | Art & Design |
Sapienza - Università di Roma | Classics & Ancient History |
University of Sheffield | Library & Information Management* |
UCL Institute of Education | Education |
University of Amsterdam | Communication & Media Studies |
University of California, Berkeley (UCB) | Environmental Studies |
University of California, Davis (UCD) | Veterinary Science |
University of Cambridge | Anthropology |
University of Hong Kong (HKU) | Dentistry |
University of Nevada – Las Vegas | Hospitality & Leisure Management |
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill | Library & Information Management* |
University of Pennsylvania | Nursing |
University of Pittsburgh | Philosophy |
University of Sussex | Development Studies |
Wageningen University | Agriculture & Forestry |
| *Indicates first-placed position is shared by two universities | |