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Success in the latest global subject rankings

Published: 5 April 2022
QS Rankings by Subject 2022

Continued success in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022, demonstrates and strengthens the University of Southampton’s position as one of the world’s leading universities.

View the full rankings here.





The University has six subjects in the top 50, twice as many as last year

Nursing is ranked in the global top 10 for the sixth successive year, placing at fifth in the world, up four places, and second among all UK universities listed for this subject.

  • Archaeology is ranked 31st globally and seventh among all UK universities
  • Statistics and Operational Research is 34th in the world and seventh domestically
  • Earth and Marine Science is 43rd in the world and ninth in the UK
  • Geology is 48th globally and ninth in the UK
  • Geophysics is placed 49th in the world and ninth in the UK

12 subjects ranked within the top 100 globally

As well as the six subjects that rank in the top 50 globally, Southampton has six more subjects ranked within the top 100. This is a marque of consistent quality, indicative of its place among the best universities in the world. The six are:

  • Physics and Astronomy rose 11 places to 55th (seventh in the UK)
  • Engineering - Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacture rose 12 places to 63rd (sixth in the UK)
  • Engineering - Electrical and Electronic is ranked 65th (seventh in the UK)
  • Engineering and Technology is ranked 85th (seventh in the UK)
  • Medicine is placed 71st globally
  • Psychology is ranked 98th

“As a University community, we are committed to excellence in everything we do and this year’s QS World Rankings by Subject are a true indication of that excellence. I want to warmly congratulate everyone involved in making Southampton a sector leader in a range of subjects and recognise all the achievements and hard work of our staff and students that has gone into this endeavour,” says Professor Mark E. Smith, President and Vice-Chancellor.

“These results reinforce our standing among our peers, colleagues and collaborators across the globe who recognise Southampton’s position as being one of the very best universities in the world.”

Southampton’s performance in all the areas listed is powered by the University’s continued improvement in reputational rating among academic peers and employers around the world and good scores for research citations and ‘h-index’, which measures the productivity and impact of work published by scientists and scholars in each subject.

As a top 100 global university*, Southampton represents exploration and curiosity, interdisciplinary thinking, inventive education and cutting-edge facilities.

We inspire minds to question and improve, bring people together to solve the global challenges facing society and help them grow individually, and as a community, to change the world for the better.

It is that drive and passion to improve that is reflected in Southampton’s QS World Subject Rankings this year.


*QS World University Rankings, 2022

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