QS World University Rankings by Subject: the university’s positioning and the methodology

Arts & Humanities 42nd

• Classic & Ancient History 25th place tied
• Archaeology 41st place tied
• Modern Languages 43rd place tied. First in Italy
• History between 51st and 100th. First in Italy
• Linguistics between 101st and 150th. First in Italy
• Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies between 101st and 150th
• Philosophy between 101st and 150th
• Architecture/Built Environment between 151st and 200th
• Art & Design between 201st and 260th

Social Sciences & Management 64th

• Law 41st place tied First in Italy
• Anthropology between 51st and 100th First in Italy
• Politics & International Studies 68th
• Social Policy & Administration between 51st and 100th
• Statistics & Operational Research between 51st and 100th. First in Italy
• Communication & Media Studies between 51st and 100th. First in Italy
• Hospitality & Leisure Management between 51st and 100th. First in Italy
• Marketing between 51st and 100th
• Accounting & Finance 97th
• Economics & Econometrics 102nd place tied
• Sociology between 101st and 150th
• Sports-related Subjects between 101st and 150th. First in Italy
• Business & Management Studies 129th place tied
• Education between 151st and 200th. First in Italy

Natural Sciences 94th

• Geography 43rd First in Italy
• Physics & Astronomy 104th place tied
• Earth & Marine Sciences between 101st and 150th. First in Italy
• Geology between 101st and 150th. First in Italy
• Geophysics between 101st and 150th. First in Italy
• Chemistry 125th place tied. First in Italy
• Mathematics 129th 
• Environmental Sciences 144th place tied
• Material Science between 201st and 250th 

Life Sciences & Medicine 99th place tied

• Veterinary Science 44th. First in Italy
• Agriculture & Forestry 54th. First in Italy
• Psychology 90th
• Medicine 96th place tied
• Dentistry between 51st and 120th. First in Italy
• Pharmacy & Pharmacology between 101st and 150th
• Anatomy & Physiology between 101st and 170th
• Biological Sciences 161st
• Nursing tra between 150th and 225th

Engineering & Technology 111st

• Computer Science & Information Systems 93rd
• Engineering - Civil & Structural between 51st and 100th
• Engineering-Electrical & Electronic 114th place tied
• Engineering-Chemical between 101st and 150th
• Engineering-Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing 126th

 

  

Methodology 

Indicators and number of universities analysed

There are approximately 1500 universities analysed worldwide and they are classified according to:

• 5 macro-areas: Arts & Humanities, Engineering & Technology, Life Science & Medicine, Natural Science, and Social Science & Management
• 55 subjects

Indicators

Indicator	Indicator description	Weighting
Academic reputation	Academic Reputation: result of the 'Academic Survey', carried out by QS: 1,900,000 nominations	The weighting of the indicator varies according to subject and macro-area
Employer reputation	Employer Reputation: result of the 'Employer Survey', carried out by QS: 660,000 nominations	The weighting of the indicator varies according to subject and macro-area
Research citations per paper	Average number of citations per research article	The weighting of the indicator varies according to subject and macro-area
H-index	Hirsh H-index (considers both the number of research articles and the number of citations from them)	The weighting of the indicator varies according to subject and macro-area
IRN	International Research Network (co-authors of international research articles)	The weighting of the indicator varies according to subject and macro-area

Macro-areas, subjects and positioning

Macro-area	Subject	Positioning
Arts & Humanities	Classic & Ancient History	25th place tied out of 150
Arts & Humanities	Archaeology	41st place tied out of 260
Arts & Humanities	Modern Languages	43rd place tied out of 350
Arts & Humanities	English Language & Literature	68th out of 350
Arts & Humanities	History	between 51st and 100th out of 250
Arts & Humanities	Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies	between 101st and 150th out of 150
Arts & Humanities	Linguistics	between 101st and 150th out of 350
Arts & Humanities	Philosophy	between 101st and 150th out of 210
Arts & Humanities	Art & Design	between 201st and 260th out of 260
Arts & Humanities	Architecture/Built Environment	between 151st and 200th out of 260
Social Sciences & Management	Law	41st place tied out of 400
Social Sciences & Management	Politics & International Studies	68th out of  400
Social Sciences & Management	Anthropology	between 51st and 100th out of 170
Social Sciences & Management	Social Policy & Administration	between 51st and 100th out of 150
Social Sciences & Management	Statistics & Operational Research	between 51st and 100th out of 275
Social Sciences & Management	Communication & Media Studies	between 51st and 100th out of 275
Social Sciences & Management	Hospitality & Leisure Management	between 51st and 100th out of 175
Social Sciences & Management	Marketing	between 51st and 100th out of 100
Social Sciences & Management	Accounting & Finance	97th place tied out of 375
Social Sciences & Management	Economics & Econometrics	102rd place tied out of 700
Social Sciences & Management	Sociology	between 101st and 150th out of 375
Social Sciences & Management	Business & Management Studies	129th place tied out of 650
Social Sciences & Management	Education	between 151st and 200th out of 450
Natural Sciences	Geography	43rd out of 250
Natural Sciences	Physics & Astronomy	104th place tied out of 675
Natural Sciences	Earth & Marine Sciences	between 101st and 150th out of 275
Natural Sciences	Geology	between 101st and 150th out of 250
Natural Sciences	Geophysics	between 101st and 150th out of 250
Natural Sciences	Chemistry	125th place tied out of 700
Natural Sciences	Mathematics	129th out of 600
Natural Sciences	Environmental Sciences	144th place tied out of 550
Natural Sciences	Material Science	between 201st and 250th out of 550
Life Sciences & Medicine	Veterinary Science	44th out of 100
Life Sciences & Medicine	Agriculture & Forestry	54th out of 475
Life Sciences & Medicine	Psychology	90th out of 350
Life Sciences & Medicine	Dentistry	between 51st and 120th out of 120
Life Sciences & Medicine	Medicine	96th place tied out of 850
Life Sciences & Medicine	Pharmacy & Pharmacology	between 101st and 150th out of 400
Life Sciences & Medicine	Anatomy & Physiology	between 101st and170th out of 170
Life Sciences & Medicine	Biological Sciences	161st place tied out of 700
Life Sciences & Medicine	Nursing	between 151st and 225th out of 225
Engineering & Technology	Computer Science & Information Systems	93rd out of 850
Engineering & Technology	Engineering - Civil & Structural	between 51st and 100th out of 275
Engineering & Technology	Engineering-Electrical & Electronic	114th place tied out of 550
Engineering & Technology	Engineering-Chemical	between 101st and 150th out of 450
Engineering & Technology	Engineering-Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing	126th out of 575