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Four of our subjects have been ranked among the world’s top 100 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2024.

This adds to our continuing success in global and UK rankings. We recently rose to 78th in the QS World University Rankings, including being ranked joint 30th for sustainability and 50th for employer reputation, and we’re consistently in the top 10 in UK rankings.  

About the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 

This annual ranking assesses hundreds of universities all around the world on broad subject areas. 

Arts and Humanities was our strongest performer, ranked 39th. Law at Durham was ranked joint 60th globally; and Social Sciences, which includes our departments of Geography, Sociology and Government and International Affairs, was placed 81st. Our School of Education completed our top 100 group, being ranked joint 92nd 

Also, our Engineering, Life Sciences and Psychology areas all improved their rankings from last year.  

Look closer… 

Arts and humanities at Durham are characterised by a commitment to global reach and historic depth, combining tradition and innovation, to yield outstanding success across our departments.  

Our cutting-edge Institute for Medical Humanities was recently awarded £9 million to develop the Discovery Research Platform for Medical Humanities. Dr Arlene Holmes-Henderson, from our Department of Classics and Ancient History, was recently made an MBE by King Charles III for Services to Education; and Professor Anna Rowlands, from our Department of Theology and Religion, recently received the prestigious Expanded Reason award in a ceremony at the Vatican.  

Our Law School is ranked in the UK top five and its graduates are much prized by employers. Some have gone on to be members of the UK Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and Members of Parliament.  

Our Faculty of Social Sciences and Health brings together leading voices in the investigation of violence and abuse, climatology and urban sustainability; and our School of Education is among the best in the UK, expanding the frontiers of educational knowledge and inspiring students to become the future architects of an equitable and sustainable world. 

Find out more 
- Discover more about our rankings 
- Explore further the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2024 
- Find out more about Arts and Humanities and Social Sciences and Health at Durham 

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