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QS World Rankings By Subject 2024

We’re a world-leading university, across a broad range of subjects.
10 Subjects
in the Top 50
3 Subjects
in the Top 10
19 Subjects
in the Top 100
Joint 89th
QS World University Rankings 2025
A collage of three images: a stained glass window of St Bede from St Cuthbert's Catholic Church, a young woman browsing old books at the historic Cosin's Library, and an archaeological dig with an array of artefactual finds next to a person turned away from the camera digging into the ground.

Rated among the world's best

We have performed strongly in the prestigious QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024, rating among the world's top universities.

Three of our subjects rated in the global top ten: Archaeology (=5), Classics and Ancient History (6) and Theology and Religion (7).

A further seven of our subjects rank highly in the World Top 50: Geography (16), Anthropology (28), English Studies (29), Philosophy (29), History (42), Earth Sciences (=48) and Law (48).

Ten of our subjects have also improved their QS ranking on last year which is testimony to our commitment to academic excellence.

Join us for the next chapter of your academic journey and experience a research-led, challenging and transformative education.

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Our research is innovative and impactful, informing the high-quality education we deliver to all our students, as well as transforming lives and making a difference, globally and locally.
Professor Karen O’Brien
Vice-Chancellor and Warden
Highlights by Subject Area
42nd Arts & Humanities
92nd Natural Sciences
Joint 90th Social Sciences and Management

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About the QS World University Rankings by Subject

The QS World University Rankings by Subject are compiled annually to help prospective students identify the leading universities in a particular subject.

In 2024, the QS team analysed the reputation and research output of almost 5,000 institutions globally. From this group, 1,559 were ranked across 55 narrow subjects and five broad subject areas, creating over 19,100 entries. The rankings cover 55 disciplines across thousands of global institutions.

10 Subjects in the global top 50
19 subjects in the global top 100

Explore our world top 100 departments

Browse through our top subject departments

Archaeology - Joint 5th

Classics and Ancient History - 6th

A group conducting research at a library

Theology and Religion - 7th

St Cuthbert's Catholic Church in Durham viewed from across the street, framed against a clear blue sky.

Geography - 16th

A group of students in white labcoats conducting research in a geography laboratory

Anthropology - 28th

A student examining a long, tapered object as part of an Anthropology practical

In addition, three subject areas are in the world top 100: Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences and Management, and Natural Sciences

In some cases how QS categorises subject areas is different to the titles of Durham University Departments.

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