QS World Rankings By Subject 2025

We have a best-ever 21 subjects in the world top 100.

3 Subjects

in the Top 10

8 Subjects

in the Top 50

21 Subjects

in the Top 100

Joint 89th

QS World University Rankings 2025

Ranked among the world's best

We have achieved our strongest-ever performance in the prestigious QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025, with a record 21 subjects ranked among the world’s top 100, up from 19 last year.

Three of our subjects rated in the global top ten: Archaeology (6), Theology and Religion (6), and Classics and Ancient History (9).

A further five of our subjects rank highly in the World Top 50: Geography (11), Anthropology (29), Philosophy (31), English Studies (33) and History (36).

Five 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.

Durham is a world-leading university, and the excellence of our teaching and research is reflected in our global rankings successes. It is very pleasing to see so many, and such a broad range, of our subjects once again placed so highly in these most prestigious global rankings.

Professor Karen O'Brien

Vice-Chancellor and Warden

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 2025, the QS team analysed the reputation and research output of over 5,200 institutions globally. From this group, 1,747 were ranked across 55 subjects and five broad subject areas, creating over 21,000 entries.

5,200 institutions ranked globally

21,000 entries

Find out more about our world top 50 departments

Archaeology - 6th

Theology and Religion - 6th

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

Classics and Ancient History - 9th

A group conducting research at a library

Geography - 11th

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

Anthropology - 29th

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

Philosophy - 31st

A group of Philosophy students and a lecturer sat around a table during a seminar

English Studies - 33rd

A hand pulling a copy of The Bell Jar out from a bookshelf holding a number of classic literary fiction books.

History - 36th

A medieval-era book lying open on a cushion

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

From our student blog: Studying in the UK and why I chose Durham

Third year Archaeology and Ancient History student Savannah explains what drew her to Durham from Texas and how it became her new home away from home.

Read Savannah's story

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