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QS World University Rankings By Subject 2026

We have a best-ever 22 subjects in the world top 100.
3 Subjects
in the Top 10
10 Subjects
in the Top 50
22 Subjects
in the Top 100
World Top 100
QS World University Rankings 2026
A collage of three images in a banner: students working with microscopes and other equipment in a Geography lab, a stained glass window portrait of St Bede, and an archaeologist examining an artefact from the Melsonby Hoard.
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Our strongest result ever in the QS World University Rankings by Subject

We have achieved our strongest-ever performance in the prestigious QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, with a record 22 subjects ranked among the world’s top 100, up from 21 last year.

Explore our top-ranked departments

Ranked among the world's best

Durham’s previous best result, achieved last year, was 21 subjects in the elite world top 100. This year’s record return includes three subjects in the world top 10, and 10 in the world top 50. 

Our three subjects rated in the global top 10 are Theology and Religion (4th), Archaeology (5th), and Geography (6th).

A further seven of our subjects rank highly in the World Top 50: Anthropology (joint 25th), English Language and Literature (26th), Classics and Ancient History (joint 29th), Philosophy (joint 39th), Modern Languages (joint 40th), History (44th) and Law (joint 49th).

Four ‘broad subject’ areas and 17 ‘narrow subjects’ have improved their QS rankings from last year, demonstrating Durham’s excellence across a wide range of subjects. 

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University student
Durham is a world-leading university. The outstanding nature of our teaching and research is reflected in our global rankings success. It is particularly pleasing to see a high volume and broad range of subjects again placed so highly in these most prestigious 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.

The 2026 rankings analysed more than 6,200 institutions worldwide, with 1,900 universities ranked across 55 subjects, producing over 21,000 individual ranking entries. 

Find out more about our world top 50 departments:

Theology and Religion - 4th in the world

St Cuthbert Stained Glass Window

Archaeology - 5th in the world

Geography - 6th in the world

Images from field teaching yesterday at Skaftafellsjökull in Iceland. With our students are Mike Bentley, Dave Roberts and Holly Jenkins. The group were followed most of the day by a very friendly one-eyed farm dog called Millie

Anthropology - joint 25th in the world

Students looking at a window display

English Studies - 26th in the world

Durham University's Shakespeare First Folio on display in a glass case within historic library setting

Classics and Ancient History - Joint 29th in the world

An old book from Cosin's Library open at the title page, displaying Latin text and a black and white diagram

Philosophy - 39th in the world

Philosophy books on a shelf

Modern Languages and Cultures - Joint 40th in the world

World map

History - 44th in the world

A medieval-era book lying open on a cushion

Law - Joint 49th in the world

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

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