QS Subject Rankings Analysis Dashboard 2024–2025
A comprehensive intelligence report on Durham University's competitive positioning across 42 ranked subjects, benchmarked against 11 peer institutions using QS World University Rankings by Subject data.
QS Subject Rankings Analysis 2024–2025 · 42 subjects · 11 peer institutions · 5 indicator pillars
Durham University occupies a distinctive but increasingly concentrated position in the 2025 QS Subject Rankings. With 42 ranked subjects, Durham maintains a moderately broad portfolio with exceptional strength in a narrow humanities core — Archaeology (#6), Theology (#6), Classics (#9), and Geography (#11) represent genuine world-class positioning. However, this analysis reveals that Durham's competitive strength is narrowing: 13 of 21 trackable subjects declined in 2025, with the most significant erosion in STEM subjects (Physics -19, Chemistry -25, Natural Sciences -19). Durham's overall position is defined by a humanities fortress with crumbling STEM flanks.
Durham sits in a challenging competitive tier — above Exeter (#21.2 Academic Rep) and St Andrews (#23.9) on reputation measures, but below the Manchester-KCL-Edinburgh-Bristol cluster that achieves 40-74 on Academic Reputation versus Durham's 35.4. The head-to-head analysis reveals Durham loses to KCL in virtually every shared subject except Archaeology, and trails Warwick decisively in professional subjects (Business: Durham #121 vs. Warwick #22; Economics: Durham #130 vs. Warwick #49). Durham's Employer Reputation (28.1) significantly lags Warwick (47.3), reflecting weaker industry connectivity. Within its peer group, Durham's strength is confined to Archaeology, Geography, and Theology — a narrower competitive advantage base than its brand positioning suggests.
Durham faces three interconnected strategic challenges. First, STEM stabilisation: Physics (69→88), Chemistry (150→175), and Natural Sciences (92→111) are all declining rapidly, threatening Durham's claim to be a comprehensive university. Physics is the most recoverable — at #69 in 2024, targeted investment could restore it to a credible position. Second, reputation investment: at 35.4 Academic and 28.1 Employer Reputation, Durham faces a structural rankings ceiling that constrains even well-performing subjects. Closing the gap to Bristol (40.5/32.1) and approaching Warwick (37.3/47.3) on Employer Reputation should be the measurable target. Third, portfolio strategy: Durham must decide whether subjects ranked 150+ (Chemistry #175, Medicine #401-450, Computer Science #251-300) serve or damage its brand. Strategic withdrawal from deeply uncompetitive subjects, combined with concentrated investment in recoverable At Risk subjects and Rising Stars, would sharpen Durham's market positioning and concentrate resources where competitive advantage is achievable.
Defend and amplify the Crown Jewels (Archaeology, Theology, Geography, Classics) through targeted global academic communications campaigns, positioning Durham as the world's leading humanities-specialist collegiate university.
Stabilise Physics (#88, ↓19) as the highest-priority At Risk subject — its recovery from #69 is achievable with targeted research investment and international collaboration partnerships.
Invest in International Research Network (IRN) improvement across all subjects: Durham's 58.9 IRN score versus the peer group average of 68.7 represents the most structurally actionable gap in the QS methodology.
Develop an Employer Reputation campaign focused on Durham's collegiate graduate outcomes, targeting the gap between Durham (28.1) and Warwick (47.3) through systematic employer engagement in key global markets.
Conduct a strategic portfolio review of Challenge Areas and deeply uncompetitive subjects (Medicine #401-450, Computer Science #251-300, Biological Sciences #401-450) to determine whether continued QS listing serves Durham's brand or dilutes it.
Launch targeted academic reputation campaigns for Crown Jewel subjects (Archaeology, Theology, Geography, Classics) in key global markets. Initiate Physics department review to identify recovery pathway from #88 to top-50. Commission IRN gap analysis to identify highest-impact international research partnership opportunities.
Establish 5 new international research partnerships per year across At Risk subjects. Develop employer engagement programme targeting Durham's Employer Reputation gap versus Warwick. Review and potentially withdraw from QS listing in subjects ranked 300+ where competitive recovery is not achievable within 3 years.
Target Bristol (40.5 Academic Rep) as the 5-year Academic Reputation benchmark. Develop Durham's collegiate identity as a global differentiator in humanities, positioning it as the world's leading collegiate humanities university. Build employer relationship infrastructure to close the Warwick Employer Reputation gap (47.3 vs Durham 28.1).
Annual QS Subject Rankings positions for all 42 subjects. IRN scores across all ranked subjects (target: reach peer group average of 68.7 within 3 years). Academic Reputation score trajectory (target: reach Bristol 40.5 within 5 years). Employer Reputation score trajectory (target: reach Warwick 47.3 within 7 years). Number of subjects in Crown Jewels quadrant (target: maintain 4, grow to 6 by 2030).
Durham vs. 11 strategic peers · QS Subject Rankings 2025 · Colour-coded by rank band
| Subject | Durham | Edinburgh | Bristol | Manchester | Birmingham | Leeds | Warwick | KCL | UCL | St Andrews | Exeter | Nottingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archaeology | 6 | 42 | 101-150 | NR | 151-200 | NR | NR | NR | 5 | 13 | 13 | NR |
| Theology | 6 | 10 | NR | 39 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 5 | NR | 29 |
| Classics | 9 | 14 | 51-150 | NR | NR | NR | NR | 5 | NR | 3 | 25 | NR |
| Geography | 11 | 21 | 27 | 18 | 51-100 | 23 | NR | NR | 7 | 22 | 28 | 51-100 |
| Anthropology | 29 | NR | 101-170 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 5 | 44 | NR | NR |
| Philosophy | 31 | 22 | 51-100 | 101-150 | 151-200 | 41 | NR | 10 | 8 | NR | NR | 101-150 |
| English Language & Lit | 33 | 7 | 61 | 18 | 29 | 36 | 28 | 11 | 17 | 22 | 13 | 93 |
| History | 36 | 20 | 51-100 | 38 | 51-100 | NR | 42 | 11 | 13 | 23 | 36 | 35 |
| Arts & Humanities | 43 | 15 | 88 | 64 | 72 | NR | 48 | 27 | 12 | 20 | NR | NR |
| Sports Science | 51-100 | NR | 21 | NR | 8 | 26 | NR | NR | NR | NR | 23 | NR |
| Law | 57 | 19 | 65 | 32 | 101-150 | 51-100 | 43 | 15 | 14 | NR | 39 | 41 |
| Modern Languages | 66 | 20 | 79 | 52 | 96 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Politics | 72 | 15 | 75 | 41 | 101-150 | 51-100 | 25 | 16 | 16 | 42 | 44 | 43 |
| Accounting & Finance | 76 | NR | 101-150 | 45 | 79 | 94 | 22 | NR | NR | 43 | NR | 51-100 |
| Education | 79 | 14 | 16 | 24 | 70 | 37 | 40 | 12 | 1 | NR | 21 | 44 |
| Psychology | 84 | 27 | 74 | 43 | 88 | 123 | 45 | 22 | 10 | 35 | 43 | 68 |
| Physics & Astronomy | 88 | 45 | 148 | 42 | 136 | 147 | NR | 24 | 15 | 37 | NR | NR |
| Sociology | 89 | 30 | 42 | 17 | 76 | 53 | 37 | 43 | 29 | NR | NR | 51-100 |
| Natural Sciences | 111 | 18 | 81 | 58 | 140 | NR | NR | 26 | 8 | 33 | NR | NR |
| Earth & Marine Sciences | 51-100 | 36 | 32 | NR | 101-150 | 20 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Geology | 51-100 | 33 | 43 | NR | 101-150 | 15 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Geophysics | 51-100 | 33 | 38 | NR | 101-150 | 14 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Development Studies | 101-150 | 51-100 | 101-150 | 11 | 51-100 | 22 | NR | NR | 7 | NR | NR | 101-150 |
| Social Policy | 101-150 | NR | 33 | NR | 51-100 | NR | NR | 14 | NR | NR | NR | 25 |
| Business & Management | 121 | 121 | 201-250 | 45 | 143 | 102 | 22 | 37 | 14 | NR | NR | 131 |
| Economics | 130 | 83 | 164 | 62 | 118 | 168 | 49 | NR | NR | NR | NR | 96 |
| Chemistry | 175 | 64 | 96 | 22 | 104 | 125 | NR | 21 | 20 | 42 | NR | 92 |
| Computer Science | 251-300 | 39 | 134 | 58 | 174 | 129 | 27 | 50 | 10 | NR | 41 | NR |
| Marketing | 51-100 | NR | NR | NR | 51-100 | NR | 15 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Agriculture | 201-250 | NR | 151-200 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 8 |
| Biological Sciences | 401-450 | 27 | 103 | 64 | 145 | 88 | NR | 33 | 18 | NR | NR | NR |
| Engineering & Technology | 341 | 38 | 116 | 41 | 119 | NR | 48 | NR | 39 | NR | NR | 49 |
| Environmental Sciences | 251-300 | 37 | 102 | NR | 132 | NR | NR | NR | 27 | NR | NR | NR |
| Electrical Engineering | 301-350 | NR | 151-200 | NR | 138 | 117 | NR | NR | 49 | NR | NR | NR |
| Life Sciences & Medicine | 501-550 | 21 | 56 | 52 | 59 | NR | NR | 36 | 11 | NR | NR | NR |
| Mathematics | 201-250 | 32 | 93 | 42 | 151-200 | 159 | 27 | 36 | 11 | 24 | NR | 44 |
| Materials Science | 251-300 | NR | 138 | 39 | 66 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 21 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 351-400 | 94 | 66 | 29 | 82 | 104 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 63 |
| Medicine | 401-450 | 20 | 59 | 33 | 67 | 96 | NR | 3 | 8 | NR | NR | 96 |
| Statistics | 201-250 | NR | 51-100 | NR | 251-275 | NR | 27 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Linguistics | 251-300 | 7 | NR | NR | 37 | 42 | NR | NR | 12 | NR | NR | NR |
| Performing Arts | NR | NR | 101-150 | 14 | 51-100 | NR | 14 | NR | NR | NR | 20 | NR |
Durham's QS indicator scores across core subjects · Sorted by rank · Progress bars show relative score (0–100)
| Subject | Rank | Academic Rep | Employer Rep | Citations/Paper | H-Index | IRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archaeology | #6 | 91.9 | 72.1 | 86.1 | 89.4 | — |
| Theology | #6 | 94.0 | 68.4 | 86.7 | 77.6 | — |
| Classics | #9 | 89.1 | 76.1 | — | — | — |
| Geography | #11 | 87.1 | 82.3 | 94.6 | 89.3 | — |
| Anthropology | #29 | 85.4 | 72.7 | 90.6 | 91.9 | — |
| Philosophy | #31 | 75.7 | 83.6 | 83.0 | 77.8 | — |
| English Language | #33 | 79.1 | 75.3 | 79.9 | — | — |
| History | #36 | 75.8 | 82.0 | 90.5 | 83.0 | — |
| Arts & Humanities | #43 | 85.5 | 64.7 | 80.6 | 81.8 | 63.6 |
| Physics | #88 | 70.1 | 70.7 | 92.8 | 79.5 | 68.7 |
| Law | #57 | 73.0 | 70.5 | 81.2 | 86.8 | — |
| Psychology | #84 | 73.5 | 69.7 | 87.2 | 77.2 | 44.7 |
| Economics | #130 | 62.7 | 70.4 | 82.8 | 75.7 | — |
| Business | #121 | 66.0 | 68.0 | 78.5 | 93.0 | — |
| Sociology | #89 | 70.2 | 70.3 | 87.8 | 86.0 | — |
Durham vs. Edinburgh, Bristol, Manchester & peer group average · 5 QS indicator pillars
Prior year rank vs. current year rank per subject · Green = rising, Red = declining, Grey = stable
Durham vs. St Andrews, Exeter, Warwick, Bristol, Edinburgh & KCL · ★ = best rank in row
| Subject | Durham | St Andrews | Exeter | Warwick | Bristol | Edinburgh | KCL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archaeology | ★6 | 13 | 13 | NR | 101-150 | 42 | NR |
| Theology | 6 | ★5 | NR | NR | NR | 10 | NR |
| Classics | 9 | ★3 | 25 | NR | 51-150 | 14 | 5 |
| Geography | ★11 | 22 | 28 | NR | 27 | 21 | NR |
| Anthropology | ★29 | 44 | NR | NR | 101-170 | NR | NR |
| Philosophy | 31 | NR | NR | NR | 51-100 | 22 | ★10 |
| English Language | 33 | 22 | 13 | 28 | 61 | ★7 | 11 |
| History | 36 | 23 | 36 | 42 | 51-100 | 20 | ★11 |
| Law | 57 | NR | 39 | 43 | 65 | 19 | ★15 |
| Psychology | 84 | 35 | 43 | 45 | 74 | 27 | ★22 |
| Physics | 88 | 37 | NR | NR | 148 | 45 | ★24 |
| Economics | 130 | NR | NR | ★49 | 164 | 83 | NR |
| Business | 121 | NR | NR | ★22 | 201-250 | 121 | 37 |
Academic Reputation vs. Employer Reputation · One dot per institution · ◆ = Durham · Dashed lines = peer group averages
| Institution | Academic Rep | Employer Rep | Gap (AR−ER) | Position Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ◆Durham | 35.4 | 28.1 | +7.3 | Mid-Tier |
| Oxford | 100 | 100 | 0.0 | Elite |
| Cambridge | 100 | 100 | 0.0 | Elite |
| UCL | 96.4 | 74.4 | +22.0 | Elite |
| Edinburgh | 74.3 | 52.3 | +22.0 | Strong |
| KCL | 69.5 | 48.1 | +21.4 | Strong |
| Bristol | 40.5 | 32.1 | +8.4 | Mid-Tier |
| Warwick | 37.3 | 47.3 | -10.0 | Mid-Tier |
| Leeds | 31.2 | 27.6 | +3.6 | Developing |
| Birmingham | 33.9 | 28.3 | +5.6 | Developing |
| Exeter | 21.2 | 19.2 | +2.0 | Developing |
| Manchester | 67.6 | 62.7 | +4.9 | Strong |
| St Andrews | 23.9 | 15.3 | +8.6 | Developing |
Durham's top 10 subjects vs. best peer and peer group average · Advantage classification
Crown Jewels · At Risk · Rising Stars · Challenge Areas — Durham's 42 ranked subjects classified
World-class position; dominant vs. all peers; heritage strength
Elite position improving; only behind Oxford (#3); brand cornerstone
Strongest improver in top subjects; dominant peer advantage (+13 vs. avg)
Elite but slipping; monitor Oxford (#1), Cambridge (#2) gap
Most alarming decline; was credible at #69; now uncompetitive for STEM brand
Significant erosion; was competitive at #65; losing ground to Russell Group peers
Core humanities subject slipping; trails peer average; brand-critical subject
Large decline mirrors Physics; STEM portfolio eroding systematically
Falling further behind; Edinburgh (#27), KCL (#22) now far ahead
Steepest decline in portfolio; now deeply uncompetitive
Strong recovery from #42; closing gap on peer average; humanities reinforcement
Best professional subject improvement; still below aspirational benchmarks
Largest climb; entered top 130 from 151-200; still trailing Warwick (#49)
Entered top 89 from 101-150; emerging social science presence
Significantly trails Warwick (#22), KCL (#37); weak for professional brand
Declining in a traditional humanities area; Edinburgh (#15) far ahead
Significant decline from #48; KCL (#15), Edinburgh (#19) dominate tier
Fell from 51-100 band; Edinburgh (#20), Warwick (#32) competitive gaps widening
Stagnant; limited peer differentiation in this niche
Deeply uncompetitive; may not justify QS listing at this rank level
Indicator Weightings by Subject · Understanding What Drives Each Rank · QS 2025
Why the Methodology is Central to Campaign Strategy
The QS Subject Rankings use a different set of indicator weightings for each subject — meaning the same campaign activity will have very different impacts depending on which subject it targets. Understanding the methodology is therefore the foundation of any effective reputation campaign: it tells you exactly which activities will move the needle, and by how much.
For example, a campaign targeting academic scholars will have a 70% impact in Archaeology (where Academic Reputation carries 70% of the score) but only a 40% impact in Economics (where it carries 40%). Conversely, an employer engagement campaign will have a 30% impact in Law, Politics, and Business — but only 5–10% in Philosophy and Sociology.
The Reputation Dominance Fact
On average, 75% of each subject's QS score is determined by reputation surveys alone — making reputation campaigns the single most impactful investment Durham can make.
QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025 · Durham University Strategic Analysis
Prepared by QS Consultancy · February 2026 · Confidential