The QS University Rankings have always been a directional guide for the study-abroad community—universities and programs that make the list definitely “get their moment in the spotlight!”
A few days ago, QS released the 2018 World University Subject Rankings.
Rankings Span Five Broad Subject Areas
-
Engineering & Technology
-
Social Sciences & Management
-
Life Sciences & Medicine
-
Natural Sciences
-
Arts & Humanities
Ranking Criteria
-
Citations per faculty: 20%
-
International faculty ratio: 5%
-
International student ratio: 5%
-
Academic reputation: 40%
-
Employer reputation: 10%
-
Faculty/student ratio: 20%
The QS subject rankings offer a more direct view of how individual programs rank globally, providing valuable insight for students who place greater importance on academic specialization and teaching quality within their discipline.
| QS World University Rankings by Subject: Top Ten Performers | ||
| Institution | Country | Number of Top-10 Appearances |
| University of Cambridge | UK | 37 |
| University of Oxford | UK | 35 |
| University of California, Berkeley (UCB) | US | 34 |
| Harvard University | US | 34 |
| Stanford University | US | 32 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | US | 24 |
| University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | US | 14 |
| London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) | UK | 13 |
| National University of Singapore (NUS) | Singapore | 11 |
| Yale University | US | 11 |
Engineering & Technology
Computer Science & Information Systems
Chemistry
Engineering - Civil & Structural
Engineering - Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing
Engineering - Electrical & Electronic
Full Ranking
link：https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-r...
Natural Sciences
Environmental Sciences
Physics & Astronomy
Full Ranking
link：https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-r...
Social Sciences & Management
Accounting & Finance
Communication & Media Studies
Education
Law
Psychology
Full Ranking
link：https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-r...
Arts & Humanities
English Language & Literature
Linguistics
Full Ranking
link：https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-r...
Life Sciences & Medicine
Dentistry
Medicine
Full Ranking
link：https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-r...
For most students, attention to various rankings is mainly driven by the need to select the right school. Using rankings as a reference is fine, but you shouldn’t rely on them entirely for school selection. Here are some frequently asked questions about rankings for your reference.
1. What is the QS ranking based on?
Each QS subject ranking is compiled using data from four sources. The first two are QS’s global surveys of academics and employers, which assess the international reputation of institutions within each discipline. The second set of metrics evaluates research impact, based on citation counts per paper and the h-index in the relevant subject. These are all sourced from Elsevier’s Scopus database, the world’s most comprehensive abstract and citation database of research literature.
2. What aspects of a school should applicants focus on during selection?
Applicants should spend time researching the strengths of the department within their intended field, the curriculum design, and the expertise of professors whose work aligns with their interests.
3. How should you view rankings when choosing schools?
Rankings are not simply a matter of good or bad. They function somewhat like advertising and branding, presenting you with a list of schools with a certain “consensus” status. But this is just one factor to consider, not the only one.
In judging whether a university is good or not, you cannot rely solely on rankings while ignoring the school that truly suits you. Only by correctly interpreting ranking data can you avoid being misled by rankings and making unwise choices.
We hope this article helps you. If you have any other questions about study abroad applications or personal statement writing, add CheersYou（清柚教育） Bro (WeChat ID: qingyouge23) for a consultation~
