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ShanghaiRanking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2017: results

ShanghaiRanking has released its league table of academic subjects, ranking universities from all over the world in 52 subject areas

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  • Rankings for Students
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Seeta Bhardwa

Editor, THE Student
June 28 2017
Shanghai subject ranking

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The results of ShanghaiRanking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2017 have been released, revealing the best universities in 52 different subjects, according to the consultancy. These subjects are spread across five fields – natural sciences, engineering, life sciences, medical sciences and social sciences. In total, more than 4,000 universities across the world were ranked.


Looking for the overall 2017 Shanghai Ranking results? Click here!


US universities take first place 32 times across the 52 subjects, while eight of the top spots are claimed by institutions from China, and five by universities in the Netherlands. The UK takes three of the top positions in geography (University of Cambridge). 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology came top in five subjects, four of those within the field of engineering.

Other universities to rank first more than once were Delft University of Technology, Wageningen University & Research and Nanyang Technological University.  

The ranking was determined by a series of indicators such as the number of papers authored by an institution in an academic subject, international collaboration on papers, and the number of staff winning awards in an academic subject. The full methodology can be found here.

ShanghaiRanking’s top universities in 52 subjects

FieldsSubjectInstitutionCountry

 

Natural sciences

MathematicsPrinceton UniversityUS
PhysicsMassachusetts Institute of Technology US
ChemistryUniversity of California, BerkeleyUS
Earth sciencesETH Zurich - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ZurichSwitzerland
GeographyUniversity of OxfordUK
EcologyUniversity of OxfordUK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Engineering

Mechanical engineeringUniversity of CambridgeUK
Electrical and electronic engineeringUniversity of California, BerkeleyUS
Automation and controlMassachusetts Institute of Technology US
Telecommunication engineeringTsinghua UniversityChina
Instruments science and technologyHarbin Institute of TechnologyChina
Biomedical engineeringHarvard UniversityUS
Computer science and engineeringMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyUS
Civil engineeringTongji UniversityChina
Chemical engineeringMassachusetts Institute of Technology US
Materials science and engineeringMassachusetts Institute of Technology US
Nanoscience and nanotechnologyNanyang Technological UniversitySingapore
Energy science and engineeringNanyang Technological UniversitySingapore
Environmental science and engineeringStanford UniversityUS
Water resourcesDelft University of TechnologyNetherlands
Food Science and technologyWaginengen University & ResearchNetherlands
BiotechnologyHarvard UniversityUS
Aerospace engineeringGeorgia Institute of TechnologyUS
Marine/ocean engineeringShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityChina
Transportation science and technologyDelft University of TechnologyNetherlands
Remote sensingWuhan UniversityChina
Mining and mineral engineeringUniversity of Science and Technology BeijingChina
Metallurgical engineeringCentral South UniversityChina

 

Life sciences

Biological sciencesHarvard UniversityUS
Human biological sciencesHarvard UniversityUS
Agricultural sciencesWageningen University & ResearchNetherlands
Veterinary sciencesGhent UniversityBelgium

 

 

Medical sciences

Clinical medicineHarvard UniversityUS
Public healthHarvard UniversityUS
Dentistry and oral sciencesUniversity of MichiganUS
NursingUniversity of PennsylvaniaUS
Medical technologyHarvard UniversityUS
Pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciencesHarvard UniversityUS

 

 

 

Social sciences

EconomicsUniversity of ChicagoUS
StatisticsHarvard UniversityUS
LawHarvard UniversityUS
Political sciencesHarvard UniversityUS
SociologyHarvard UniversityUS
EducationStanford UniversityUS
CommunicationOhio State UniversityUS
PsychologyHarvard UniversityUS
Business administrationUniversity of PennsylvaniaUS
FinanceYork UniversityUS
ManagementHarvard UniversityUS
Public administrationErasmus University RotterdamNetherlands
Hospitality and tourism managementHong Kong Polytechnic UniversityChina-Hong Kong
Library and information scienceHarvard UniversityUS

Read more: 

Best universities for medicine 
Best universities for engineering degrees


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