World University Rankings 2018 by subject: social sciences

The 2018 Times Higher Education World University Rankings’ table for social sciences subjects employs the same rigorous and balanced range of 13 performance indicators used in the overall World University Rankings, but the methodology has been recalibrated to suit the individual fields.

It highlights the universities that are leading across sociology, geography, political and international studies and communication and media studies subjects.

For the first time this year, education, law and psychology subjects are not included in the social sciences table but make up three separate new tables.

The weightings for teaching and research in the social sciences table has altered slightly this year, while the minimum publication threshold for universities to be included has decreased.

This year’s ranking has expanded to include 400 institutions, up from 100 last year.

View the World University Rankings 2018 by subject: social sciences methodology

The University of Oxford tops this year’s social sciences table, marking the first time that a UK institution takes pole position in that list in the eight-year history of the table.

Meanwhile, three Asian universities now make the top 30 for social sciences for the first time; the National University of Singapore has jumped 16 places to 37th, Peking University has leapt 13 places to 22nd, and the University of Hong Kong has crept into 30th after moving up one place. No universities in the continent had reached these heights last year.

View the full results of the overall World University Rankings 2018
Download a free copy of the World University Rankings 2018 digital supplement 
Read our article on the best universities for social sciences degrees

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