Top Sociology Departments
Following are the top leading sociology departments in the UK:
The University of Essex
- It is the only Sociology department in the country to have been awarded the highest rating in all six of the national Research Assessment Exercises (RAE) that have been undertaken since 1986.
- In the RAE 2008, Essex Sociology achieved joint 1st position in the nation. 90% of our research was judged to be of international standard, with 60% being classed as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’.
The University of Manchester
- The Times Higher Education Supplement ranks Manchester top for sociology in the RAE 2008. 40% of its research activity was ranked at the 4* level, the highest proportion of any sociology return in the country.
- In the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) teaching assessment exercise, the School of Social Sciences discipline areas were rated “excellent” for teaching.
University of Glasgow
- The RAE 2008 confirms the Department of Sociology at University of Glasgow as one of the leading sociology departments in Scotland. Taking the total number of category A staff within the 4* and 3* rating, Sociology at GU has moved up to 17th nationally, 2nd in Scotland and 7th in the Russell Group.
University of Aberdeen
- The Department of Sociology is amongst the very best teaching and research units in the UK and recognised internationally for the quality of its work.
- The Department was identified in 2001 as a recognised outlet for research training and supervision of postgraduate students (MRes and PhD) by the Economic and Social Research Council.
- The Times newspaper's Good University Guide considers Aberdeen as one of the top places to study sociology in the UK, ranking 2nd nationally in the 2008 league table.
- The Department has consistently achieved extremely high satisfaction ratings in the National Student Survey (NSS). In 2009, the NSS ranked the Department of Sociology at Aberdeen fifth in the UK, with a student satisfaction rating of 94%.
University of Sussex
- The Department of Sociology ranked 5th in The Guardian Good University Guide and 11th in The Complete University Guide (2010).
- In the RAE 2008 Sussex is ranked among the top 10 Sociology departments in the UK for internationally excellent and world-leading research, being 6th for research that is either internationally excellent or world-leading, and ninth for world-leading research.
* Ranking of Sociology Programs (Top 10 list):
1 Cambridge
2 Edinburgh
3 Warwick
4 Lancaster
5 Birmingham
6 London School of Economics
7 York
8 Exeter
9 Surrey
10 Strathclyde
Source: Guardian University Guide 2011
* Next: Top Social Work Programs
The University of Essex
- It is the only Sociology department in the country to have been awarded the highest rating in all six of the national Research Assessment Exercises (RAE) that have been undertaken since 1986.
- In the RAE 2008, Essex Sociology achieved joint 1st position in the nation. 90% of our research was judged to be of international standard, with 60% being classed as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’.
The University of Manchester
- The Times Higher Education Supplement ranks Manchester top for sociology in the RAE 2008. 40% of its research activity was ranked at the 4* level, the highest proportion of any sociology return in the country.
- In the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) teaching assessment exercise, the School of Social Sciences discipline areas were rated “excellent” for teaching.
University of Glasgow
- The RAE 2008 confirms the Department of Sociology at University of Glasgow as one of the leading sociology departments in Scotland. Taking the total number of category A staff within the 4* and 3* rating, Sociology at GU has moved up to 17th nationally, 2nd in Scotland and 7th in the Russell Group.
University of Aberdeen
- The Department of Sociology is amongst the very best teaching and research units in the UK and recognised internationally for the quality of its work.
- The Department was identified in 2001 as a recognised outlet for research training and supervision of postgraduate students (MRes and PhD) by the Economic and Social Research Council.
- The Times newspaper's Good University Guide considers Aberdeen as one of the top places to study sociology in the UK, ranking 2nd nationally in the 2008 league table.
- The Department has consistently achieved extremely high satisfaction ratings in the National Student Survey (NSS). In 2009, the NSS ranked the Department of Sociology at Aberdeen fifth in the UK, with a student satisfaction rating of 94%.
University of Sussex
- The Department of Sociology ranked 5th in The Guardian Good University Guide and 11th in The Complete University Guide (2010).
- In the RAE 2008 Sussex is ranked among the top 10 Sociology departments in the UK for internationally excellent and world-leading research, being 6th for research that is either internationally excellent or world-leading, and ninth for world-leading research.
* Ranking of Sociology Programs (Top 10 list):
1 Cambridge
2 Edinburgh
3 Warwick
4 Lancaster
5 Birmingham
6 London School of Economics
7 York
8 Exeter
9 Surrey
10 Strathclyde
Source: Guardian University Guide 2011
* Next: Top Social Work Programs
