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Take advantage of our top rankings and study under nationally and internationally renowned scholars.
QS rankings
Our Faculty ranks within the top 120 in the world for Arts and Humanities in the latest QS World University Rankings. This annual global rankings publication rates more than 18,000 universities and the subjects they teach.
Ranking highlights
- English Language and Literature, Linguistics, and Politics and International Studies ranked within the top 100 in the world.
- Anthropology, Performing Arts, Sociology, History, and Religious Studies ranked in the top 150 in the world.
- The University is ranked first or first equal in Aotearoa for History, Linguistics, Politics and International Studies, and Sociology.
5 Stars Plus
The University received the maximum 5 Stars Plus in the QS Stars Rating System and five stars in each of the eight indicator categories—arts and culture, discipline ranking and accreditations, employability, facilities, inclusiveness, internationalisation, research, and teaching.
Performance Based Research Fund rankings
The University ranks first in New Zealand for the proportion of academics conducting high-quality research in the latest Performance Based Research Fund (PBRF) round.
Subjects within the humanities and social sciences were pivotal to this top ranking. The University has the highest percentage of A-ranked researchers in New Zealand in:
- English Language and Literature
- History, Art History, Classics, and Curatorial Studies
- Music, Literary Arts, and Other Arts
- Philosophy
- Theatre, Dance, Film, Television, and Multimedia
The University has the second-highest percentage in two other subjects:
- Foreign Languages and Linguistics
- Sociology, Social Policy, Social Work, Criminology, and Gender Studies
Also, the University has the highest percentage of A-ranked plus B-ranked researchers (combined) in New Zealand in five humanities and social sciences areas.