Sociology and Politics Success in Global Subject Rankings

Our University has performed exceptionally well in the latest Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities Subject Rankings for 2024. The School of Social Sciences subjects, Sociology and Political Sciences, have been ranked 11th and 48th globally.

The School of Social Sciences has seen two of its departments rise in the latest Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) Subject Rankings for 2024. Our Politics department is now ranked in the top 50 globally for universities delivering ’Political Science’, and our Sociology department has broken into the top 25, ranking 11th on the global rankings.

Our Heads of Department for Sociology and Politics have both welcomed the results as a reflection of the hard work of their academics and researchers.

The department’s 11th position in the 2024 Shanghai Global Ranking reflects our position as a leading institution for sociological research worldwide. This achievement, combined with outstanding REF 2021 results, reflects our department’s commitment to innovative and impactful research across diverse social themes.

What truly sets us apart is our collaborative spirit, exemplified through our vital contributions to interdisciplinary research hubs such as the Centre on the Dynamics of Ethnicity (CoDE), the Sustainable Consumption Institute (SCI) and Creative Manchester.
Breaking into the global top 50 for Political Sciences represents a significant milestone for our department. This achievement reflects the dedication of our researchers in advancing the study of politics across our multiple research clusters - fostering an environment which encourages open and critical debate. We’ve seen substantial growth in our research impact over the past year and are looking forward to continuing this upwards trajectory.


Overall, the University has been placed among the top 25 worldwide in seven subject areas , and has two other subjects ranked in the top 50 globally. We are now ranked in 46 of the 55 subject areas covered by the ARWU, an impressive achievement.

These exceptional results demonstrate our commitment to research excellence and global impact across a diverse range of disciplines.