Psychology, education and social sciences up in rankings

The University of Reading has maintained or improved its position across most subject areas in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2025, published today.

The University saw notable improvements in three key areas since the 2024 version of the rankings were published:

• Education Studies moved up to the 126-150 bracket from its previous 151-175 position
• Psychology advanced to 151-175, from 176-200
• Social Sciences also improved to 151-175, from 176-200

Reading's Business and Economics programmes continues to perform strongly, ranking 86th globally, maintaining its position within the world's top 100 institutions.

The University demonstrated consistent strength across other disciplines, with impressive showings in:

• Arts and Humanities (101-125)
• Physical Sciences (101-125)
• Life Sciences (151-175)
• Law (201-250)
• Computer Science (301-400)

Dr Caroline Baylon, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International) at the University of Reading, said: "These rankings reflect Reading's continued commitment to excellence across our diverse range of academic disciplines. The improvements we have seen in Education Studies, Psychology, and Social Sciences point to the breadth of world-class subjects we cover at Reading, and the impact of our work to continuously improve the quality of teaching and research curriculum for students across the breadth of our subject areas. 

"While rankings are just one measure of success, they help demonstrate Reading's position as a leading global institution. This strong performance across multiple disciplines reflects the dedication of academic and professional colleagues, the engagement of our students, and the support of our global partners."

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject evaluate universities across various metrics including teaching, research, research influence, international outlook, and industry income. The rankings are widely recognised as a key indicator of university performance and global standing.

For more information about the University of Reading's performance in the latest national and international rankings, visit https://www.reading.ac.uk/about/