Read more about the REF2021 results for departments in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

Reputation and Rankings
Lancaster’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is home to over 20 disciplines, with many placing in the top 10 in major UK league tables and top 100 in world rankings.

'Remarkable results' in the Research Excellence Framework (REF2021)
The quality of our research in Arts and Social Sciences has been independently assessed as world leading and internationally excellent. It has also been confirmed that we are achieving real-world impact and positive change through our research.
Two departments in the Faculty achieved the highest possible score for impact in the Research Excellence Framework results published on 12th May 2022.
The Research Excellence Framework (REF), carried out approximately every seven years, assesses the quality of research across UK universities and demonstrates its impact on a domestic and global stage. One of Lancaster’s significant strengths is the way that top academics use their world-class research to inform their teaching.
Outstanding and world leading departments
The Department of Educational Research and the Department of Linguistics and English Language are both rated ‘outstanding’ for 100% of their research impact and therefore both are rated joint top in the UK for impact.
Linguistics is also rated ‘world-leading’ for 100% of its research environment and ranked 2nd in the UK for overall research quality.
Other noteable successes for the Faculty:
Accordion
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Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion
2nd in the UK for research power, 8th for research environment, 88% of its research ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’.
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Department of Sociology (sociology, media and social work)
2nd in the UK for research outputs, 6th for overall research quality, 9th for research power.
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Law School
6th in the UK for research impact, 88% of its impact ‘outstanding’.
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Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts - LICA (covering Architecture, Design, Film, Fine Art and Theatre)
8th in the UK for research impact, 75% of its impact ‘outstanding’.
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Department of English Literature and Creative Writing
Almost half (46%) of published research ‘world leading’; nearly all of the remainder ‘internationally excellent’.
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Department of History
Two thirds of research impact ‘outstanding’, 12th in the UK for outstanding impact.
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Department of Languages and Cultures (DeLC)
Contributed to several different submissions including Art and Design and English Language and Literature, highlighting the department’s strengths in interdisciplinary and collaborative research.

QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023
The global influence of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is confirmed by the latest QS World University Rankings by Subject. Linguistics is ranked in 10th place, highlighting that Lancaster is a world leader in this field. Also considered among the best in the world are English Language and Literature, Art and Design, Modern Languages and Sociology.
Read news story.

Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings
The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is among the best in the world and is ranked in the world top 50 for Art and Humanities.
All four of the Faculty’s disciplines are ranked within the world top 100 in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2023.
- Arts and Humanities is ranked 42
- Law is ranked 89
- Education is ranked 51
- Social Sciences is ranked 93

Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide
Six subjects in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are ranked in the UK top ten by the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023.
- Communication and Media Studies (including Film Studies) # 2
- Linguistics # 2
- Social Work # 3
- Art and Design # 4
- Creative Writing # joint 6
- Dance, Drama and Cinematics (Theatre Studies) # 7
Lancaster is ranked 12th in the UK in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023.
Graduate prospects
Several subjects are also highly ranked for Graduate Prospects by the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023, which demonstrates the high level of support that the Faculty provides.
- Communication and Media Studies (including Film) #5
- Linguistics #5
- English #6
- Art and Design #7
- Social Work #10
The Complete University Guide 2024
Lancaster University is placed in the UK top ten out of 130 universities across the UK by the Complete University Guide 2024.
The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences has many subjects that rank in the UK top ten, and our strength in preparing students for successful careers is recognised in the latest rankings from the Complete University Guide.
- Social Work #1
- Media Studies and Film #2
- Linguistics and Theatre Studies #3
Other subjects that rank among the best in the UK are Italian (4th), Creative Writing (6th), Art and Design (8th), French (9th), and German (9th).
The Faculty provides a high level of support to help our students find rewarding careers after they graduate. Theatre Studies is ranked second in the UK for graduate prospects, while Creative Writing is ranked joint second. Religious Studies is ranked joint 5th, Media Studies and Film Studies joint 7th, Italian joint 8th, and Linguistics joint 10th This reflects the success of Arts and Social Science graduates in finding professional positions or continuing on to further study after they graduate.


The Guardian University Guide
Lancaster University has continued its consistently strong performance in 2023, ranking 14th in the UK. The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences has several subjects in the top 20.
- Fine Art #2
- Social Work #4
- English #7
- Drama #8
- Media and Film #9
- Criminology #17
- Law #19
Drama is ranked top in the UK for Student Satisfaction. Other subjects that have top ten rankings for Student Satisfaction are English, Fine Art, International Relations, Media and Film Studies, and Philosophy.
English, Language and Linguistics, Law, Media and Film Studies, and Philosophy all come in the top ten in the UK for Graduate Prospects.

A highly ranked global university
Find out more about Lancaster University’s strength in UK and world league tables.
Rankings and reputation